Pitt softball boosts postseason hopes with wins

Looking to clinch a spot in its first ever Big East postseason, Pitt’s softball team helped… Looking to clinch a spot in its first ever Big East postseason, Pitt’s softball team helped itself out tremendously over the weekend, sweeping a pair of Big East doubleheaders at Trees Field en route to a fourth-place tie in the conference standings.

Pitt 10, Syracuse 7

Falling behind early had been Pitt’s undoing in recent losses to Notre Dame and Penn State, but this time, the Panthers rebounded appropriately.

The Orange (27-18 overall, 11-5 Big East) opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the second and would hold the advantage until the bottom of the third when a flurry of Panther runs opened the floodgates for a 10-7 opening win of Saturday’s doubleheader.

Second baseman Francesca DiMaria led off with a single and was followed by another single off the bat of center fielder Morgan Howard. Two batters later, after DiMaria and Howard had advanced on stolen bases, outfielder Joey Scarf ripped a single down the line for two runs and a tie score. The sophomore later scored off an RBI single from Jessica Dignon.

Pitt added two more runs in the third, both off an ensuing double from catcher Lisa McGregor, for a 5-2 edge. That edge widened the very next inning by way of a Christa Hunter home run. Her fifth long ball of the season was a three-run shot and her only hit for the game, but she was also doubling as the starting pitcher. The junior improved her record to 10-11 with the win on the mound.

Syracuse closed to within 8-6 on a pair of two-run home runs in the fifth, but got no closer as the Panthers got two of those runs back in the bottom of the inning and held on for the win.

Pitt 1, Syracuse 0

The bats cooled off for both teams in the second game of the day, forcing the contest into extra innings. Pitt’s offense awoke in the bottom of the eighth, however, punching in the game’s only run for a 1-0 victory and Saturday sweep.

In a pitcher’s duel where the teams combined for only 11 hits, Panther sophomore Laura Belardinelli went the distance, striking out two batters and allowing only five hits in all eight innings for her first shutout of the season. Syracuse pitcher Courtney Mosch, who also threw 2.2 innings of relief in the first game, struck out three batters herself, but let up in the bottom of the eighth.

DiMaria got on base in the bottom of the eighth and advanced to second to start things off. Senior Casey Pickard stepped to the plate and blasted a single to bring DiMaria home for the win in dramatic fashion.

Pitt 4, Boston College 3

Trying to carry the momentum of Saturday’s sweep of Syracuse into Sunday’s doubleheader, Pitt scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to stun the Eagles in the day’s first game.

Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the final inning with one out, shortstop Sheena Hellon singled to center field. McGregor then tied the game with her second home run of the season, bringing Hellon and herself home. It wasn’t the last home run of the day for the Panthers, though.

Pinch hitter Heather Connor then belted her fourth home run of the season for the Panthers, a solo shot to right center that ended the game and left Boston College stunned.

Belardinelli picked up the win, despite not getting the start, to even her record to 9-9 for the season. Hunter started on the mound for the Panthers, striking out four while allowing three runs in the no-decision.

Pitt 4, Boston College 3

For the second time Sunday, Pitt ended the game in the home half of the inning for the Panthers’ second extra-innings game of the weekend to go along with a second sweep.

The Eagles (18-24, 6-10) jumped on top early, scoring a run off Belardinelli in the top of the first. The Panthers responded with three unanswered runs, though, in the form of a two-run double in the bottom of the third. The senior was then brought home by a Hunter single to give Pitt a 3-1 lead.

Boston College deadlocked the score with two runs in the top of the fifth. The score remained tied after seven innings, forcing another overtime contest for Pitt. Like the last one, though, Pitt wasted no time in getting the end of the game started.

Tagging up second base on a sacrifice fly was Connor, who made her way to third. The ball flew past the Eagle’s third baseman, prompting Connor to speed towards home. The throw came and she was tagged out at the plate, but umpires awarded her the run on an interference call. Kristin Allain, the third baseman, interfered with Connor in her attempt to reach home.

Pickard drove in two runs to lead the Panther offense while six other Panthers collected hits on the game. Pitt also outdid BC on the defensive end, committing no errors to the Eagles’ three.

Pitt (22-24, 8-6) is back in conference action this weekend with makeup doubleheaders against St. John’s and Villanova, slated for Friday and Sunday, respectively. Should the Panthers win one game with the Wildcats, they will clinch the fourth and final spot in next weekend’s Big East Championships.