Softball ends six-game losing streak

The Pitt softball team broke a six-game losing streak Sunday by defeating the… The Pitt softball team broke a six-game losing streak Sunday by defeating the Connecticut Huskies 3-1 behind a strong outing from senior pitcher Janelle Pepe. The Panthers had dropped the first game of the doubleheader against UConn and had been swept by another Big East rival, Boston College, on Friday. The Eagles posted two shutouts against the Panthers at Trees Field.

Boston College 1, Pitt 0

Game one between the Panthers and Eagles featured a pitchers’ duel, but Tekae Malandris was able to outlast Nikki Gasti, who allowed a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning to Cara Blumfield for the only run of the game. Gasti allowed six hits and one walk while striking out five in her 11th loss of the season.

The Panthers picked up three hits, one each by Francesca DiMaria, Ana Velazquez and Tiffany White, but could not put any runs across the plate.

Malandris did not surrender any walks in her shutout and struck out four.

Boston College 3, Pitt 0

The Eagles received an even better pitching performance in game two as Kim Ryan held the Panthers to just one hit and one walk. She also set a record at Trees Field by picking up 15 strikeouts in the game.

Boston College broke a scoreless tie in the top of the seventh when it scored three runs off of three hits against Pepe. Pepe surrendered eight hits overall while walking three and striking out just one.

First baseman Casey Pickard’s single was the only Panther hit of the game.

Connecticut 4, Pitt 3

Victories continued to elude the Panthers as they fell to the Huskies in the first game Sunday despite getting on the board first. Pitt pushed a run across in the bottom of the first inning when Pickard’s RBI double scored DiMaria, who had reached base on a single.

White extended the lead in the fourth by connecting for her third home run of the year.

But the Huskies answered back with four unearned runs off Gasti in the fifth. Pitt would put one more run on the board in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI single by Heather Andrews, but the Panthers could not move any closer.

Gasti allowed five hits and two walks while striking out seven in a complete game outing. The Panthers totaled eight hits but could not capitalize on that offense, combined with four UConn errors, to make a comeback.

Pitt 3, Connecticut 1

Pepe rebounded from her effort against Boston College to allow five hits and one run to pick up a victory against the Huskies. UConn took the lead first with a run in the top of the fourth, but the Pitt offense answered back.

Outfielder Beth Gill led off the bottom of the inning with a double and was followed by DiMaria, who singled home Gill and moved to second on the throw to the plate. Pickard then connected for a triple that brought home DiMaria, who scored what would be the winning run. The triple was Pickard’s four of the year and her career, which sets a school record in both categories.

The Panthers added an insurance run in the sixth as Kelly Hulpa singled home DiMaria to give Pitt the 3-1 lead.

The Panthers improved to 18-24 overall and 4-8 in the conference after the win. Pitt will next travel to face nonconference opponent Youngstown State Thursday in a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m.