Softball wins two in extra innings, loses three straight

In three short days, the Pitt softball team played five games in the USF-Louisville Slugger… In three short days, the Pitt softball team played five games in the USF-Louisville Slugger Tournament. Pitt (5-10) earned two extra-inning victories early in the tournament before losing three straight to close out their visit to Tampa, Fla.

Pitt 6, Jacksonville 5

Senior Casey Pickard used three as Pitt topped the Dolphins (8-10) in the first game. The Panthers gave up two late runs, forcing the game into extra innings.

In the top of the eighth, following international tiebreaker rules, the Panthers started the inning with shortstop Sheena Hellon on second. She then moved to third on a bunt by freshman Mary Hecker.

It was then up to freshman Jessica Dignon to knock Hellon home. Dignon drove the ball to center field in a sacrifice fly attempt. Hellon tagged up once the ball was caught and raced the throw home. She made it successfully, scoring on a throwing error by the Jacksonville outfielder to give Pitt the 6-5 victory.

Pickard’s three hits moved her career total to 117 and placed her in a tie for second place in Panther history for most career hits.

Pitt 4, South Florida 3

Pitching a career-high 10 innings, Panther Christa Hunter allowed just seven hits and two earned runs in Pitt’s second extra-innings game of the day. Hunter became just the second pitcher in Pitt history to throw 10 innings in a single game.

Pitt managed just two hits the entire game, a triple by Pickard and a base hit by junior Francesca DiMaria, but was able to pull off a one-run victory over the Bulls (14-10). The Panthers used seven walks thrown by Bulls’ pitchers to help them earn their four runs.

This was Pitt’s sixth extra-innings game of the season. Head coach Michelle Phalen knows these close, competitive games have helped her team improve.

“Regardless of the outcome,” Phalen said, “we’ve worked hard to continue to compete and get better.”

Chattanooga 2, Pitt 0

In their only game Saturday, the Panthers couldn’t get started offensively. Pitt starting pitcher Laura Belardinelli went five innings and gave up just one run, but that was enough to seal Pitt’s fate.

All season the Panthers have been plagued by tough, close losses, and Saturday afternoon, they added yet another to their list of heartbreakers.

Pitt did manage three hits in the loss, one by Howard, one by Pickard and one by Hecker, all of which were singles. With her single in this game, Pickard is now 17 hits away from becoming the Panthers’ all-time leading hitter.

Michigan 9, Pitt 0

The Panthers took a beating from the Wolverines, the No. 7-ranked team in the nation, for their second loss of the USF-Louisville Slugger Tournament and ninth loss of the season.

This was already the second time this year these two teams faced each other, and it was already the second shutout for the Wolverines. Michigan also won the first meeting by a score of 3-0.

In this game, Wolverine pitcher Lorilyn Wilson held Pitt to just one hit, an infield single by Dignon. Wilson had 10 strikeouts in five innings to help Michigan move to 21-1 for the season.

“Michigan’s pitchers are some of the best in the country,” Phalen said. “We struck out a lot and made some costly errors on defense.”

Belardinelli was on the mound for Pitt and allowed six runs in the first two innings of play, five of them coming in the second inning. Fellow sophomore pitcher Meghan Bostick came in as relief and pitched the final three innings.

Florida 6, Pitt 2

Dignon went 3 for 3 on the day, but Pitt couldn’t muster up enough offense to top the Gators.

Pitt fell behind early on and could not gather enough offense to generate a comeback. The Panthers were plagued by three costly errors, allowing the No. 15-ranked Gators to score three unearned runs.

Hunter, pitching for the Panthers, gave up 10 hits in seven innings and finished with one walk and one strikeout.