Naples, FL -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford softball team was back in action in Naples, FL, on Wednesday as they took on SUNY Cobleskill and Saint Joseph at North Collier Regional Park. The Panthers jumped out to leads in each game, but ultimately lost both, 6-5 to Cobleskill and 9-5 to Saint Joseph.
Game One: SUNY Cobleskill 6 - Pitt-Bradford 5
In their first game of the day, the Panthers jumped in front from the start, taking a 4-0 lead in the first. After Cobleskill tied the score at 4, the Panthers took a short 5-4 lead, but eventually fell 6-5.
Krislyn Clement got the start in the circle for the Panthers and made quick work of the Fighting Tigers, retiring the side in order with just 8 pitches. In the bottom half, the Panthers started quickly, scoring 3 runs before an out was recorded. Miranda Groll reached on an error and then moved to third with a stolen base and another error on the throw. Sasha Ginsberg drew a walk before the Panthers used a double steal to bring in Groll. Sara Stroup came to the plate next and drove a double to deep right, driving in Ginsberg. She scored a batter later when Clement helped her own cause with a double down the left field line. Following a groundout to third, Jada Walowen brought in Clement with a sacrifice fly to center.
Clement got into trouble in the 2nd, allowing a double and then hitting a batter to start the frame. She got one out on a fielder's choice, but then loaded the bases with a walk. The next batter hit a hard ground ball that deflected off first basemen, Layna Dibert, but Kailey Ripley made a heads-up play, fielding the ball and throwing to first for an out despite a run scoring on the play. Clement walked another batter before ending the inning with a groundout.
The Panthers threatened to score again in the 2nd, but a tough luck double-play ended the frame. Alyssa Tollini lined a one-out single into left before Groll singled through the left side and Ginsburg beat out a bunt single. After a pitching change, Stroup hit a hard line drive, but it was right at the shortstop, who made the play and flipped to third to get Tollini off the bag.
The Fighting Tigers continued to hit off Clement in the 3rd. They started the inning with a single and a walk, before the runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Clement fielded a grounder back to the circle from the next batter, but an error at first allowed a run to score. The next batter singled to left to bring in another run and chase Clement. She was replaced by Kalie Dixon, who picked up the first out on an obstruction call before ending the threat with a strikeout and a grounder. She started the bottom half with a single, and then, despite another hit by Walowen, the Panthers were unable to tack on to their lead as the next two Panthers were retired.
Dixon walked the leadoff batter in the 4th, and then, after a pop-up, allowed the Fighting Tigers to load the bases with a hit and a walk. She was replaced by Kaylee Schwartz, who allowed one inherited runner to score on a sacrifice fly, but then escaped the jam with the game tied. The Panthers responded immediately, rallying with two outs to retake the lead. Ginsberg dropped a single down the left field line and then moved to second when it was misplayed in the outfield. The Panthers nearly didn't score, as Stroup went down swinging at a pitch in the dirt, but the throw to first was errant, allowing Stroup to reach and the run to score.
Both teams stranded a runner in the 5th, before Cobleskill scored twice in the 6th to take the lead. Schwartz allowed a leadoff hit, and then a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt put two runners on. Schwartz retired one batter on a fly ball, but then allowed a double to right-center to clear the bases. After a fielder's choice that did not result in an out, she induced a pop-up and a lineout to end the inning.
Ginsberg reached again in the bottom of the 6th and stole second to move into scoring position, but Stroup grounded to short, ending the frame. Schwartz worked around a single and a walk to keep the deficit at one in the 7th, but the Panthers went down in order, ending the game.
Krislyn Clement picked up a no-decision after allowing 3 earned runs in 2.0 innings pitched. Kalie Dixon allowed 1 in 1.1 innings pitched while striking out one batter. Kaylee Schwartz (1-1) got the loss after allowing 2 runs, 1 earned, in 3.2 innings pitched. Sasha Ginsburg was unstoppable at the plate, going 3 for 3 with a walk, 2 runs scored, and 2 stolen bases. Sara Stroup and Krislyn Clement each had RBI doubles in the loss, while Jada Walowen finished 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Game Two: Saint Joseph (CT) 9 - Pitt-Bradford 5
Despite scoring twice in the 1st, the Panthers fell behind in the bottom of the inning, allowing Saint Joseph to score 5 runs. The Panthers trimmed the deficit, but were never able to catch the Blue Jays, who eventually won 9-5.
