University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Softball Completes 1-5 Weekend at Missouri Tournament.
3/18/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Softball Completes 1-5 Weekend at Missouri Tournament.
3/18/2001
COLUMBIA, MO -
The Pittsburgh softball team competed in the Missouri Tournament hosted by the Tigers in Columbia, Mo., over the weekend and came away with a record of 1-5. The Panthers move to 4-19 overall.
Pittsburgh began the weekend with a 5-2 loss to host Missouri on March 16. The Panthers got on the board in the first inning, sparked by a triple by freshman Missy Smith (Clackamas, Ore./Clackamas). She then scored on an RBI single by junior Kate Mitchell (St. Louis, Mo./Lafayette). Pittsburgh added another run in the second on an RBI single by freshman Heather Andrews (Zelienople, Pa./Riverside) which gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead. But that was all Pittsburgh would manage as Missouri would tally runs in the bottom of the second and third and three in the fifth to go on to the win.
Andrews led the Panthers at the plate as she hit 2-for-3 with an RBI. Junior Gina Bessolo (Lakewood, Calif./Lakewood) pitched six innings in the loss and struck out four batters.
The Panthers got their only win of the weekend in a 2-1 victory over Temple in the second of two games on March 16. After three and a half scoreless innings, Pittsburgh scored two in the bottom of the fourth to take a 2-0 lead. Both Mitchell and senior Brittany Bell (Brooksville, Fla./Pasco-Hernando C.C) singled to get on base before freshman Laura Vavricka (Mt. Laurel, N.J./Lenape) hit an RBI single that scored Mitchell. With the bases loaded, Andrews reached first on an error by the third baseman, scoring Bell on the play. The Panthers' lead was enough for the win as the Owls tallied their only run in the top of the seventh inning.
Sophomore Nikki Gasti (Carmichaels, Pa./Carmichaels) pitched a complete seven-inning game and earned her second win of the season. She struck out a season-high 10 batters while allowing just four hits. Vavricka batted 2-for-3, including a double and an RBI, while Mitchell was also 2-for-3 at the plate with one run scored.
Pittsburgh met Indiana on March 17 and fell to the Hoosiers, 2-0. Indiana scored both of its runs in the top of the seventh inning on a two-run home run by Brooke Monroe to clinch the win. Gasti pitched her second complete game of the weekend and struck out nine batters. Gill led the Panthers with two hits, including a double, in three at-bats.
The Panthers took on Temple for the second of three matchups in game two on March 17 and were shut out, 5-0, by the Owls. Temple scored four runs to start off the game and added one in the second inning to hold on for the win. The Owls out-hit the Panthers, 11-3. Bell, Vavricka and junior Lisa Collins (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) each had hits for Pittsburgh. Sophomore Janelle Pepe (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville) started on the mound for the Panthers and pitched one inning for her second loss of the year. Bessolo came in in the second and pitched six innings while striking out five batters.
Pittsburgh dropped a 2-0 decision to Temple in its third game of the weekend with the Owls on March 18. Temple tallied both its runs in the fourth inning. Bessolo struck out six batters in five innings of work in the loss, while Gasti pitched two innings in relief. Bell and junior Amy Steich (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville) had the only hits for the Panthers.
Pittsburgh wrapped up the tournament with its second matchup with host Missouri on March 18, falling to the Tigers, 8-0. Bell was a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate Mitchell went 1-for-1 on a double for the Panthers' only hits of the game.
Pittsburgh will return to action on Saturday, March 31, when it begins Big East Conference play with a doubleheader against visiting Seton Hall at Frick Field (11 a.m.). Pittsburgh will then play host to St. John's on Sunday, April 1 at 11 a.m.
