Pitt
Connecticut
Pittsburgh Loses Extra-Inning Thriller to UConn, 5-3
4/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 14, 2002
PITTSBURGH- The Panther softball team lost its third consecutive game in nine innings, 5-3, to Connecticut in a game that lasted three hours and 46 minutes due to rain delays. The second game of the doubleheader was postponed after one inning with the Huskies leading, 1-0. The game will resume at 11 a.m. tomorrow morning at Lind Field in Fairhaven Park.
After one and a half innings in the first game, there was a stoppage for one hour and seven minutes as rain dampened the playing field. In the bottom of the second inning after resuming play, the Panthers got out to a 1-0 lead. With two outs, Beth Gill (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) reached on an infield single, stole second base and scored on a single by Tiffany White (Carlsbad, Calif./Palomar C.C.). The score remained that way until the top of the fifth when the Huskies plated three runs.
Pittsburgh starter Nikki Gasti (Carmichaels, Pa./Carmichaels) allowed two hits and a Panther error pushed the three UConn runs across the plate. Gasti went the distance for the Panthers and tied a career high with 11 strikeouts. The Panthers came back in the bottom half of the seventh inning with two runs to tie the game and force extra innings.
With one out, Amy Steich (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville) reached on an infield single and moved to second on a ground out. Angela Blackmon (San Diego, Calif./Palomar C.C.) followed with a double to score Steich and cut the Huskie lead to one run. Second baseman Clare McCann (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) connected on a base hit to right field, moving Blackmon to third and Kelly Hulpa (Washington, Pa./Trinity) had an RBI single to tie the game.
It wasn't to be for the Panthers, however, as UConn scored two runs in the ninth inning and won the game. Pittsburgh is now 17-26 on the season and 3-8 in Big East play, while the Huskies improved to 8-24 and 2-9 in conference action. The Panthers had 12 hits in the loss with Blackmon, McCann and Gill each collecting two to lead the way.
