Losing Streak Reaches Eight in 9-0 Decision to Purdue
3/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Losing Streak Reaches Eight in 9-0 Decision to Purdue
3/7/2003
PLANT CITY, Fla. ? In its third game at the South Florida Speedline Invitational, the Pittsburgh softball team was shut out, 9-0, by Purdue in five innings on Friday.
The Panthers (4-11) lost their eighth straight game by allowing two runs in the second, four in the fourth and three more in the fifth. The game was stopped after five innings because of the 8-run mercy rule.
Pittsburgh had three hits in the five innings, including a double by Casey Pickard (Newhall, Calif./William S. Hart) and singles by senior Ana Velazquez (Santa Ana, Calif./Santa Ana C.C.) and freshman Lisa McGregor (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford Senior).
The Panthers had Velazquez on third with one out in the first inning but two strikeouts ended the threat. Pickard led the second inning off with a double but the next three batters were retired, two by strikeout to end that frame. Then, in the fifth, the Panthers had two on and two out but failed to cross the plate.
Senior Janelle Pepe (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville) started for the Panthers and pitched 3.2 innings, allowing five hits and six runs, five of which were earned, with four walks and no strikeouts. Nikki Gasti (Carmichaels, Pa./Carmichaels) finished up on the mound with 1.1 innings, four hits and three earned runs with one strikeout.
Pittsburgh faces Temple tonight before concluding its pool play against Central Michigan tomorrow.