The Pitt softball team dropped both games of their doubleheader with Virginia Tech on Saturday… The Pitt softball team dropped both games of their doubleheader with Virginia Tech on Saturday in Blacksburg, Va., despite receiving solid performances from senior catcher Heather Andrews and sophomore pitcher Christa Hunter. The loss dropped the Panthers to 16-22 for the season and 1-5 on the year in conference play.

“[Andrews and Hunter were] hitting the ball real well,” Pitt softball head coach Michelle Phalen said. “It’s unfortunate that when they’re coming up sometimes it’s not with runners on [base]. They’re hitting the ball well, which is good to see.”

Virginia Tech 7, Pitt 4

The first game of the day started out well for Pitt as Hunter belted a three-run homer in the top of the first to give the Panthers a 3-0 lead. Virginia Tech (30-14, 6-4 Big East) tied the game in the third inning when Hokie second baseman Shanel Garofalo batted in Sarah Prosise and Kelly Brown, and later scored on a double by Megan Evans.

Virginia Tech’s rally was made possible through two mistakes by Pitt, one on a wild pitch and the other on a throwing error by Andrews.

“Our defense has looked a lot better in previous games,” Phalen said. “We weren’t sharp with regard to hitting our cuts from the outfield and fielding the balls cleanly and holding the runners to just one base.”

The Hokies took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth inning when Mindi Wylie led off the inning with a solo home run to left field. Virginia Tech added another run in the fifth inning before Andrews connected on a homer for Pitt in the top of the sixth inning, making the score 6-4. Unfortunately for the Panthers, the Hokies added another run in the bottom of the sixth to make the final score 7-4.

For Pitt, freshman Laura Belardinelli struck out two and walked two in 4 and one-third innings of work, while surrendering six runs on nine hits.

“We needed to drive in some runs,” Phalen added. “We needed to step up in some situations and we didn’t do it.”

Virginia Tech 3, Pitt 0

In the second game, Virginia Tech pitcher Rachel Pacheco pitched a complete game shut out to earn the win for the Hokies. Pacheco allowed no runs on six hits in seven innings of work.

“She [Pacheco] did a good job,” Phalen said. “She fielded two balls and then she got a glove on a ball to deflect it to the shortstop to slow it down a bit to keep the ball in the infield and allow the shortstop to make the play on it.”

Virginia Tech recorded two runs in the second inning to put the game out of reach. The Hokies added a run in the fourth when Allyson Campbell scored on a hit by Ashley Yeager.

Freshman Meghan Bostick took the loss for the Panthers as she gave up three runs on six hits in 3 and one-half innings of work while striking out one and walking two. Hunter and Andrews continued their hot streaks at the plate as Hunter went two-for-three and Andrews belted her fifth double of the season.

” [The] defense again was not as sharp as it could be,” Phalen said. “But we needed to put the ball in play when we had runners on [base] and we didn’t do it.”

Pitt is next in action tomorrow at 5 p.m. as it travels to Columbus, Ohio for a non-conference game against the Buckeyes of Ohio State.