Panthers fall to Kent State

It’s taken quite awhile to happen, but it has finally been proven that the Pitt softball team… It’s taken quite awhile to happen, but it has finally been proven that the Pitt softball team can be beaten on its new home field.

In a doubleheader Wednesday afternoon against Kent State, a lack of offensive production by the Panthers resulted in two disappointing defeats. Pitt (16-16 overall, 2-0 Big East) ended a school record-setting 11-game winning streak with the two losses.

Kent State 4, Pitt 1

Kent State jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, which was enough to secure a victory for pitcher Tracie Logar.

Nikki Gasti took the mound for the Panthers but failed to get her team leading 12th win of the season. Gasti’s performance was solid, but the inability to hit the ball was costly for the Panthers.

A home run by freshman Francesca DiMaria gave the Panthers high hopes in the bottom of the first inning as Kent State’s lead was cut to 2-1. But nothing else came of the inning for the Panthers and their offense was quieted for the remainder of the game.

A pair of runs by Kent State in the top of the sixth inning expanded its lead to 4-1 and the Panthers never caught up.

Pitt finished the game with only four hits and made two errors. The loss was the first for the Panthers since Mar. 14, after a 10-0 start at the new Trees Field.

Kent State 1, Pitt 0

The second game of the doubleheader was solely controlled by the pitching efforts of Kent State’s Melissa Rhodes. Rhodes, who has yet to lose all season, pitched a no-hitter with the only Panther base runners coming as a result of three walks.

Janelle Pepe was the starting pitcher for the Panthers and allowed only one run, as her record dropped to 5-6 because of another poor hitting performance by the Panthers.

“We hit the ball hard today,” Pitt head coach Michelle Phalen said. “But we hit it right at them. They made great defensive plays.”

The lone run of the game came in the top of the fourth inning for Kent State. After a pair of singles by Rachel Testa and Jodi Stevens, a sacrifice fly by Renee Lynch was enough to score Testa.

Pitt failed to capitalize on a final chance in the bottom of the seventh inning with a runner on first and cleanup batter Casey Pickard at bat. Pickard, the team’s leader in home runs, had a chance to win the game with one stroke of the bat.

However, a decision by Phalen to have Pickard bunt failed when she popped up the bunt.

The decision proved to be costly for the Panthers in their hopes of a rally to end the game.

However, Phalen feels she made the right decision in bunting Pickard and has no regrets. “I just wanted to get [the runner] into scoring position,” Phalen said.

The loss puts the Panthers back at the .500 mark as they move back into Big East play. Pitt ends a 12-game homestand and will travel to St. John’s and Seton Hall this weekend for consecutive doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday. The Panthers will try to continue their unbeaten streak in conference play, beginning with the St John’s Red Storm Saturday at noon.