FORT MYERS, Fla. – Sophomore
Joshua Welsh (East Lyme, Conn.) went 2-for-3 with a double and reached base three times but Plymouth State University fell to University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, 14-4, in seven innings to wrap up play at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic on Friday morning.
Plymouth State got out to a quick start in the top of the first when Welsh scored on an RBI single by junior
Griffin Crane (Lancaster, N.H.) in the first, but Pitt-Bradford came back to tie the game in the bottom of the inning before putting up five-spots in the second and third.
PSU cut into the deficit in the fourth and fifth, but Pitt-Bradford answered with a three-run fifth and Plymouth State was unable to rally.
Plymouth State moves to 5-8 on the year and wraps up its Florida trip with an even 5-5 mark in the Sunshine State. Pitt-Bradford improves to 4-4.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 4, Pitt-Bradford 14 (7 Inn.)
- Plymouth State (5-8)
- Pitt-Bradford (4-4)
How it Happened:
- Junior Alex Rives (Gilford, N.H.) poked a single through the right side and Welsh followed with a double but Rives was gunned down at the plate. With two down, Crane came up with a clutch single to right to give PSU the early 1-0 lead.
- Pitt-Bradford evened the game in the bottom of the inning, before pounding out ten hits and plating ten runs between the second and third innings.
- Plymouth State tried to cut into the margin in the fourth. Freshman Owen Baum (Saint Michaels, Md.) walked and junior Nick Healey (Campton, N.H.) followed with a single. Sophomore Bryan Gallagher (Wareham, Mass.) plated a run with a single to left and with two down Rives' base hit made it 11-3.
- PSU got another run back with a two-out rally in the fifth. Crane singled to left and Baum doubled him home to cut the deficit to 11-4.
- Pitt-Bradford answered right back with three runs in the bottom of the inning and PSU was unable to get any closer.
By the Numbers:
- Rives finished 2-for-4 with an RBI in the leadoff spot, while Welsh followed with a 2-for-3 day with a walk and run scored from the two-hole.
- Crane also had a pair of hits, driving in one and scoring a run.
- Baum reached twice with his double and a walk and added a run scored and one RBI.
- Junior Aiden McDonough (Dover, N.H.) was hit with the loss after going the first 1.2 innings. Freshman Andrew Baxter (Thornton, N.H.) was the Panthers' best pitcher on the day, throwing a one-two-three inning with a strikeout.
Up Next:
- The Panthers visit New England College for a doubleheader next Saturday (Mar. 19) with game one's first pitch set for noon.
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