JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Pitt-Johnstown could not climb back in an 8-3 loss in the opener before mounting a come-from-behind 5-4 victory in the second game to split a PSAC West doubleheader with Edinboro on Sunday afternoon.
The Mountain Cats sit at 8-9 (2-4 PSAC).
Game 1: Edinboro 8, Pitt-Johnstown 3
Despite matching a season-high with 12 strikeouts, Mia Smith suffered the complete-game loss in the circle. She allowed all eight runs, five earned, while scattering 11 hits.
After Edinboro scored a run in the first, Pitt-Johnstown answered with a run in the bottom half, when Meghan McDonough smacked a leadoff triple and scored on Isabella DePalma's RBI groundout.
A similar circumstance occurred in the fourth after Edinboro took a 3-1 lead. Jessica Pugh singled and Taylor Lupfer reached on an error with one out. Audrey Paterson worked a two-out walk to load the bases before Gianna Surra lined a 2-RBI single to knot the game at 3-all.
Edinboro, however, took the lead for good with one run on three hits in the fifth before tacking on four more in the seventh to pull away.
Lupfer, DePalma, Brynnae Coe and Mylee Gdula also added singles for the Mountain Cats, who racked up seven hits.
Game 2: Pitt-Johnstown 5, Edinboro 4
Unlike game one, the Mountain Cats recovered after being down 3-0 heading into their half of the third.
McDonough cracked a single to lead off, stole second and scored one batter later on DePalma's RBI single to trim the deficit to 3-1.
The score remained that way until the fifth, when DePalma doubled to start a game-changing rally. Pugh reached on a fielder's choice that then allowed pinch-runner Avery Smiach to score on an Edinboro throwing error to make it 3-2.
Coe, who came on as a pinch-runner for Pugh, advanced to third on a wild pitch before coming around to score and tie the game at 3-all when Paterson reached on an error. Paterson then moved up to third on a groundout before scoring on a wild pitch to put the Mountain Cats in front 4-3.
Edinboro tied the game with one run on three hits in the sixth, but Pitt-Johnstown bounced back later that inning. Freshman Kylie Mettrick slugged a one-out triple and scored on a wild pitch to give the Mountain Cats the lead for good.
Mahlon Yonkin, who tossed all seven innings to pick up the win, worked around a two-out single in the seventh to seal it. She allowed four earned runs on 14 hits, struck out five and walked none.
Kelsey Warren suffered the loss for the Scots, who are now 2-19 (1-5 PSAC).
Pitt-Johnstown hosts Gannon in a PSAC West doubleheader beginning at 12:30 p.m. on Monday at the Pitt-Johnstown Softball Field.
