Naples, FL -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford softball team brought its trip to the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic to a close on Saturday, taking on Crown and Westfield State at North Collier Regional Park. The Panthers erased an 8-1 lead before falling 10-9 to Crown, and then could not hold off Westfield State after a 4-run 1st, losing 11-7.
Game 1: Crown 10 - Pitt-Bradford 9
In the opener, the Panthers struggled early and trailed 8-1 through two and a half innings. The Panthers battled back, tying the game at 8 in the 6th. They allowed two runs in the top of the 7th, and tried to mount another comeback, but ultimately fell with the tying and go-ahead runs on base.
Alyssa Tollini started for Pitt-Bradford and ran into trouble in the 1st. She retired the first two batters of the game, but then allowed back-to-back singles and a double to center, which drove in two. The Panthers came right back in the bottom of the frame and cut the lead in half. Sasha Ginsberg drew a 4-pitch walk and then scored when Sara Stroup doubled to left.
In the second, the Polars loaded the bases with one out with a single, a walk, and an error, forcing Tollini from the game. She was replaced by Jenna Opel, who walked the first two batters she faced, forcing in a pair of runs. Two more runs would score in the inning, one coming home on a sacrifice fly, and the other on a wild pitch, before Opel struck out a batter to end the frame. Opel singled in the bottom half, but did not advance beyond 1st base in the frame.
Tae-Lynn Brabant entered the circle to start the. She retired the first batter she faced, but then allowed two singles and a hit batter to load the bases. Brabant walked in another run and allowed the 8th of the game to score on another wild pitch before ending the inning. Pitt-Bradford got a run back in the bottom half. Miranda Groll led off with a single and then moved to second when Sasha Ginsburg found a hole on the right side. After a sharp lineout by Stroup, Krislyn Clement grounded a single through the left side to drive in Groll.
Brabant posted a shutout inning in the 4th, working around a pair of singles to start the frame. She led off the bottom half with a single, and then moved to third on a groundout and a sacrifice bunt. She scored a batter later when Groll reached on an infield single to short.
In the 5th, Brabant allowed three runners to reach on an error and two singles, but was helped out by her battery mate, Lilly Hamels, when a runner was caught stealing. Pitt-Bradford continued to rally in the bottom half, scoring two more to cut the lead to 3. Stroup led off the inning with a double to left center, and then, after a pair of deep fly outs, scored when Kendall Dotson also found the gap for a double. Dotson moved to third on a wild pitch and scored when Brabant drilled a double over the left fielder's head.
Brabant retired the side in order in the 6th, and the Panthers continued to rally, tying the game with 3 more runs. Groll led off with a single, and then moved to third when Stroup tallied her 3rd double of the game, lining a hit down the third base line. Clement followed with a double to right center, driving in both runners to pull the Panthers to within a run. She was replaced on the bases by pinch runner Lexi Najdusak, who scored when Hamels served a single into right.
With the score tied in the 7th, Brabant returned to the circle and hit the leadoff batter with a pitch. She got one out on a line drive to left, and then a second at third base after the runner was thrown out at the bag following an error on a sacrifice bunt attempt. The inning continued with another hit batter before a double to left center drove in a pair.
In the bottom of the 7th, Pitt-Bradford needed a pair of runs to extend the game. Kailey Ripley started a rally with a one-out single, and then moved to second when pinch-hitter Cassie Scarbrough walked. After Groll flew out to left for the second out, Ginsberg reached on a single to short that drove in Ripley and cut the lead to one. Stroup came to the plate next, with the tying and winning runs on base, but went down swinging to end the game.
Tae-Lynn Brabant (0-3) picked up the loss after allowing 4 runs, 2 earned, in 5 innings pitched. She struck out 3. Alyssa Tollini started and was tagged with 5 runs allowed, 4 earned, in 1.1 innings pitched. Jenna Opel pitched 2/3 of an inning, allowing one unearned run, while striking out one. Offensively, Sara Stroup led the Panthers, finishing 3 for 5 with 3 doubles,2 runs scored, and an RBI. Miranda Groll also went 3 for 5 with 2 runs and an RBI. Krislyn Clement finished 2 for 4 with a double and 3 RBI, while Brabant was 2 for 3 with a double, a run scored an an RBI.
