Rain sends softball home early

Rain, rain, go away. Come again … next week.

That’s what one Pitt softball player sang… Rain, rain, go away. Come again … next week.

That’s what one Pitt softball player sang as she walked away from the waterlogged softball diamond — also known as Trees Field — with the rain still falling at a steady pace.

“But what are you going to do about the weather?” head coach Michelle Phalen asked, shrugging her shoulders and looking out into the downpour she was avoiding by standing in the dugout.

Pitt (13-17) was scheduled to play a doubleheader in its home-opener Tuesday against Youngstown State, but only got to play an inning and a half.

The Panthers retired the Penguins in the top of the first, keeping the game scoreless.

In the bottom of the second, senior catcher Heather Andrews stood at the plate with sophomore second baseman Francesca DiMaria on second and freshman shortstop Sheena Hellon on third.

After fouling off several pitches, Andrews was walked to load the bases.

But before sophomore third baseman Jen O’Donnell could take a swing, the umpires called a rain delay, and fifteen minutes later, they cancelled both games.

“It was disappointing,” Phalen said about ending the game with the bases loaded. “I felt like we were going to play really well today. We were prepared, and the rain just did not cooperate.”

Phalen explained how both coaches made the decision to not play because it was too risky for their players to play on Trees Field in its muddy condition.

“Someone was going to get hurt if we played any longer,” Phalen said.

The Panthers now look forward to an exciting week of games.

They play a double-header against Robert Morris on Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m. This game, by default, will become Pitt’s home opener.

“We have a big weekend coming up with Villanova and Rutgers,” Phalen said.

On Friday, Pitt will welcome Villanova to Trees Field for its first two Big East games of the season at 2 p.m.

On Sunday, Pitt will play another doubleheader. These two games will be against Rutgers, with the first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.

“It’ll be exciting for us to get started with [the Big East schedule],” Phalen said.

The softball team wasn’t the only team affected by Mother Nature on Tuesday. The baseball team’s game at Cleveland State was also cancelled as a result of the rain.

The Panthers return to action today at 3 p.m. against Kent State for the team’s home opener.