Fort Myers, FL -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford baseball team opened up their trip to Fort Myers, Fla., on Saturday, taking on Augustana in a pair of 9-inning games. The Panthers lost both, dropping the opener 11-4 before losing 8-1 in a weather-shortened nightcap.

Game 1: Augustana 11 - Pitt-Bradford 4

In the first game of the day, the Panthers took a pair of early leads against the Vikings, but allowed two late 4-run innings to lose the contest 11-4.

The Panthers fell behind in the first as Augustana opened the game with a run. After retiring the leadoff batter, starting pitcher Collin Porter allowed a fly ball to right field that was misplayed and resulted in a triple. The run scored on a groundout before Porter ended the frame a batter later. 

Pitt-Bradford came right back in the top of the 2nd, scoring two runs to take the lead. Alex Colwell led off the frame by drawing a walk and then came around to score a batter later when Kenny Nickson III drove a fastball over the fence to the opposite field for a two-run home run. It is his first of the season. Porter responded to the lead in the bottom half, striking out the side to post a shutdown frame.

After a scoreless 3rd, the Vikings tied the game at 2 in the bottom of the 4th without the benefit of a hit. Porter hit the first two batters of the inning, and then a fly ball put runners on the corners. During the following at-bat, a passed ball allowed the tying run to score before Porter retired two in a row to end the frame.

The Panthers found another rally in the 5th, scoring twice to jump back in front. Aiden Zimmerman started the inning with a walk, and then promptly stole second. Alex Ognen lined a single through the left side to bring in Zimmerman and then advanced to second on the throw to the plate, giving the Panthers another scoring opportunity. After a pair of groundouts and a Trent Bielak walk, Colwell singled to center to drive in Ognen and double the lead. 

Unfortunately, the Panthers were not able to hold onto the lead for long. Porter retired the lead-off batter in the bottom of the 5th, but then hit a batter and allowed a single. An errant pickoff throw to first allowed the first runner to score, and then a double to right tied the game at 4. Porter got the next batter to line out to left, but then allowed a two-run home run to left-center. Ethan Zimmerman replaced Porter after the home run and retired the first batter he faced to end the frame.

The Panthers threatened to score in the 6th and 7th innings, but could not come up with the final hit to drive in runners in scoring position. Zimmerman posted a 0 in the bottom of the 6th and then, after allowing a solo home run to start the 7th, got out of the frame without further damage. 

Kristian Kocon replaced Zimmerman to pitch the 8th. He retired the first batter he faced, but then, after an error in the infield, allowed the runner to move to third on a balk and a wild pitch. An infield single brought in the first run of the frame, and then, following a hit batter, Kocon gave up a 2-run double to center. Another run scored on a sacrifice fly before a walk resulted in another Pitt-Bradford pitching change. Tommy Gargasz replaced Kocon and saw the inning come to a quick end on a failed double steal attempt by the Vikings. 

Alex Colwell reached on a walk in the top of the 9th, but the Panthers could not put together a rally, ending game one. 

Collin Porter (0-2) picked up the loss after allowing 6 runs, 5 earned in 4.2 innings pitched. He struck out 5. Ethan Zimmerman pitched 2.1 innings, allowing 1 run. Kristian Kocon allowed 4 runs, 2 earned, to score in 2/3 of an inning pitched, while Tommy Gargasz was credited with 1/3 of an inning. Kenny Nickson III went 1 for 4 in the game but provided the big blast for the Panthers, a two-run home run. Alex Colwell had the only multi-hit game for the Panthers, finishing 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI. 

Game 2: Augustana 8 - Pitt-Bradford 1 (7 innings)

Game two saw the Panthers battle Augustana and the weather, as the game was interrupted twice due to lightning in the area. In the game, the Panthers struggled defensively, committing 6 errors that led to 5 unearned runs in an eventual 8-1 loss.

Pitt-Bradford fell behind from the start, as Augustana put together a 2-out rally off of starting pitcher Patrick Synan in the opening at bat. Synan retired the first two batters on his own with a strikeout and a grounder back to the mound, but saw the inning continue with a walk and a hit batter. With runners on 1st and 2nd, Synan allowed back-to-back singles up the middle, each bringing in a run. He ended the inning with a fly ball a batter later, stranding two runners on base. After a 45-minute delay, the Panthers came to the plate and were quickly set down in the bottom of the first. 

Synan worked around a pair of errors in the 2nd to post a scoreless frame. In the bottom half, Trent Bielak led off with a double down the left field line, but was quickly doubled off after Noah Avey's line drive was snagged up the middle. 

In the third, Synan ran into trouble again, allowing 5 runs to score. After a leadoff single and an error in the infield, Synan fielded a sacrifice bunt, but his throw to first was errant, allowing another run to score. Synan struck out a batter, but then loaded the bases with a walk. A single through the left side allowed the 4th run of the game to score. Synan got the next batter to hit the ball on the ground, looking for an inning-ending double play, but the relay throw to first got away, allowing two runs to score. Synan allowed one more run-scoring single to right before being replaced by Carter Leviski. Leviski quickly ended the frame with a groundout.

Pitt-Bradford put runners on base in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings, but once again could not come up with the final hit to drive in any runs. While the Panther offense struggled to drive in any runs in the middle three innings, Leviski was able to keep the deficit from growing, posting two straight scoreless frames. 

He allowed a one-out home run in the 6th, but the Panthers were able to get the run back in the bottom half. Aiden Zimmerman led off with a double to right, and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Alex Colwell was able to hit a line drive to right, but his effort was caught on a slide for a sacrifice fly. The Panthers looked to rally again with two outs, as Avey and Seth Helgert drew walks, but a fly ball to right ended the threat. 

Leviski returned to the mound for the 7th, and despite allowing two runners to reach on a walk and a single, settled down to retire two in a row and end the frame. The Panthers put two more runners on in the bottom half, but saw the rally end quickly with a double play. 

The teams began play in the 8th inning; however, another lightning delay led to the game being declared final after 7 innings. 

Patrick Synan (0-2) got the loss after allowing 7 runs, 2 earned, on 5 hits. He struck out two. Carter Leviski had a strong relief outing, lasting 4.1 innings, allowing just 1 earned run. Ethan Obergfell finished 2 for 2 and was hit by a pitch. Aiden Zimmerman had a double and a run scored, while Trent Bielak also had an extra-base hit for the Panthers. 

The losses drop Pitt-Bradford to 1-5 on the season. They will be back in action tomorrow, as they will take on Rockford in a pair of 7-inning contests. First pitch is slated for 12:00 p.m. at Terry Park in Fort Myers.