Bulls best softball in BE tourney…again

The game-tying hit in the seventh inning of the opening round of the Big East Championships… The game-tying hit in the seventh inning of the opening round of the Big East Championships didn’t go far, and unfortunately the Pitt softball team didn’t either.

Trailing the South Florida Bulls 1-0 in the last inning, senior Heather Connor successfully bunted in junior Valerie Mihalik to tie the game.

Pitt head coach Michelle Phalen said it was a “perfectly executed squeeze,” also adding it was a “huge” play for the team.

The Bulls (44-21) scored in the bottom of the first inning to give them the early 1-0 lead, which they held until the Panthers (23-35) tied the game in the top of the seventh.

Before the bunt, the Panthers had a few opportunities to score and tie the game, or take the lead, but were unable to push across a run.

“We had a couple of chances to win it, but couldn’t get a hit when we needed it,” Phalen said.

In the first inning, senior Sheena Hellon led off the game with a walk, and junior Jessica Dignon singled to put runners on the corner with only one out. The next two batters would strike out to end the threat.

USF scored its first run on a single by Danielle Urbanik.

In the third, Dignon was once again stranded on base. This time, senior Joey Scarf reached on an error and Dignon walked, both with two outs. A double steal put two runners in scoring position. But another strikeout put a third consecutive zero on the scoreboard for Pitt.

The two steals upped the Panthers’ season total to 117, which adds to the new school record this season.

In the seventh, Mihalik singled. Freshman Alex Shoemaker walked, and junior Mary Hecker pinch hit and bunted up the two runners a base each. This brought up Connor, who tied the game with her bunt.

The Panthers couldn’t score the go-ahead run that inning and held the Bulls scoreless in the bottom of that inning to send the game into extras.

Pitt had a chance to take the lead in the ninth inning, but much like the rest of the game, left runners stranded on base.

Shoemaker reached on an error to lead the ninth, but the next batters were retired. Senior Morgan Howard singled, and both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch. Both runners were left on base, giving the Panthers a total of nine on the game.

A sacrifice fly in the ninth by Kit Dunbar won the game for the Bulls.

The Panther defense and pitching performed well, making sure USF didn’t run away with the game.

Senior Meghan Bostick was the starting pitcher for Pitt. She pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up one run on seven hits while striking out four. Relieving her was senior Laura Belardinelli, who pitched 2 1/3 innings, giving up one run on two hits, while striking out two.

“We had great pitching from Meghan Bostick and Laura Belardinelli,” Phalen said.

Timely pitching and defense kept the Panthers within a run throughout the entire game.

In the bottom of the third with a runner second and no outs, consecutive groundball outs were recorded by Hellon to keep the Bulls up 1-0. Bostick retired the last hitter of the inning with a foul out.

USF left the bases loaded in the fifth inning. With two outs and runners on the corners, Bostick intentionally walked a batter to put a Bull on every base. A pop out to Hellon ended the inning.

Pitt escaped another threat in the eighth inning when USF had runners on first and second with only one out. A strikeout and groundout ended that and sent the game into the ninth.

“The game was really exciting,” Phalen said. “Going extra innings and losing in the ninth was tough, but we battled every inning.”

For the Panthers, Dignon had two of the team’s four hits. Mihalik scored the only run, and Connor drove it in for the team’s lone RBI.

Dignon and Connor will return next year.

About next year, Phalen said that Pitt is “looking forward to having a better showing in the Big East.”