Game Two: Westfield State 11 - Pitt-Bradford 7
In their final game of the trip, Pitt-Bradford took on Westfield State. The Panthers scored 4 in the top of the 1st, but slowly let the Owls back in the game. They lost the lead in the 4th, and after trailing by 1 in the 6th, allowed 3 runs to extend the deficit, ultimately falling 11-7.
Miranda Groll led off the game with a single to right. She moved up to third on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out, and then scored when a Clement pop-up got lost in the sun and fell for a hit. After an infield single by Lilly Hamels, Kailey Ripley reached on an error to bring in the second. Kalie Dixon followed with an RBI single, which brought in a pair of runs due to a throwing error in the infield.
Sandra Watne started the game at pitcher for the Panthers and posted a shutdown inning in the bottom of the first. After retiring the leadoff batter, she allowed a single and hit a batter, but then induced a 6-4-3 double play to end the frame.
The Panthers were retired in order in the top of the second, and the Owls answered in the bottom half with two runs. Watne allowed a leadoff home run, and then after getting two popups, walked a batter and gave up a triple to right to bring in a second in the inning.
Pitt-Bradford pushed the lead back to 3 in the 3rd. Stroup led off with a double to center, and then, following a groundout, Hamels singled through the left side to bring her in. Watne retired the first two batters of the bottom of the inning, but after the inning was extended with a single, gave up a two-run home run to left center, which cut the lead down to 1.
In the 4th, Pitt-Bradford rallied with two outs to tack on another run. Groll reached on a single to short and then stole second. Sasha Ginsberg followed with a single into center to chase her around and put the Panthers ahead6-4. Christa Koagel replaced Watne in the 4th, and walked the first batter she faced. She got one out on a sacrifice bunt, but then saw the defense commit back-to-back errors to allow a run to score. The next batter drove a double to right center, which put the Owls into the lead. Hannah Schnetzer replaced Koagel after the double, and retired the next two batters, but the inherited runner was able to score before the third out was recorded.
Pitt-Bradford got one of the runs back in the 5th. After a Westfield State pitching change, Krislyn Clement welcomed the new pitcher with a double to center. Following a strikeout and a walk, Kalie Dixon hit a ground ball up the middle that was spectacularly knocked down by the Owl second basemen. All the Panthers reached, but an attempt to force a runner out resulted in a throwing error, which allowed Clement to trot home. Schnetzer was able to keep the deficit at 1 in the bottom of the fifth, retiring the side in order to get the Panthers back in the dugout.
Groll led of the 6th with a single, but was not able to advance as the next four Panthers were retired. Schnetzer walked the leadoff batter in the 6th, and was replaced by Kaaylee Schwartz. The Owls would tack on three runs against Schwartz, bringing in one with an error, and two more on a double. Ripley drew a one-out walk in the 7th, but was erased on a game-ending 5-4-3 double play.
Christa Koagel (0-1) was saddled with the loss after allowing 4 unearned runs in 1/3 of an inning pitched. Sandra Watne started for the Panthers and allowed 4 earned runs in 3 innings pitched. Hannah Schnetzer gave up 1 earned in 1.2 innings pitched, while Kaylee Schwartz pitched the 7th, allowing 2 runs, 1 earned. Miranda Groll led the Panther offense, going 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored. Krislyn Clement, Lilly Hamels, and Kalie Dixon all went 2 for 4 in the loss. Clement hit a double and scored 2 runs, while Hamels and Dixon each drove in a run.
The Panthers finish their trip with a 2-8 record. They will return home tomorrow and begin preparation for a double-header at Westminster on Wednesday, March 18th. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
