Bradford, PA -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford baseball team traveled south on Sunday for an AMCC doubleheader at Penn State-Altoona. The Panthers were able to pick up a sweep of the Lions, taking game one 7-5 and then game two 10-3.

Game One - Pitt-Bradford 7 - Penn State-Altoona 5

In the opener, the Panthers fell behind after a 5-run bottom of the 4th, but were able to strike back with 3 in the 5th and 2 more in the 7th to earn a tight 7-5 victory.

The game started slowly as neither team scored in the first three frames. The Panthers only mustered an infield single in the opening frames, while starting pitcher Collin Porter was able to match the scoreless innings early. He walked a batter in the 1st, but was able to strand him at third after a pair of steals. In the 2nd, he gave up two singles and a walk, but helped turn a 1-6-3 double play to escape the jam. 

After Porter retired the side in order in the 3rd, the Panthers went in front with two runs in the 4th. Mallick Metcalfe led off the inning and reached on an error. He moved up to third base on a wild pitch and then scored when Noah Avey dropped a hit into right-center. Avey took 2nd on a wild pitch, and then, following a strikeout, scored on a Trent Bielak single to center, putting the Panthers up 2-0.

The lead would not last, as the hosts rallied to go in front in the bottom half of the inning. Porter allowed a leadoff home run, but then seemed to have settled down after striking out a pair of Lions around a single. He was not able to get the third out, however, as the next two batters singled to tie the game at 2, and then a three-run home run put the hosts ahead. Porter was replaced by Carter Leviski after the home run. Leviski allowed a single and hit a batter before finally ending the frame with a groundout.

Pitt-Bradford responded immediately, scoring 3 times in the next frame to tie the game. Alex Ognen drew a leadoff walk, and then after a sacrifice bunt, scored when Aiden Zimmerman doubled down the left field line. Metcalfe drove him in with a single to left center, and then the Panthers loaded the bases with consecutive singles by Avey and Alex Colwell, forcing a pitching change. Trent Bielak was the first Panther to face the new pitcher and was promptly hit by a pitch, bringing in the tying run.

Leviski returned to the mound in the bottom of the inning and needed just 5 pitches to retire the Lions for an important shutdown inning. 

He was rewarded in the 6th, as Pitt-Bradford scored two more runs to retake the lead. Ognen started the rally once again, dropping a single down the right field line. After Grant Casses was hit by a pitch, the pair pulled off a double steal. Following a strikeout, Metcalfe came up with another hit, grounding a single up the middle to give the Panthers a 2-run lead. 

In the bottom of the inning, Leviski allowed a leadoff single and was replaced by left-hander Ethan Zimmerman. Zimmerman worked out of the inning, inducing two fly outs and a pop-up to send the game to the 7th. The Panthers went down in order in the 7th, sending the southpaw back to the mound with a two-run lead, looking to slam the door shut. Zimmerman allowed a leadoff single, but then retired the next three batters to end the game.

Starting pitcher Collin Porter picked up a no-decision after allowing 5 earned runs in 3.2 innings pitched. He struck out 3. Carter Leviski (2-0) got the win, pitching 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits. Ethan Zimmerman (2) picked up the two-inning save, allowing just 1 hit in two frames while striking out 1 batter. 

Offensively, the Panthers were led by Mallick Metcalfe, who finished 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI. He also drove in the winning runs. Noah Avey also had a multi-hit game, while Trent Bielak drove in 2, and Alex Ognen scored twice.

Game two: Pitt-Bradford 10 - Penn State-Altoona 3

In the nightcap, the Panthers stifled the Lions early and jumped out to a 9-0 lead. The Lions struck late for a few runs, but the Panthers' lead was large enough, resulting in a 10-3 win.

Patrick Synan took the hill for the Panthers in the nightcap and was highly efficient, throwing 6.1 scoreless frames. He worked out of trouble in the 1st, allowing two infield singles and a walk before inducing a double play to end the inning.

The Panthers put runners on base in the first two frames, but were held scoreless until the 3rd when they struck for 4.  Aiden Zimmerman led off with a single, and then, after a sacrifice bunt and a groundout, scored on an Alex Colwell single to center. Trent Bielak followed with a single to left, and then Ethan Obergfell drew a walk to load the bases. Catcher Logan McConnell came through with the big hit for the Panthers, lining a double to center field to clear the bases and drive in three Panthers.

Synan posted a shutdown inning in the 4th, and then got more help from his battery mate in the 5th as McConnell threw out a runner attempting to steal third base. His lead grew in the 5th when the Panthers tacked on two more. Colwell drew a one-out walk and then moved to 2nd on a Bielak single. A batter later, McConnell lined a single to center to bring in Colwell. After a pitching change, Bielak scored on a wild pitch before the inning came to a close. 

Synan induced three quick fly balls for a shutdown frame in the bottom of the 5th, and worked around a two-out infield single to keep the hosts off the board in the 6th. After the Panthers stranded a pair on 2nd and 3rd in the 7th, Synan walked the leadoff batter, but struck out the next Lion, ending his outing. He was replaced by Maddox Stadler with a runner on first and one out. Stadler struck out the first batter he faced, and then got the next batter to fly out to left, ending the inning.

Pitt-Bradford rallied with two outs in the 8th, scoring three more runs to push the lead to 9. Metcalfe and Avey reached on free passes before Colwell drove a home run to deep left. It was the senior first baseman's 2nd of the season. Stadler allowed a one-out solo home run of his own in the bottom of the inning, and then let the next two lions reach on a double and a walk. He worked out of trouble, however, retiring the next two batters on a strikeout and a fly ball to right.

In the final frame, the Panthers tacked on one more run. Obergfell and McConnell started the inning with singles, and then two batters later, Aiden Zimmerman singled to right to drive in Obergfell. Stadler walked the leadoff batter in the bottom of the inning, and then gave up a double to left. The two runners scored on a sacrifice fly and a groundout to second, and then, following a walk, Stadler closed the door with a lineout to center.

Patrick Synan (1-3) got the win after pitching 6.1 shutout innings. He scattered 6 hits and 3 walks, while striking out 3 batters. Maddox Stadler pitched the final 2.2 innings, giving up 3 earned runs with two strikeouts. Three different Panthers recorded 3 hits in the victory. Alex Colwell finished the game 3 for 4 with a home run, 3 runs scored, and 4 RBI. Logan McConnell was also 3 for 4, driving in 4 runs while also hitting a double. Trent Bielak was 3 for 5 with a pair of runs scored, while Ethan Obergfell and Aiden Zimmerman had two hits apiece.

The sweep moves the Panthers to 6-13 overall and 2-2 in AMCC play. They will be back in action on Wednesday when they take on Alfred State in a single 9-inning game in Alfred.