Penn State softball takes two

The Pitt softball team dropped both games of its doubleheader against Penn State Wednesday…. The Pitt softball team dropped both games of its doubleheader against Penn State Wednesday.

In each game, the Panthers were held to just four hits. Despite a seventh-inning comeback in game one, Penn State surged in the eighth to complete a 3-2 win.

The second game wasn’t nearly as close; this time the Nittany Lions shut out the Panthers, 6-0.

The losses dropped Pitt to 16-29 overall, while Penn State improved to 21-13.

The Panthers will travel to South Orange, N.J., Saturday to take on Seton Hall in a Big East doubleheader.

Penn State 3, Pitt 2

Penn State opened the scoring of game one in the top of the first inning.

It looked as if the Nittany Lions were going to play small ball. Following a leadoff walk to left fielder Ashley Griffith, Meghan Wolfer laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner to second base. The sacrifice was unnecessary, however. Opposing pitcher Ashley Esparza crushed a two-run home run off of Pitt starter Meghan Bostick to give Penn State a 2-0 advantage.

Bostick worked her way out of the inning and looked comfortable for the rest of the game. She allowed only two more hits and did not issue another walk before being pulled in the sixth inning.

The Panthers, however, could not support Bostick’s tremendous effort. Pitt only scratched together two hits through the first six innings while being held scoreless.

On the brink of the loss, the Panthers finally clawed their way back into the game with a tremendous seventh inning rally.

Senior centerfielder Joey Scarf led off the inning with a single into centerfield. Jess Dignon followed with a ground ball to second base. It looked as if an easy double play was in order, but a poor throw by the second baseman sailed into left field and both runners reached base safely.

After Samantha Card struck out looking, second baseman Alex Shoemaker laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Scarf to third and Dignon to second. With two outs and two runners in scoring position, Jess Hecker lined a single into right field. Scarf and Dignon both scored on the play and Hecker reached second on the throw to the plate. Rebecca Stottlemyer came in to pinch hit for Valerie Mihalik, but struck out swinging to end the inning.

In the extra frame, Penn State responded immediately. With one out, reliever Laura Belardinelli issued a walk to Shana Madura. Griffith followed with a bunt single and both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Wolfer promptly laced a sacrifice fly to score Madura and give the Nittany Lions the 3-2 lead.

Esperaza struck out to end the inning, but the damage was already done. She struck out the side in the bottom of the inning to seal the victory.

Penn State 6, Pitt 0

For the second game in a row, Pitt managed a meager four hits, this time en route to a 6-0 loss.

Penn State starting pitcher Jenn Reynolds pitched a complete seven innings, while allowing only the four hits and issuing no walks.

Kayla Zigler started the game for Pitt, but was pulled after just more than three innings of work. Zigler allowed five hits and four runs (three earned), while issuing one walk.

Belardinelli, making her second appearance of the day, came in relief of Zigler but did not fare much better. She allowed three hits and two more runs in an inning and a half of work.

In the lone bright spot for the Panthers, sophomore Kaitlin Schuster worked the final two innings and allowed only one hit without giving up a run.