Fort Myers, FL -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford baseball team returned to action at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic on Thursday as they played a pair of nine-inning games in a split doubleheader. The Panthers started the day with a game against Wisconsin Lutheran, before taking on Skidmore in the nightcap. The Panthers lost the opener to the Warriors 16-6, and then fell to the Thoroughbreds 10-5.
Game One: Wisconsin Lutheran 16 - Pitt-Bradford 6 (8 innings)
In the opening game, the Panthers matched the Warriors through three innings but allowed 3 in the 4th and 7 in the 5th, resulting in a 16-6 loss.
Pitt-Bradford jumped into the lead in the top of the first. Mallick Metcalfe hit a single to left, and then moved to second when Noah Avey drew a walk. Trent Bielak singled to right to load the bases before Alex Colwell hit a fly ball to right to bring in Metcalfe. The Warriors came right back in the bottom half and tied the game. The first two batters of the game singled off of starting pitcher Patrick Synan, putting runners on the corners with nobody out. Synan was able to limit the damage, however, as he induced a run-scoring 6-4-3 double play. He struck out the next batter to end the frame.
After a quiet top of the 2nd, Wisconsin Lutheran went in front in the bottom half. Synan allowed a one-out double to right center, and then, after a groundout, a single up the middle to drive in the run. Pitt-Bradford rallied with two outs in the third to tie the game. Avey hit a single to right center before Bielak found the gap with a double, which brought Avey around from first to score. Synan posted a shutdown inning in the bottom half, getting the warriors to ground into three straight outs.
The Panthers had a single and a double in the 4th, but a double play on a popped-up bunt scuppered the rally. Wisconsin Lutheran grabbed the momentum in the next frame, hitting a leadoff home run before adding a pair of unearned runs on two free passes and a pair of fielding errors on the Panthers.
Pitt-Bradford cut into the lead with another run in the 5th as Bielak followed a two-out Avey walk with a double down the left field line, which brought in the catcher from first for a second time. The Panthers could not maintain the momentum, however, as the Warriors exploded for 7 runs in the bottom of the inning. The leadoff batter doubled to center, and then, after a hit batter, a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt allowed a runner to score. Synan recorded one out on a fielder's choice that brought in the second run of the frame, but was replaced after allowing a double to right.
Seth Helgert relieved Synan and could not put out the fire immediately, allowing a pair of singles to begin his outing. After a walk, he recorded the second out on another run-scoring fielder's choice. The next batter doubled in a pair of runs before Helgert ended the frame with a strikeout.
In the 6th, the Panthers drew 3 walks, but failed to come up with a hit to drive in any runs. The Warriors answered with their 13th run of the game on two free passes and a single. Helgert avoided further damage by inducing a 5-5-3 double play to end the inning.
Needing to score to extend the game, the Panthers put a pair of runners on as Alex Colwell drew a leadoff walk, and after a pair of strikeouts, Ethan Obergfell was hit by a pitch. Aiden Zimmerman provided the big hit for the Panthers, driving a three-run home run over the wall in left to cut the lead to 7. Helgert returned to the hill for the bottom half, but after allowing a pair of one-out home runs, was replaced by Tim Beimel. The senior right-hander walked the first batter he faced, but retired the next two batters to send the game to the 8th.
Noah Avey beat out an infield single with one out in the 8th, looking to start a rally, but the next two Panthers grounded into fielder's choices to end the inning. The game would not last much longer, as Beimel walked the leadoff batter in the bottom half and then gave up a run-scoring double to left to end the game.
Patrick Synan (0-3) picked up the loss for the Panthers. He allowed 9 runs, 4 earned in 4.1 innings pitched. HE struck out 3. Seth Helgert pitched 2.0 innings, allowing 6 runs, 3 earned, with one strikeout. Tim Beimel allowed 1 earned run in 2/3 of an inning pitched. Trent Bielak led the offense, finishing 3 for 5 with a pair of run-scoring doubles. Noah Avey reached in all 5 of his plate appearances, finishing 2 for 2 with 3 walks and a pair of runs scored. Aiden Zimmerman hit his 2nd home run of the season in the loss.
Game Two: SKidmore 10 - Pitt-Bradford 5
In their nightcap, the Panthers faced another tough nine-inning contest against Skidmore. The Panthers scored first and stuck with the Thoroughbreds through 3 frames, but were doomed by another big inning, eventually falling 10-5.
The Panthers took the lead in the top of the first for the second time in as many games. Aiden Zimmerman led off and was hit by a pitch, and then moved over to third on a bunt and a fly ball to center. Alex Colwell drove him in with a clutch two-out single to left. Kenny Nickson III also singled to continue the inning, but it ended a batter later with a strikeout.
Collin Porter started the game for the anthers, and despite retiring two of the first three batters, allowed Skidmore to tie the game in the bottom half with a two-out RBI triple to center. He was able to strand a runner on third, however, as he struck out the next batter to end the frame.
Both teams put a runner in scoring position in the second, but were unable to bring them in as both halves ended with a strikeout looking. The Panthers went down quietly in the third, while Skidmore was able to move into the lead. Following a leadoff single and a walk, Porter allowed another single into left field to drive in the go-ahead run. He was able to settle down, however, retiring the next three Thoroughbreds to end the frame.
Pitt-Bradford was set down quietly in the 4th, before Skidmore exploded for 6 runs in the bottom half. After the leadoff batter reached on a fielding error, Porter allowed a two-run home run to left. He got the next two batters to ground out to short, but then walked a batter and, after a steal and a wild pitch, gave up a run-scoring single. After the hit, Porter was replaced by Carter Leviski. The sophomore right-hander struggled to get started in his appearance, giving up back-to-back home runs, which put the Thoroughbreds ahead 8-1.
In the 5th, the Panthers failed to convert with runners on 2nd and 3rd with nobody out, while Skidmore tacked a run onto their lead with a one-out single and double. Alan Compres hit a two-out double in the top of the sixth for the Panthers, but was left on 2nd when the inning ended a batter later.
Leviski pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the 6th, and was rewarded in the next half inning, as the Panthers pushed a run across. Zimmerman was hit by a pitch for the third time in the game, and then moved to third when Alex Ognen doubled down the right field line. Trent Bielak drove him in with a sacrifice fly to right. Leviski pitched a scoreless frame in the 7th and limited Skidmore to 1 run in the 8th, sending the game to the final inning with the Panthers trailing 10-2.
In the 9th, Pitt-Bradford rallied, scoring 3 times to cut into the final deficit. Ognen led off with a single, and then scored when Bielak crushed a double off the wall in center. Colwell followed with another blast off the high wall in dead, center, registering a triple. Two batters later, Colwell scored on a sacrifice fly from Logan McConnell.
Collin Porter (0-3) picked up the loss for Pitt-Bradford. In 3.2 innings pitched, he allowed 6 runs, 3 earned, on 7 hits. He struck out 4. Carter Leviski pitched the final 4.1 innings, giving up 4 runs, 2 earned, while striking out a pair. Alex Colwell led the offensive charge, finishing 2 for 4 with a triple, 2 RBI, and a run scored. Alex Ognen also had a multi-hit game, going 2-3 with a run scored. Trent Bielak drove in two, while Aiden Zimmerman was hit by pitches 3 times and scored 2 runs.
The losses drop the Panthers to 1-10 on the season. They will bring their spring break trip to a close tomorrow, as they will face Hiram in a pair of 7-inning games. First pitch is slated for 9:00 a.m. at Terry Park.
