Softball wins first two home games

In the Pitt softball team’s second home game last Thursday, the Panthers (11-17) scored six… In the Pitt softball team’s second home game last Thursday, the Panthers (11-17) scored six runs and had six hits to win the second game of their doubleheader against St. Francis, 6-2. After winning the first of the two games against the Red Flash (6-16) by a score of 3-1, the Panthers started the season 2-0 at home.

Senior Sheena Hellon kicked off the first game with her second home run of the season, blasting the ball over the Trees Field wall on the first pitch.

It was all uphill from there.

Head coach Michelle Phalen had nothing but positive things to say about the game.

“I thought we played very well,” she said. “In both games pitching was good, and we hit the ball well.

“We looked very sharp on defense, it was really strong,” Phalen added. “I was especially happy with that.”

The Panthers scored another run in the first inning when sophomore Samantha Card hit a sacrifice fly, plating senior Morgan Howard who had already stolen second and was waiting on third base when Card came to the plate.

St. Francis had two early hits from first baseman Hilary McNelis, but was unable to score until the fifth inning. Shortstop Kelly Slingwine’s RBI in the fifth sent Katie Lambert home. Slingwine also tallied her third home run of the season, sending the ball to center field, which gave the Red Flash both of their runs in the second matchup.

Because of one hit and two St. Francis errors, the Panthers scored two runs in the second inning. Through a series of walks, bunts, singles and St. Francis errors, Pitt freshman Alex Shoemaker and junior Mary Hecker both made it home. Junior Valerie Mihalik singled to left field.

Next in the inning, freshman pitcher Kayla Zinger struck out all three of the Red Flash batters. Zinger’s record improved to 5-7 on the season with Thursday’s win. She had a total of seven strikeouts in the doubleheader.

The Panthers also got key leadership from their seniors – Hellon and Joey Scarf. Hellon, playing at shortstop, played a part in all three outs in the first inning and added four assists and two putouts to her game stats. She also hit a single to left field in the fourth inning.

Scarf also tallied her 17th hit of the season. Scarf sent Card home in the third inning for the fifth run of the game. It was Scarf’s ninth RBI.

“I thought Sheena had two good games yesterday,” Phalen said. “She hit the ball well and played really good defense. And I thought Joey Scarf did great at the plate.”

The juniors didn’t do so poorly either.

Mihalik had two RBIs while third baseman Jessica Dignon started off the fifth inning with a hit straight up the middle. Next in the lineup, Hecker sent Dignon home with another two-out shot up the middle, finishing the day offensively for the Panthers.

The Panthers’ defense ended with a flourish as well. The three outs consisted of the Slingwine grounding out to short, Christine MacDonald getting stopped at home in one last attempt to score and St. Francis’ Laura Caldwell striking out swinging. Despite two hits in the inning, the Red Flash couldn’t come back.

Phalen feels confident about the season overall as Pitt next begins Big East play.

“We’ve been playing a lot of games, and we’re getting better at every one,” she said. “We lost some pretty good players from last year, but we have another strong senior class and some very strong freshmen who have been showing what they have and doing very well. I’m looking forward to getting into conference.”

Pitt started Big East play yesterday at Providence and continues today at Connecticut.