Softball beat twice by South Florida

On its first trip out of state, the South Florida softball team proved it could handle the… On its first trip out of state, the South Florida softball team proved it could handle the cold, taking two games from Pitt on Friday at a chilly Trees Field.

With winds swirling all afternoon, the Panthers (16-27, 2-9 Big East) dropped game one, 5-2, and game two, 4-0, to the Bulls (33-19, 5-3 Big East).

In both games, the Panthers fell behind before even coming to the plate for the first time. The Bulls’ first three batters were all able to reach base in the first inning each game.

Part of the reason for the Panthers’ slow start was starting pitching giving up early runs.

In game one, senior Laura Belardinelli gave up five runs in the first two innings. She then pitched into the seventh inning holding the Bulls at five runs, while the offense unsuccessfully tried to mount a comeback.

Freshman Kayla Zinger started game two for the Panthers. After allowing the first three runners of the game on base, she gave up a grand slam. But Zinger ended the day with a complete game, only giving up those four runs.

The Panthers host Penn State next for a doubleheader on April 18 at Trees Field.

USF 5, Pitt 2

After loading the bases with no outs, Belardinelli fought back to strike out the next two batters. The sixth batter of the game, however, singled in two runs to give the Bulls an early lead.

USF added three more in the second inning, when a costly passed ball kept the inning alive.

With runners on second and third and two outs, Belardinelli struck out the batter that should have ended the inning and the scoring threat. But the ball went by catcher Heather Connor, allowing one run to score and the inning to continue. The other two runners on base would score later in the inning to make it 5-0.

The Panthers were held hitless and scoreless until the fourth inning. Senior Joey Scarf singled and came around to score on a two-out single by junior Mary Hecker.

The next inning Pitt scored again, as senior Morgan Howard walked and then stole a run for the Panthers. She swiped second base and then third. On the throw to third, the ball sailed into left field and Howard brought the Panthers within three.

The last three innings of the game saw the Bulls have a few opportunities to pad their lead, but great defense by the Panthers kept the game at 5-2.

In the top of the fifth, Belardinelli and Connor turned a 1-2-6 double play. On an attempted steal, Belardinelli struck out the batter, and then Connor relayed the ball to senior shortstop Sheena Hellon to end the inning.

USF then had runners on first and second with no outs in the sixth. On a weakly hit ball to third, junior Jessica Dignon charged the ball and fired it to Hellon, who was covering third, in time to beat the runner.

The next batter hit it back to Dignon, who stepped on third and threw it to first as sophomore Samantha Card picked the ball out of the dirt for the double play.

In the top of the seventh, Scarf made a great diving catch with a runner on first and no outs. Then sophomore Kaitlyn Schuster ended the inning in relief of Belardinelli by retiring the last two batters of the seventh.

Belardinelli pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up five runs to go with her season-high eight strikeouts.

USF 4, Pitt 0

The Bulls once again jumped ahead in the top of the first and didn’t relinquish the lead for the remainder of the game.

The fourth batter of the game, Tara Toscano, blasted a grand slam to dead center field. It was the only offense of the game for the Bulls, but it was more than enough to hold off Pitt for the sweep.

Zinger would calm down after that and complete the game without giving up any more runs.

The Panthers had a few chances to score but just couldn’t record any timely hits with runners on base.

Card led off the second inning with a double, but the next three batters were retired to leave her stranded.

In the fourth, Dignon reached on an error by the second baseman, and Card singled to put two runners on with one out. Both runners advanced one base on a sacrifice groundout by freshman Alex Shoemaker. The next batter would ground out, ending the inning and Pitt’s scoring opportunity.

Hellon singled to start off the sixth inning, and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Scarf. Dignon walked to once again put two Panthers on base. Hellon stole third for her team-leading 22nd steal of the year but was left there as the next two batters were retired.

The Panthers would go quietly in the last inning and were shut out for the 12th time this season.

Zinger finished the game pitching all seven innings, giving up four runs on seven hits while striking out eight.