Bradford, PA -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford took on Hilbert for the second time in as many days on Saturday, playing the Hawks as the road team, as the game was moved to Bradford due to unplayable field conditions in Hamburg. The Panthers took both games in the twin bill, coming back to win game one 7-4 before holding off a late Hilbert comeback in game two to win 8-4.
Game One - Pitt-Bradford 7 - Hilbert 4
In the opener, the Panthers fell behind 4-2 through 4 frames but exploded for 5 runs in the 6th to take down the Hawks 7-4.
After a quiet opening frame for the Panthers, Hilbert took the lead in the bottom half of the inning, scoring twice off of starting pitcher Collin Porter. The Hawks started the inning with a pair of singles before scoring on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly. Porter was able to limit the damage, getting the second out of the frame on a play at the plate before inducing a fly ball.
Pitt-Bradford struck back in the 2nd, tying the game with 2 runs of their own. Trent Bielak led off with a single to right center and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. He had to stay put as Seth Helgert blooped a single just over the shortstop's head, and then, after a strikeout, moved to third when Ethan Obergfell drew a walk to load the bases. Centerfielder Grant Casses came through with a big two-out hit, lining a single to left to drive in a pair. The Hawks took advantage of another Panther error in the 2nd to retake the lead. After a leadoff walk, an error on a single up the middle allowed each runner to take an extra base, putting Hawks on 2nd and 3rd with nobody out. Porter wriggled out of trouble with limited damage, allowing one run to score on an RBI groundout before retiring the next two on a pop-up and a strikeout.
In the 4th, Hilbert tacked on another run to double their lead. After a one-out single and a stolen base, Porter allowed another hit up the middle, which brought in the 4th run of the game. He was replaced by Carter Leviski, who hit the first batter he faced, but then got two straight fly outs to end the inning. Leviski was able to keep the deficit at two when he stranded a pair of runners in the 5th, setting the stage for a Panther comeback in the 6th.
Alex Colwell started the 6th with a single to center, and then after a fly out to right, the Panthers loaded the bases on an infield single by Aiden Zimmerman and a walk to Seth Helgert. Kenny Nickson III tied the game, grounding a single through the left side, and then Obergfell lined a double to left center to give the Panthers the lead. Casses followed with a double down the left field line, and then after a pitching change, scored when Alex Ognen lined a single into right field. The Panthers nearly added a 6th in the frame when Noah Avey singled to left, but Ognen was tagged out at the plate to end the frame.
Leviski walked the leadoff batter in the sixth and was relieved by Ethan Zimmerman. Zimmerman also started his outing with a walk, but then quickly ended the rally with a strikeout and a 6-4-3 double play. After the Panthers stranded a pair in the 7th, Zimmerman used just 10 pitches to retire the side in order in the bottom of the frame to slam the door.
Starting pitcher Collin Porter allowed 4 runs, 2 earned, in 3.1 innings of work as he received a no-decision. He also struck out two batters. Carter Leviski (3-0) threw 1.2 innings of shutout relief and earned the win. Ethan Zimmerman (3) picked up his 3rd save of the season after throwing two scoreless innings, allowing just one batter to reach. Grant Casses was the offensive star for the Panthers, finishing 2 for 2 with a double, a walk, a run scored, and 3 RBI. Alex Colwell and Seth Helgert each had multi-hit games, while Kenny Nickson drove in a pair. Ethan OBergfell had a double and an RBI, while Alex Ognen also drove in a run.
Game Two - Pitt-Bradford 8 - Hilbert 4
Rushing to get the second game in before the weather turned, Pitt-Bradford opened up an 8-0 lead on Hilbert in the nightcap. The Hawks battled back in the late innings, putting the tying run on deck twice, but the Panthers prevailed, winning 8-4.
Pitt-Bradford started quickly, scoring twice in the top of the first. After the first two Panthers were retired, Alex Colwell reached on an error to extend the inning, and Trent Bielak doubled to left to put two runners in scoring position. Aiden Zimmerman drove them in, hitting a double down the left field line to give the Panthes a 2-0 edge.
Starting pitcher Patrick Synan posted a shutdown inning in the bottom half of the first, using a double play to erase a leadoff single before sending the offense back to the plate. He was rewarded in the 2nd, as the Panthers doubled their lead with two more runs. Ethan Obergfell singled to right with one out, and then moved to second when Grant Casses drew a walk. Alex Ognen hit a single to left to bring in Obergfell before Noah Avey hit a single through the left side to load the bases. After a strikeout, Casses scampered home on a passed ball to push the lead to 4.
Synan kept the momentum with the Panthers in the bottom half, working around a leadoff walk to put another 0 on the board. In the 4th, the Panthers tacked on to their lead, scoring two more runs on one hit. Ognen drew a free pass to lead off the frame, and then moved to third when Avey doubled to left. The Hawks attempted to pick off Ognen at third, but the throw to the base was errant, allowing Ognen to trot home for the 5th Panther run. Colwell and Bielak drew walks around a pitching change to load the bases, and then after a forceout at the plate, Seth Helgert drove in a run with an RBI groundout to short.
Synan posted his third shutdown frame of the game in the bottom of the 4th, and after a quiet 5th inning, the Panthes tacked on two more in the 6th. Bielak started the rally with a one-out walk, and then moved to third when Zimmerman singled to right. Helgert lined a single into left to drive him in, and then after a flyout, Obergfell walked to load the bases. The Hawks changed pitchers again, and the Panthers added one more run on a passed ball before a lineout was snagged at second base, ending the frame. Synan induced two quick groundouts to start the bottom half, and then, after a single, ended the frame with a fly ball to left.
After the Panthers failed to take advantage of an Avey leadoff single in the 7th, the Hawks finally touched up Synan, scoring twice. The senior right-hander allowed a leadoff single and then a double down to left to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with nobody out. The Hawks drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to right, and then Synan got the second out of the inning on a strikeout. Hilbert brought in the second run with a single through the right side before Synan ended the inning with another K.
Maddox Stadler replaced Synan to begin the 8th inning, and after retiring the leadoff batter on a fly ball, ran into trouble. He walked a batter and then allowed back-to-back singles to load the bases. A bloop single drove in a run and forced the Panthers into another pitching change as Trent Bielak moved to the mound from right field with the tying run on deck. Bielak quickly got out of the jam, striking out a batter before getting the final out on the plate on a chopper back to the mound.
The Panthes could not tack on insurance runs in the 9th, and sent Bielak back to the hill to close out the game. He retired the first two batters on fly balls to left, but then saw the game and inning extended on a throwing error in the infield. The next batter drove in the runner with a double to left, cutting the lead to 4. Bielak walked the next batter, but then struck out the next Hawk to end the game.
Patrick Synan (3-4) was dominant, allowing 2 runs in 7 innings pitched. He scattered 6 hits and a walk while striking out 4. Maddox Stadler pitched 1/3 of an inning, allowing a run on 3 hits and a walk. Trent Bielak (1) earned the save, allowing one unearned run in 1.2 innings pitched with two strikeouts. Noah Avey led the Panthers with 3 hits, including a double, in the win. Aiden Zimmerman finished 2 for 5 with a double, a run scored, and 2 RBI, while Seth Helgert also drove in a pair. Ethan Obergfell also recorded a multi-hit game, finishing 2 for 4.
The sweep moves the Panthers to 10-18 on the season with a 6-7 mark in AMCC play. They are scheduled to return to action at Repchick Family Field on Monday, as they will take on Houghton.
