Fort Myers, FL -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford softball team was back in action for their second day of competition at the Gene Cusic Classic on Monday, taking on SUNY Potsdam and Bethany. The Panthers allowed 4 late runs, which led to a 5-3 loss to Potsdam, and then fell behind Bethany early, eventually losing 8-3.

Game One: SUNY Potsdam 5 - Pitt-Bradford 3

Christa Koagel started the game for the Panthers and made quick work of the Bears in the opening frame, striking out a pair. The Panthers jumped into the lead early as Miranda Groll led off the game with a triple to right and then scored on an RBI groundout by Payton Frank. Sara Stroup followed with a double, but the inning ended quickly when she was caught stealing before a strikeout.

Koagel worked around a 2-out single in the 2nd to post a shutdown inning, but the Panther offense could not tack on, going down in order in the bottom half. Potsdam evened the score in the 3rd, scoring an unearned run on an error and a single. The Panthers were able to turn a double play to end the frame.

Koagel continued to dominate the Bears for the next two innings, retiring six batters in a row. She was rewarded in the 5th when the Panthers retook the lead. Cassie Scarbrough drew a leadoff walk and was replaced on the bases by the flex player, Lauren Frascella. Frascella moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and then took third when pinch-hitter Sasha Ginsberg dropped a double down the left field line. Groll drove in the run for the Panthers, hitting a sacrifice fly to left before a pop out ended the frame.

Alyssa Tollini replaced Koagel in the circle to begin the sixth, but ran into trouble as the leadoff batter reached on an error. She induced a pop-up in the infield for the first out, but then allowed a single and a walk to load the bases. She picked up the second out on another pop-up, but could not escape the jam. She allowed a single up the middle to drive in two runs, giving the Bears a 3-2 lead. 

Pitt-Bradford went down in order in the bottom of the inning, and Potsdam took advantage of the momentum swing, tacking on two more runs. Kaylee Schwartz took the mound for the 7th, and despite striking out the first batter she faced, saw her opponent reach base on a dropped third strike and an errant throw to first. Schwartz walked the next batter to put runners on first and second, and then the Panthers committed another error on a sacrifice bunt attempt, which brought in another run. Stroup made a great catch on a foul pop-up against the backstop for the first out, but Potsdam added one more run in the inning with an RBI groundout.

Needing three runs to tie the game in the bottom of the 7th, the Panthers put together a rally. Kailey Ripley led off the inning with a single. After a fielder's choice recorded the first out, Keelie Schneider blooped a single into right to bring the tying run to the plate. Schwartz stepped up next and hit a hard grounder back up the middle. The Potsdam shortstop knocked the ball down, but it trickled into the outfield, allowing a run to score. The rally would not be successful, however, as the next two Panthers were retired on a shallow fly out to right and a pop-up, ending the game. 

Christa Koagel had an outstanding outing for the Panthers in her first start of the year. She pitched 5.0 innings, allowing 1 unearned run on 3 hits, while striking out 4. Alyssa Tollini (0-1) picked up the loss after allowing 2 unearned runs to score on 2 hits. Kaylee Schwartz was also tagged with two unearned runs without allowing a hit. She struck out one. Miranda Groll led the Panthers offense, finishing 2 for 3 with a triple, a run scored, and an RBI. 

Game Two: Bethany 8 - Pitt-Bradford 3

In the second game of the day, the Panthers took a lead in the top of the first, but failed to limit the Bethany offense, which scored 8 runs over the next 4 innings. The Panthers rallied late, but could not catch the Bison, resulting in an 8-3 loss. 

Sasha Ginsberg started the 1st with a one-out walk and then moved to second on a Sara Stroup single. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch, and then Ginsberg dashed home on a passed ball for the opening run. Pitt-Bradford could not tack on a second, as Krislyn Clement flew out to shallow right and Lilly Hamels popped up to short.

The Bison got the run right back in the bottom of the frame off of freshman pitcher Tae-lynn Brabant, who was making her collegiate debut. Brabant walked the leadoff batter, and after a stolen base, saw the run score on back-to-back groundouts. The Bison picked up two more singles in the inning, but Brabant avoided further damage, inducing one final groundout. 

The Panthers put two runners on with walks in the 2nd, but could not take advantage. Bethany went ahead again in the 2nd, using three singles and another RBI grounder to score the run. After a 1-2-3 inning for Pitt-Bradford in the 3rd, the Bison tacked on another run in the bottom half of the frame. They started the inning with a pair of singles, and then used a sacrifice fly to make the score 3-1.

Hannah Schnetzer replaced Branbant to start the 4th and ran into trouble. She walked the leadoff batter and then allowed 4 straight singles, which brought in three runs. A sacrifice fly drove in a fourth run and chased Schnetzer, who was replaced by Sandra Watne. The senior allowed an inherited runner to score with a double to center, and then, after two walks, ended the inning with a double play on a fly out. 

Pitt-Bradford pulled a run back in the 5th. Jada Walowen pinch hit for the Panthers and led off with a double to right center. The Panthers loaded the bases with a walk and a bunt single, and then, after a lineout, Stroup drove in a run with a single to shortstop. Watne returned to the circle for the 5th and posted a shutdown inning, working around a walk and an error to keep the Bison off the board. 

The Panthers went down quietly in the 6th, and then brought in a new pitcher for the 6th. Jenna Opel replaced Watne to start the inning and made quick work of the Bison, stranding one runner after an error to send the game to the 7th.

Pitt-Bradford rallied in the 7th, looking to cut into the deficit. Groll started the inning with a one-out single to center, and then moved to third when Ginsberg singled through the right side. Stroup drove in another run with a single up the middle. The Panthers would load the bases after a ground ball to the pitcher did not result in an out, but they could not muster any more hits as the game ended two batters later with a strikeout and a fielder's choice.

Tae-Lynn Brabany (0-1) got the loss after allowing 3 earned runs in 3 innings pitched. Hannah Schnetzer was tagged with 5 earned runs in a third of an inning pitched, while Sandra Watne pitched 1.2 scoreless innings. Jenna Opel pitched a scoreless sixth with one strikeout. Offensively, Sara Stroup had an outstanding game, finishing 3 for 4 with 2 RBI. Miranda Groll also recorded a multiple-hit game, going 2 for 4. Jada Walowen hit a double in her lone at-bat. 

The losses drop Pitt-Bradford to 2-2 on the season. They will have a day off before returning to action on Wednesday with two more games. They will take on SUNY Cobleskill and Saint Joseph at North Collier Regional Park in Naples. First pitch is slated for 9:00 a.m.