DiMaria’s homer won game one

The Pitt softball team split its doubleheader with UConn on Saturday. Both games were closely… The Pitt softball team split its doubleheader with UConn on Saturday. Both games were closely contested.

The Panthers needed just two runs in a nine-inning battle to defeat the Huskies (14-20 overall, 4-8 Big East) in the first game, but lost a 3-1 battle the second time around.

Pitt 2, Connecticut 1

In the top of the ninth, Pitt junior Francesca DiMaria blasted her first home run of the season to give the Panthers a one-run advantage and eventually a victory.

It was also DiMaria who got the offense rolling for Pitt in the top of the seventh, after six scoreless innings. DiMaria reached base with a leadoff double off UConn starting pitcher Jessica Gurney and moved to third on a wild pitch. With one out, shortstop Sheena Hellon doubled to score DiMaria for the first run of the game.

With the Panthers up by a run, the Huskies entered the bottom of the seventh needing to score. UConn responded to the pressure and tied the game when Christine Keeton sent a solo home run soaring over the fence. This was the only run given up by Pitt starter Christa Hunter, who pitched a complete game, giving up six hits and not walking a single batter to earn her eighth victory of the season. Gurney was tagged with the loss for the Huskies, despite striking out 10 Panthers.

Even with a slow day at the plate, Pitt used its strengths on the other side of the ball to keep the game close and pull through for the victory.

“Our defense was solid,” head coach Michelle Phalen said. “Our pitching was pretty good, and we made some really great defensive plays.”

The game remained tied through eight innings, pushing the contest into a second extra frame. It was in the ninth that DiMaria earned her first home run of the season when she took offensive matters into her own hands sending the ball over the center field wall to give Pitt the victory.

Connecticut 3, Pitt 1

Gurney, just coming off pitching a complete game for the Huskies in the first loss of the day to Pitt, started on the mound once again. This time, though, she wasn’t about to see another close one slip away. In the second game, Gurney gave up just five hits and one run to the Panthers, striking out five in the 3-1 victory.

“We didn’t hit well in this game,” Phalen said following the loss. “This is definitely a game we could’ve and should’ve won.”

UConn scored in the top of the second and twice in the fourth inning off of Panthers’ starter Meghan Bostick. The Panthers came back in the sixth with a little offensive hope. Hunter singled and was pinch-run for by freshman Leanne McCarron. Two batters later, McCarron scored off a double by Hellon, her second RBI double of the day.

Senior first baseman Casey Pickard had two of the Panthers’ five hits in the two-run loss and third baseman Valerie Mihalik earned her third and fourth stolen bases of the season during the game as well. Bostick earned the loss, dropping her record to 2-4 on the season while sophomore Laura Belardinelli came in and threw two scoreless innings of relief.