Bradford, Pa. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford softball team opened its home slate on Wednesday night, splitting a conference doubleheader with Medaille.

Game 1:

The first contest of the day saw the Panthers claw back from an early 3-run deficit to take a lead before allowing 9 runs over the final two innings in a 12-5 loss.

• Pitt-Bradford fell behind immediately as Medaille rallied with two outs to score two runs. Following a leadoff double, starting pitcher Kindra Wessels retired the next two batters without allowing the runner to advance. She was unable to close the inning however as the Mavericks loaded the bases with a walk and a bloop single before delivering a two-run single up the middle. Wessels struck the next batter out looking to end the frame and limit the damage.
• Pitt-Bradford was set down in order in the first, and the Mavericks continued building momentum as they added a 3rd run in the 2nd inning. Medaille had a runner reach base with a one-out infield single, and after a fly-out, two more two-out hits brought the run around to score. 
• The Panthers were unable to take advantage of a leadoff walk to Lexi Peters in the 2nd, as they were unable to record a hit, stranding her at 2nd after a wild pitch. Wessels was able to work out of a jam in the 3rd to keep the deficit at 3, but the Panthers were retired in order once more in the 3rd.
• Wessels worked around a two-out double in the 4th, which set the stage for a 3-run panther inning to tie the game. In the bottom of the 4th, Faith McLaughlin led off the inning by recording the Panthers first hit, a scorching double down the left-field line. After a second peters walked, the Mavericks got one out on a fielder's choice but loaded the bases with a second walk to Hannah Fisher. With one out and the bases loaded, senior catcher KT Marx delivered as she ripped a long double off of the wall in center field to score two runs. Paige Wertheimer drew another walk to reload the bases, which chased Medaille starter Alexis Alguire.
• Alguire's replacement Sarah Hapeman struck out Chloe Cordova for the second out of the inning but walked Kindra Wessels to force in the tying run. Rachel Przybysz grounded out to end the inning.
• With the momentum turning to the Panthers, Wessels came out to the circle for the 5th inning and delivered a clutch shutdown inning to get the Panthers back in the dugout. She worked around a one-out error to put up the 0. Pitt-Bradford then took the lead in the 5th as Lexi Peters drilled a one-out home run over the fence in left field to put the Panthers up 1-0. It was Peters' and the Panthers' first home run of the year and the 2nd of her career.
• The lead did not last long, however, as the Mavericks struck for 4 unearned runs in the 6th. The leadoff batter was able to reach on a fielding error but remained on first as Wessels got the first out on a hard line drive to center. An infield single moved the runner to second, but Wessels was able to get a second out on a fielder's choice as Dolcey Shunk made a diving stop at third base. With two down, the Mavericks put on another rally, using two singles around a double to score the runs. Wessels was able to get a groundout to end the inning, but not before the Panthers were trailing 8-5.
• Pitt-Bradford went down in order in the 6th, and Medaille continued to add to their lead in the 7th. Wessels issued a leadoff walk and saw the runner move to third as she collided with Imani Jackson at first base on a bunt attempt. She then allowed two straight singles to add two more runs. Wessels retired the next two batters on a sacrifice bunt and a foul out to first but then gave up a long home run to left field to extend the deficit to 12-4. She was replaced by Lizzy Hoovler after the home run, who got a quick groundout to second to end the frame.
• Down 8 in the final inning, the Panthers were able to scratch a run across in the 7th. McLaughlin led off what a single and moved to second as Daytona Wentzel reached on an error. Jackson was hit by a pitch to load the bases, bringing up Marx. the catcher was able to drive a flyball into right field, however, it wasn't deep enough to score as McLaughlin began to retreat to third. The Medaille right fielder still uncorked a throw to home plate, which sailed into the backstop, allowing McLaughlin to scamper home. The game ended a batter later on a fly ball to center field.

Kindra Wessels (2-6) received the loss after allowing 12 runs, 8 earned in 6.2 innings pitched. She struck out 2. Pitt Bradford was only able to muster 4 hits in the game. Lexi Peters had the big blast for her first home run of the year, while she also drew two walks and scored twice. KT Marx had a 2 run-double to center and two walks and Faith McLaughlin recorded the only multi-hit game for the Panthers, finishing 2 for 4.

Game 2:

The nightcap of the doubleheader was a polar opposite of the first game, as Ashley Stein completely shut down the Medaille offense, earning her first career complete-game shutout in a 2-0 Panther victory.

• Stein got off to a great start in the first as she quickly retired the side in order. She was rewarded in the bottom half of the inning, as the Panthers quickly jumped on top of the Mavericks. Playing shortstop, Kindra Wessels reached on an error to start the game, moving all the way to second on the errant throw. She moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by McLaughlin and then scored as Marguerite DeFranco lined a single into right-center.
• Despite allowing a leadoff single to right, Stein quickly retired the next three batters with three fly-balls to the outfield to record the shutdown inning. The Panthers threatened in the bottom of the frame, as Jackson singled to left and Sadie Wood reached on an error, but the Panthers grounded into consecutive fielder's choice outs to end the inning.
• Stein recorded another 1-2-3 inning in the 3rd and was rewarded with a support run in the bottom half. McLaughlin grounded a single through the left side, and after a popped-up bunt, was replaced by Lexi Peters who reached on a fielder's choice. With two outs, Daytona Wentzel stepped to the plate looking to extend the inning. She was able to turn on a pitch and hit a line drive down the left-field line, however, it landed just foul for a strike. After the foul ball, Wentzel made sure the next pitch would not have the same result as she lined a hit into the gap into right-center. Her hit brought Peters all the way around to score from first as she slid into third with a triple.
• Stein put up another shutdown inning in the 4th but did so with some help from the Mavericks. with one down, Stein allowed a double to right-center, but Chloe Cordova threw the ball in behind the runner who took a wide turn at second, getting her caught in a rundown that ended with Wessels tagging her out. The next play saw a batter reach on an error, but after hesitating for a moment on a ball in the dirt, the runner was thrown out stealing by DeFranco.
• The Panthers saw their 4th inning end on a double play after a line drive to third, but Stein stranded two runners in the 5th to keep the score 2-0.
• Pitt-Bradford threatened to score again as hits by Wessels and Peters put runners on the corner with two outs, but Wentzel was unable to add to the score as she popped up to third in foul territory to end the inning.
• Both teams were able to put a runner on base with one out in the 6th, but neither was able to bring them around to score, setting up a tense 7th inning for Stein and the Panthers.
• in the final frame, Stein allowed the lead-off runner to reach on a single but was able to get two quick outs on a line drive to second base and a fly ball to center. With two down, Stein seemed to get the final out, as she induced a soft grounder to second, but a throwing error on the play extended the game and allowed the runner to move all the way to third base.
• With the tying run on first base, Stein saw a pitch lined into left field, however, it was right at Faith McLaughlin who made the catch to end the game.

Ashley Stein (4-3) picks up the win after completing her first career complete-game shutout. She allowed 6 hits, without walking a batter. She faced 27 total batters, throwing only 80 pitches, 53 of them for strikes. Daytona Wentzel came through with the big hit as she drove in a run with a two-out triple. Marguerite DeFranco also picked up an RBI as she singled home the winning run in the first. Kindra Wessels, Faith McLaughlin, Lexi Peters, and Imani Jackson also had hits in the game.

Pitt-Bradford is now 6-16 on the season, with a 2-2 record in AMCC play. They are scheduled to be back in action on Friday, March 8th for another AMCC double-dip against Penn State-Altoona.