Strong pitching not enough as softball sputters in first tournament

The Panther softball team followed up a very solid fall schedule with a disappointing… The Panther softball team followed up a very solid fall schedule with a disappointing performance to open the season in the Florida Atlantic Tournament last weekend. Pitt lost four of five, despite getting solid pitching performances throughout the weekend.

Pitt’s offense, however, only mustered seven runs in five games.

“The record was disappointing, but we did have some very good pitching performances,” head coach Michelle Phalen said. “We had some phenomenal defense and we were inconsistent at the plate. We just weren’t able to get things going at all.”

South Carolina 1, Pitt 0

The Panthers’ bats fell silent in the opener as they lost the first game of the tournament despite an outstanding performance from junior pitcher Laura Belardinelli. She allowed six hits, one run and walked two in her six innings of work, but the Panther offense couldn’t get her any support.

The lone run of the game came in the bottom of the fourth when South Carolina’s McKenna Hughes hit a one-out homer to left field. The Panthers managed just three hits, one each by Francesca DiMaria, Morgan Howard and Jessica Dignon.

“This is the best hitting team we have ever had at Pitt,” Phalen said. “We had situations where we were a hit away from winning the game but for whatever reason we didn’t come through with the hit.”

Purdue 5, Pitt 0

For the second straight game, the Panthers were shut out and ruined a solid performance from a starting pitcher. The Panthers and Boilermakers were scoreless through four innings, but Purdue broke it open in the fifth with three runs and then added two more in the sixth.

Panther starting pitcher Meghan Bostick held Purdue scoreless through four innings, allowing just one hit, but was replaced in the fifth when Purdue loaded the bases with nobody out. Bostick allowed three runs off four hits in four innings to take the loss. The Panthers managed just two hits on the day, one each from DiMaria and Joey Scarf.

East Carolina 8, Pitt 2

In their worst loss of the tournament, the Panthers couldn’t stop the undefeated Pirates. Belardinelli got the start for the Panthers but she struggled this time out, allowing six runs on 12 hits in six innings for her second loss of the season.

The Panthers got the offense going in the fourth when Lisa McGregor walked and was replaced by Leanne McCarron on the basepaths. After a sacrifice bunt from Scarf moved McCarron to second, Sheena Hellon singled in the Panthers’ first run of the tournament. Heather Connor singled in DiMaria in the fifth for the Panthers’ second run.

Pitt 2, Florida Atlantic 1

The Panthers didn’t exactly explode offensively in the fourth game of the tournament, but they did enough to beat the host Owls for their first win of the season. Trailing 1-0 in the fifth, DiMaria single-handedly tied the game for the Panthers. After ripping a single, DiMaria moved up to third on an error and then scored on a wild pitch.

DiMaria did it again in the sixth to give the Panthers the game-winning run. After Hellon singled to open the frame, DiMaria drove a double to right center, scoring Hellon and giving the Panthers the win.

In her first start of the season, senior Christa Hunter allowed just three hits and one run while striking out three.

“It was great because that was Christa’s first game throwing, and she came out and really set a great tone with getting some great outs,” Phalen said.

Bethune-Cookman 4, Pitt 3

Despite scoring the most runs in one game during the tournament, the Panthers couldn’t put together a winning streak as they lost the final game of the tournament. The Panthers started the scoring in the second when Hellon singled and then stole second base, before scoring on a base hit by McCarron.

With the game then tied at 1, the Panthers regained the lead with some timely hits. With DiMaria on base, McGregor doubled her home and then was replaced by Rebecca Stottlemyer, who proceeded to score on Dignon’s single. However the Wildcats scored three runs in the sixth inning to get the win.

Bostick took the loss for the Panthers on the mound, allowing three earned runs on eight hits in seven innings, falling to 0-2 on the season.

Pitt will be back in action this weekend in the Myrtle Beach Chevy Chanticleer Classic held at Coastal Carolina in Conway, S.C.