DePaul, Notre Dame end Panthers’ hot streak

Pitt softball rolled into the weekend – having won 10 of 11 – ready to face nationally… Pitt softball rolled into the weekend – having won 10 of 11 – ready to face nationally ranked DePaul and perennial Big East power Notre Dame, a team that the Panthers had never beaten.

Head coach Michelle Phalen’s team had a tough time with the two powerhouses, however, dropping all four games on the weekend in blowout fashion, leaving the Panthers at 24-27 overall and 7-5 in the Big East.

DePaul 10, Pitt 0

In the first game of the day, DePaul stormed out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, scoring on a wild pitch, passed ball and an RBI double by Marcy Wilus.

The Blue Demons latched onto Pitt starter Laura Belardinelli early, tagging her for five runs on four hits in just four innings. Belardinelli dropped to 11-5 after throwing one wild pitch, hitting a batter and committing her first balk of the season.

DePaul starter Stephanie Blagaich tossed four innings of two-hit softball, striking out two Panthers while retiring 12 of the 14 batters she faced.

Sophomore Jessica Dignon extended her hitting streak in the first game with a single to left field. The third baseman hit safely in 21 games after the day game of Saturday’s doubleheader.

DePaul scored five runs in the fifth inning to take a 10-0 lead. The Panthers failed to score in the bottom half of the inning, guaranteeing the Blue Demons the victory because of the 10-run mercy rule.

DePaul 7, Pitt 1

DePaul swept the doubleheader from the Panthers with a 7-1 win in the nightcap behind another strong outing from its first-game starter Stephanie Blagaich, who was able to return and pitch in the second game for the Blue Demons.

The Blue Demons used a leadoff home run by Sara Polensky to start a big third inning. DePaul tallied two more runs in the third to push its lead to 4-0.

Pitt responded in the bottom half of the inning by loading the bases with no one out. But Blagaich worked her way out of the jam, getting the Panthers to ground out, pop out and strikeout in succession to snuff out any Pitt rally hopes.

Blagaich pitched five innings, allowing one run on seven hits while striking out four Panthers. The DePaul ace improved to 6-1 on the season.

Panthers’ starter Meghan Bostick pitched the entire game, striking out nine Blue Demons. The sophomore allowed seven runs on 10 hits, including three doubles and two home runs to drop to 7-9 for the year.

Dignon succeeded in her efforts to extend the Panthers’ all-time longest hitting streak, grabbing a hit in her 22nd consecutive game. She singled in the first inning and doubled in the fifth, finishing the game 2-for-4.

Notre Dame 7, Pitt 0

Dignon’s 22-game hit streak came to halt Sunday as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish dominated Pitt in the first game of a doubleheader, winning 7-0.

Notre Dame starting pitcher Heather Booth pitched a complete-game shutout, striking out 11 Panthers while scattering five hits.

The Fighting Irish (22-12 overall, 6-1 in the Big East) slugged their way to victory behind the bats of seniors Sara Schoonaert, Meagan Ruthrauff and Mallorie Lenn. The three combined for seven hits and four RBIs.

Bostick lasted all seven innings in the first game, allowing seven runs on 13 hits. The junior struck out four batters but fell to 7-10 on the season.

Notre Dame took control of the contest in the fourth inning, loading the bases with one out. An infield grounder allowed the first run to cross, but a Bostick strikeout put the Fighting Irish against the wall with two outs.

A bounding roller through the middle off the bat of Sara Schoonaert drove in two Fighting Irish runners, increasing Notre Dame’s lead to 4-0.

Third baseman Meagan Ruthrauff smashed a towering home run to right center in the fifth inning to begin a two-run frame for the Fighting Irish.

The Panthers stole three bases in an attempt to pressure Booth, but the Fighting Irish ace mixed and matched off-speed pitches with her fastball to keep Pitt batters confused.

Notre Dame 14, Pitt 4

The nightcap of Sunday’s doubleheader saw Notre Dame break out to an early 4-0 lead before adding 10 more runs in its final five at-bats to hand Pitt its second 10-run mercy-rule loss on the weekend.

Ruthrauff continued her magnificent day at the plate, blasting three home runs while driving in seven RBIs. The senior hit 4-for-5 as her team combined for 21 hits.

Seven Fighting Irish hitters had multiple hit days as Notre Dame smacked four home runs, two doubles and a triple.

Belardinelli imploded on the mound for the Panthers, allowing 13 earned runs on 20 hits. The junior dropped her sixth decision of the season, falling to 11-6.

The Panthers scattered base knocks, tallying 11 hits off Notre Dame starter Brittney Barger. Junior outfielder Joey Scarf went 3-for-3, driving in one RBI.

Pitt had three hitters with multiple hits as Dignon began a new hitting streak, finishing 1-for-2 with one RBI.

Barger struck out 12 Pitt batters and walked only one as she squelched several Pitt rallies en route to her 11th victory of the 2006 campaign.

Having lost four in a row, Pitt takes Monday and Tuesday off before traveling to Loretto, Pa., to challenge St. Francis (Pa.) in a road doubleheader on Wednesday.