Fort Myers, FL -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford brought its Spring Break trip to a close on Friday with a doubleheader against Hiram. The Panthers dropped a back-and-forth battle 8-7 in game one, but came back to win a pitcher's duel 3-2 in the second.

Game 1: Hiram 8 - Pitt-Bradford 7
In the opener, the Panthers jumped out to an early lead, but then had to battle back after a 4-run 5th inning. The Panthers tied the game at 7 in the 6th, but then fell on a home run in the 7th.

Jacob Sherdel got the start for the Panthers and posted a zero to begin the game, working around a hit batter and an error. Pitt-Bradford's offense got off to a lightning-quick start, scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the first. Aiden Zimmerman led off with a double to right, and then, after a strikeout, scored when Noah Avey singled through the right side. Following a fly out to center, Alex Colwell provided a big blast, hitting an opposite-field home run to right. It was his first of the year. 

In the 2nd, Sherdel allowed a pair of one-out singles, but was able to work out of the jam with a little help from his defense. He got one batter to fly out to center, and then the Panthers cut down a runner at the plate after an attempted double steal. The Panthers looked to tack on to their lead with a two-out rally in the bottom half, as Ethan Obergfell doubled to left and then moved to third on a sharp single through the right side by Zimmerman. Alex Ognen came to the plate next and hit a long fly ball to left, but it was caught, ending the threat.

Sherdel allowed a leadoff double to begin the 3rd inning, but came back with a pair of strikeouts. He nearly got out of the inning unscathed, but gave up another double to drive in the run. The Panthers also put a pair of runners on base in the frame after Trent Bielak doubled and Colwell walked, but a 6-4-3 double play brought the inning to a close.

Neither team scored in the 4th, but Sherdel's escape routine ended in the 5th. The senior right-hander retired the first two batters of the frame, but after a single extended the inning, he walked two batters in a row to load the bases. In the following at-bat, Sherdel left an off-speed pitch up in the zone, and paid for it, as the Hiram batter hit a grand slam to left, putting the Terriers in front 5-3. Aiden Zimmerman got a run right back in the bottom of the 5th, as he drilled a pitch over the fence in left for his 3rd home run of the season. 

Ethan Zimmerman replaced Sherdel to begin the 6th and allowed two unearned runs to score after a pair of errors in the infield. In the bottom half, the Panthers rallied to tie the game. Seth Helgert led off with a double to the right-center gap, and then scored a batter later when Tim Beimel hit a long home run to left, pulling the Panthers to within a run. After a groundout, the rally continued, as Aiden Zimmerman recorded his 4th hit of the game, a single to right center. He moved to third when Alex Ognen singled through the left side, and then scampered home on a wild pitch to tie the game.

Ethan Zimmerman retired the first batter of the 7th, but then gave up the lead on a solo home run to right center. Later in the inning, the Terriers put a runner on with an infield single, but Zimmerman escaped further damage. Pitt-Bradford looked for one more rally in the bottom of the frame, and put the tying run on base when Trent Bielak singled to center. The next two Panthers were retired on a strikeout and a fielder's choice, before Kenny Nickson III was hit by a pitch to move the runner into scoring position. The Panthers had the tying and winning run on base with two outs, but Beimel struck out to end the game.

Jacob Sherdel started the game and received a no-decision after allowing 5 earned runs in 5 innings pitched. He struck out 4. Ethan Zimmerman (0-1) pitched the final two frames, allowing 3 runs, 1 earned wiht one strikeout. He received the loss. Aiden Zimmerman was the offensive star for the Panthers, finishing 4 for 4 in the game. He hit a home run and a double and scored 3 times. Trent Bielak also had a multi-hit game, going 2 for 4 with a double. Alex Colwell and Tim Beimel each hit two-run home runs in the loss. 

Game Two - Pitt-Bradford 3 - Hiram 2

In their final game of the trip, the Panthers used a sparkling pitching effort from Maddox Stadler to outlast Hiram, winning 3-2. 

As the visiting team, the Panthers jumped in front right away, scoring in the top of the first. Zimmerman remained hot at the plate, leading off the game with a single to right. He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and then scored a batter later when Colwell lined a single back up the middle. Noah Avey followed with another hit, but the inning ended a batter later on a strikeout. Stadler made quick work of the Terriers in the bottom of the frame, using just 8 pitches to get out of the inning.

Both teams were retired in order in the 2nd and 3rd innings before threatening to score in the 4th. Levi Laser hit a two-out double in the 4th, but was left stranded a batter later. Stdler allowed a leadoff single in the bottom of the frame, but then got some help from his battery mate as Laser threw out the runner trying to steal second base.

Pitt-Bradford was able to tack on to their lead in the 5th, scoring twice. Ognen started the rally with a walk, and then scored when Zimmerman recorded his 7th hit of the day, a double down the left field line. Zimmerman took third as the throw went to the plate, and then scored on a Mallick Metcalfe sacrifice fly. Stadler posted another impressive shutdown inning in the bottom half, using 6 pitches to end the frame.

The Panthers went down quietly in the 6th, and Stadler remained dominant on the hill, retiring the side in order with a pair of strikeouts. Ethan Obergfell singled to start the 7th for Pitt-Bradford, but was later thrown out stealing to end the inning. 

Stadler started the 7th well, striking out the leadoff batter with three straight swinging strikes. He then ran into trouble, as the next Terrier batter hit a home run to right, cutting the lead to two. He retired the next batter on a line drive to center, but then allowed a second run to score on two singles around a wild pitch. He hit the next batter to put the go-ahead run on base, but then induced a pop-up to second to end the game.

Maddox Stadler (2-1) picked up the complete-game win after allowing 2 earned runs on 5 hits in 7 innings. He threw just 76 pitches, with 56 going for strikes. He set a career high with 7 strikeouts. Aiden Zimmerman continued his hot hitting in the game, going 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored, a double, and an RBI. Mallick Metcalfe and Alex Colwell drove in a run each, while Levi Laser hit a double. 

The Panthers move to 2-11 on the season after the split. They will travel back to Pennsylvania on Saturday, before returning to action next weekend, when they travel to Pitt-Greensburg to begin their AMCC slate.