University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Softball Opens Big East Competition With Sweep of Syracuse
3/30/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Softball Opens Big East Competition With Sweep of Syracuse
3/30/2003
Freshman Jessica Thomas was 3-for-3 in the second game with a single, double, and a triple. |
PITTSBURGH ? The Pittsburgh softball team extended its school-record winning streak to 11 games and upped its home record to 10-0 with a doubleheader sweep of Syracuse on Sunday at Trees Field, the first two Big East games of the year for the Panthers.
Pittsburgh (16-14, 2-0) held off the Orangewomen in the first game, 3-2, before erasing a four-run deficit in game two to win 9-5. Syracuse dropped to 7-15 for the season and 1-3 in Big East play.
In the first game, Syracuse scored right away in the top of the first inning but the Panthers tied it in the bottom of the second inning on a solo home run by sophomore Casey Pickard (Newhall, Calif./William S. Hart), her team-leading fifth of the season. After the Orangewomen took a 2-1 lead in the top half of the third inning, Pittsburgh drew two bases-loaded walks in the bottom of the inning to take its first lead at 3-2.
Senior pitcher Nikki Gasti (Carmichaels, Pa./Carmichaels) went the distance for the Panthers, allowing seven hits in seven innings and recording seven strikeouts against just two walks. The win was her 11th of the season, breaking her own school record of 10 set in 2000 and 2002.
The second game featured three game stoppages because of the snow showers but the Panthers spotted Syracuse a 4-0 lead in the top of the third inning. Pittsburgh clawed its way back into the game in the bottom half of the third. With one out, freshman Jessica Thomas (Southlake, Texas/Carroll) reached on an infield single and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ana Velazquez (Santa Ana, Calif./Santa Ana C.C.).
Missy Smith (Clackamas, Ore./Clackamas) reached on a throwing error by Syracuse shortstop Alexis Switenko and Thomas moved to third on the play. After freshman Francesca DiMaria (Pittsburgh, Pa./Montour) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Pickard grounded the ball sharply to Switenko. Switenko threw the ball past the first baseman and later dropped the ball in a rundown for another two errors, allowing three Panthers runs to score.
Pittsburgh got three more runs in the fourth frame to take a 6-4 advantage. With two outs, Tiffany White (Carlsbad, Calif./Palomar C.C.) drew a walk and scored on a triple to right-center field by Thomas. Velazquez followed with a slap single to left field to score Thomas and stole second base. An error by Rachel Park of Syracuse allowed Smith to get on base and for Velazquez to score the sixth run.
The Panthers kept up the offensive with three more runs in the fifth inning. With one out, Kelly Hulpa (Washington, Pa./Trinity) reached on an infield single and moved to second on a base hit by Heather Andrews (Zelienople, Pa./Riverside). After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, White came through with a double, scoring both runners. Thomas then connected on her third hit of the game, an RBI double to make it a 9-4 game.
Syracuse was able to earn one run back in the seventh inning but senior Janelle Pepe (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville) evened her record at 5-5 with five innings of relief work, allowing four hits two runs and two walks with one strikeout. Pittsburgh will host Kent State in a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 2 at Trees Field. The first game is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
