Softball Wins Cleveland State Tournament to Open Fall Season
9/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Softball Wins Cleveland State Tournament to Open Fall Season
9/26/2002
CLEVELAND, Ohio ? Pittsburgh's softball team got off to a strong start in the fall season with a perfect 3-0 record at the Cleveland State tournament this past weekend.
The Panthers topped the host Vikings, 3-0, in the first game of the tournament. Sophomore Casey Pickard (Newhall, Calif./William S. Hart) and senior Kelly Hulpa (Washington, Pa./Trinity) had RBI doubles while freshman Francesca DiMaria (Pittsburgh, Pa./Montour) tripled in the game's other run.
Senior pitcher Janelle Pepe (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville) had the shutout on the mound for the Panthers, holding Cleveland State scoreless. Another 3-0 shutout in the second game over Ashland University put the Panthers at 2-0. Pickard and freshman Christa Hunter (Sacramento, Calif./Hiram Johnson West) combined on the shutout in game two. Both pitchers also helped Pittsburgh with their bats.
Hunter and Pickard had two of the team's five doubles against Ashland with the other three coming off the bats of Hulpa, DiMaria and freshman Lisa McGregor (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford Senior).
In the final game, Pittsburgh scored a 4-2 win in eight innings over Bowling Green. Pickard tripled in the game and DiMaria continued her strong debut with a double to give her four hits and two sacrifice bunts in the tripleheader. Pickard had three hits, all for extra bases, while Hulpa led the Panthers with four RBIs.
Pittsburgh will play at the Robert Morris tournament on Oct. 5-6 to continue its fall season.