Softball: Pitt splits double-header at Penn State

The women’s softball team traveled to Happy Valley on Tuesday and returned with both a… The women’s softball team traveled to Happy Valley on Tuesday and returned with both a win and a loss.

The Panthers (18-15) split the double-header with the Nittany Lions (23-11), winning the first game 6-3 but falling in the second game 5-1.

“It was a full team effort in the first game,” Pitt Head Coach Holly Aprile said. “We didn’t produce that well in the second game.”

Pitt racked up 10 hits in the first game, with Ashley Amistade, Holly Stevens, Amanda Heitmeier and Ciera Damon each getting two hits at the plate.

Alyssa O’Connell threw a complete game, allowing four hits and striking out four. She picked up the win to improve her record to 6-8.

The Panthers scored first when Heitmeier drove in Stevens with a single down the right field line in the fourth inning. Pitt added another run in the fifth off a Damon homerun to left field.

Penn State answered in the bottom of the fifth after Lauren Yao scored on a throwing error, but Pitt added two runs each in the sixth and seventh inning to hold off the Nittany Lions.

In the sixth inning, Keli Gaynor hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Krista Rodgers. Later in the inning, Damon singled down the left field line to score Jessica Rhodunda.

Yvette Bravo’s single to left-center in the seventh inning drove in Amistade and Reba Tutt, sealing the game for the Panthers despite two runs for the Nittany Lions in the bottom of the inning.

Damon picked up two RBIs in the game, while Yvette Bravo, Heitmeier and Gaynor each added one.

In the second game, Pitt’s offense stalled. It managed four hits and one run off Penn State pitcher Lisa Akamine, who struck out nine.

“In the second game, we struggled at the plate,” Aprile said. “The pitcher was good. We didn’t make adjustments.”

Cory Berliner pitched six innings for the Panthers, giving up six hits ands striking out two. Her record dropped to 9-5 with the loss.

The Nittany Lions started the scoring early with three runs in the first. Ashley Griffith reached base with a single through the left side, then later scored on a passed ball. Later, Shannon Hutchinson scored on a fielder’s choice and Kailyn Johnson scored on a Morgan Long single down the left field line.

Berliner hit two Penn State batters in the fourth inning, driving in two runs.

Pitt scored its only run in the top of the seventh, when Bravo hit a home run to right field.

In both games, Aprile was impressed with the Panther defense, especially up the middle. She said second baseman Kristen Cheesebrew and shortstop Niki Cognigni performed particularly well in the infield.

Cognigni was a part of two double plays in the second game, one unassisted.

The Panthers look to their next games against Kent State today, and Aprile said she would like to see more consistency at the plate.

“In the first game we were [more consistent],” she said. “I want to see us keep getting better and remaining aggressive to good pitches, not swinging wildly or getting behind on the count. We want to learn from each game.”