Sasha Ginsberg started the game with a single, and then scored a batter later when Miranda Groll's bunt single included a throwing error. A batter later, Lilly Hamels drove a double to right, bringing in Groll and doubling the lead. Tae-Lynn Brabant started in the circle for the Panthers and ran into early trouble. She allowed a leadoff single and a walk, but then retired the next two batters. She nearly escaped the jam, but a single through the right side allowed a run to score and continued the inning. She walked the next batter and then gave up three straight singles through the left side of the infield, bringing in 4 more runs. She ended the inning with a strikeout.
The Panthers battled back in the 2nd, scoring twice more in a rally that was cut short after two runners were retired on the base paths. Christa Koagel led off with a bunt single, and then came around to score when Payton Frank also laid down a bunt hit. The throw once again got away at first, allowing Koagel to score. Frank tried moving to second on the play, but was thrown out. After a Najdusak walk, the Bluejats committed two errors on the next play, allowing Ginsberg to reach and Najdusak to score. Groll followed with a walk, but Ginsberg got caught stealing for the second out. Sara Stroup also drew a free pass, but Hamels was retired on a groundout to end the inning.
Brabany remained in the game for the second, and after walking the leadoff batter, retired the next two batters. She was nearly out of the inning again, but an error in the infield allowed the runner to score.
Pitt-Bradford started the 3rd with a walk and an infield single, but after a sacrifice bunt, could not bring in the run as the next two batters were retired on a lineout and a strikeout. Brabant kept the Blue Jays off the board in the 3rd, limiting them to just a 2-out single.
The Panthers failed to convert on a leadoff Ginsberg single in the 4th, and then allowed a run in the bottom half. Jenna Opel replaced Brabant to start the inning and allowed a leadoff single. She picked up two outs around a walk with a fielder's choice and a strikeout, before a wild pitch led to another Blue Jay run. On the wild pitch, Hamels' throw to third got away from Keelie Schneider, allowing the run to score. Najdusak made a heads-up play in left, quickly retrieving the ball and firing to third to get the final out of the frame just after the run had crossed the plate.
After stranding a runner at 2nd to end the 5th, Opel was tagged with two more runs in the frame. She walked the leadoff batter, and then after a sacrifice bunt, loaded the bases with a bunt single and a walk. She induced a shallow fly ball for the 2nd out, but then walked in a run and gave up a single to right to allow 2 runs to score. It was nearly a third, but the Panthers threw out the trail runner at the plate to end the inning.
Pitt-Bradford pulled a run back in the 6th. Najdusak led off the frame with a single, and then after a lineout, Groll grounded one through the hole for another hit. Stroup came to the plate next and hit a hard grounder to third, which was picked up. The Blue Jay fielder stepped on the bag for one out, but threw the ball away trying to get the double play, which allowed Groll to score. Stroup was thrown out trying to move to third, ending the inning.
Sandra Watne replaced Opel for the 6th, and despite walking two batters, posted a scoreless frame. Schneider hit a one-out single to left in the 7th, but was not able to advance as the next two batters were retired, ending the game.
Tae-Lynn Brabant (0-2) picked up the loss after allowing 6 runs, 5 earned, in 3.0 innings pitched. She struck out 2. Jenna Opel threw 2.0 innings, allowing 3 runs, 2 earned, while striking out 1. Sandra Watne pitched a scoreless 6th. Offensively, Miranda Groll and Sasha Ginsberg each had multi-hit games. Groll was 2 for 2 with a walk, a sacrifice bunt, and 2 runs scored. Ginsberg had 2 singles and a run scored. Lilly Hamels had the only RBI in the game, driving in a run with a double.
The losses drop the Panthers to 2-4 on the season. They will look to right the ship tomorrow, as they have two more games at North Collier Regional Park in Naples. They will take on Geneva at 9:00 a.m., and then RIT at 11.
