Softball Completes Season With Split At Rutgers
5/6/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Softball Completes Season With Split At Rutgers
5/6/2001
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ - The Pittsburgh softball team completed the 2001 season by splitting a doubleheader with host Rutgers in Big East Conference action on May 6. The Panthers fell to the Scarlet Knights, 6-1, in game one, but came back to claim a 2-0 shutout in game two. Pittsburgh finished the year with an overall record of 14-39 and a conference mark of 6-14.
Rutgers took a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning of game one when Brittney Neer scored from third base on a wild pitch by Panther Nikki Gasti (Carmichaels, Pa./Carmichaels). The Scarlet Knights then extended their advantage with three runs in the second inning before adding two more in the fifth to take a 6-0 lead. Pittsburgh avoided the shutout with a run in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by freshman Beth Gill (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) that scored senior Brittany Bell (Brooksville, Fla./Pasco-Hernando C.C.).
Gill batted 2-for-3 in the game with one RBI to lead the Panthers. Gasti pitched 4.1 innings with two strikeouts to receive the loss, while junior Gina Bessolo (Lakewood, Calif./Lakewood) pitched 1.2 innings in relief.
Bessolo then led Pittsburgh to the 2-0 shutout in game two, allowing just three hits and striking out two batters in the complete-game effort. After five scoreless innings, junior Kate Mitchell (St. Louis, Mo./Lafayette) smacked a double to right center field, driving in two runs and giving the Panthers all they would need for the win. Bell and senior Tiffany Barrett (Pittsburgh, Pa./West Allegheny) both scored on the play.
Barrett completed the season as the team's leader in batting average with a .262. Bell was not far behind in second with a .259, while also leading the Panthers in hits (38), runs (14), RBI (17) and home runs (four). Mitchell led the team in doubles with 12 and was second behind Bell in runs (11) and RBI (14). Additionally, Gasti finished as Pittsburgh's top pitcher with an ERA of 2.45 including a team-high seven wins and 118 strikeouts.
