Softball defeats Penn State before rain comes

Before rain canceled the second game of a doubleheader, the Pitt softball team defeated Penn… Before rain canceled the second game of a doubleheader, the Pitt softball team defeated Penn State, 2-1, in eight innings at Trees Field. In the top of the eighth inning, Pitt center fielder Reba Tutt caught a fly ball to end a Penn State bases-loaded threat. In the bottom of the extra inning, the Panthers decided to finish the game before the rain or the Nittany Lions got the chance. An error by the third baseman allowed Ashley Amistade to reach first. She stole second and then advanced to third on a Tutt single to left field. Amistade then scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch. ‘I think that we’re poised,’ said Pitt coach Holly Aprile. ‘Every game this year has been close, and we’ve just gotten used to doing it. We continue to battle all through the game.’ Two Pitt freshmen combined to score the first run for the Panthers in the second inning. Second baseman Kristen Cheesebrew tripled, then reached home on a double from shortstop Niki Cognigni. The lead lasted until the seventh inning, when the Nittany Lions tied the game off a Danee Collett home run. Cory Berliner started the game on the mound for the Panthers. She recorded three strikeouts before Alyssa O’Connell entered the game in the fifth inning. O’Connell earned her eighth win of the season while striking out four. Aprile said she was unable to use all of her pitchers as planned, because of the rained-out second game. ‘On the mound, we continue to do a good job. We are always right there and always within striking distance,’ said Aprile. However, she added that the Panthers need to aid their pitching and defense by improving offensively. Pitt had four hits in the game, while Penn State recorded eight. ‘We can do a much better job at the plate and help our pitchers out more by scoring some more runs,’ said Aprile. ‘I know we can do a better job of scoring runs. We play good defense, and we make good plays. We make the routine plays out there.’ Aprile said her team is where it needs to be entering Big East play. The Panthers begin conference play on the road Friday against Syracuse in a doubleheader. Pitt then travels to St. John’s on Sunday before returning for its first Big East home game of the season against Connecticut on April 1. ‘