Bradford, PA -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford softball team hosted Allegheny on Thursday afternoon, playing its final non-conference doubleheader of the season. Pitt-Bradford dropped the opener 16-3 in 5 innings, but used a strong performance by Kaylee Schwartz to shut down the Gators in game two, winning the nightcap 4-1.
Game One - Allegheny 16 - Pitt-Bradford 3 - 5 Innings
In the opening contest, the Panthers trailed for 4 of 5 innings played as the Gators scored 3 in the second and 12 in the 4th to put the game, which ended 16-3, out of reach.
Alyssa Tollini got the start in the circle for the Panthers, and despite allowing two batters to reach with two outs, posted a 0 in the first inning. The Panthers also threatened to open the scoring in the first, as Miranda Groll and Sasha Ginsberg each singled to start the game. They both moved to scoring position on a foul out, but were left on 2nd and 3rd when Lilly Hamels hit a hard line drive directly to shortstop.
The visitors jumped into the lead in the 2nd, as they began the frame with a double down the left field line and a bloop single. After a flyout, the first run came around to score on a Pitt-Bradford throwing error. Tollini got the next batter to fly out to shallow center, but could not avoid further damage as the Gators dropped a two-out, two-run single into left to go ahead 3-0. The Panthers put a pair of runners on base in their half of the frame, but once again could not find a final hit to drive in the runners.
Tollini stranded a runner after a two-out double in the 3rd, but could not hold off Allegheny for long, as the visitors would score 12 times in the 4th. After two doubles to start the frame, she was relieved by Sandra Watne. The first two runs of the frame came in to score on an infield single with a throwing error, and then the Gators loaded the bases with a walk and a single. They tacked on 3 more runs on a single and a double before Watne recorded the 1st out of the frame on a sacrifice fly. They continued to rally after the sac fly, tallying three more singles around a fly ball to center to add two more runs to their total. After a walk reloaded the bases, Watne was replaced by Kirslyn Clement. Clement allowed all three inherited runners and an additional run to score on a double and a single to the gap, before finally ending the inning with a flyout to left.
Despite the 15-run deficit, the Panthers showed some fight in their final two frames, scoring three times. Hamels led off the 4th with a double to left center, and then pinch runner Lauren Frascella came around to score on a Kalie Dixon single. After the Gators matched the run in the 5th, Pitt-Bradford finished the game with two more in the bottom of the frame. Sasha Ginsberg was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, and then moved to second when Jada Walowen pinch hit and reached on an infield single. Clement drove in the first run with a single to left, and then, after a line-drive double play, Dixon drove in another run with a single to center.
Alyssa Tollini (0-2) got the loss after allowing 5 runs, 2 earned, in 3.0 innings pitched. Sandra Watne was tagged for 9 earned in 2/3 of an inning pitched, while Krislyn Clement allowed 2 runs, 1 earned in 1.1 innings. Kalie Dixon was the bright spot for Pitt-Bradford offensively, finishing 3 for 3 with a pair of run-scoring singles. Krislyn Clement had the other RBI, while Jada Walowen recorded a hit and a run scored in 1 at bat.
Game Two - Pitt-Bradford 4 - Allegheny 1
The nightcap was completely different from its predecessor, as the Panthers took a lead in the first and rode a strong pitching performance from Kaylee Schwartz to win the game 4-1.
Schwartz worked around a one-out walk in the 1st to keep the game scoreless and then was rewarded with a lead after the offense came to the plate in the bottom half. Miranda Grill was hit by a pitch and then moved to third on a stolen base and a flyball to left. She scored when Krislyn Clement hit a sacrifice fly into shallow right field that was caught by the second baseman.
Schwartz continued to shine after getting the one-run lead, retiring nine of 10 batters over the next three innings to keep the Panthers ahead. In the 4th, the Panthers tacked on a pair of insurance runs. Sasha Ginsberg led off with a single up the middle, and then scored a batter later when Clement drove a double into the right-centerfield gap. Clement moved to third on a hit by Sandra Watne and then was driven in when Kalie Dixon grounded one up the middle as well.
The Gators pulled one of the runs back in the 5th. Schwartz gave up a leadoff single in the inning, and an error in the outfield allowed the runner to move into scoring position. She moved to third and then scored on consecutive groundouts before a pop-up ended the inning. The Panthers came right back and restored the 3-run advantage in the bottom half of the inning. Lexi Najdusak led off with a single to left and, in a similar fashion to the top half of the frame, took second on a misplay in the outfield. Groll dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Najdusak to third before Ginsberg drove in the run with a sacrifice fly to center.
Schwartz gave up a leadoff hit to begin the 6th, but Groll threw out the batter trying to stretch the hit into a double for the first out. The freshman right-hander took over from there, retiring the next 5 batters in a row to close out the game and secure the win for the Panthers.
Kaylee Schwartz (3-4) registered her first career complete game, as she allowed just one unearned run on 3 hits and a walk. She struck out three batters. Krislyn Clement finished 1 for 2 with a pair of RBIs, while Sasha Ginsberg and Kalie Dixon each had a hit and a run batted in.
The split twinbill puts the Panthers at 11-20 on the season. They will return to AMCC action over the weekend, hosting Pitt-Greensburg in their final doubleheader of the regular season. Due to inclement weather forecast for Saturday, the games have been moved to Sunday, April 26th, with first pitch at 10:00 a.m.
