April 1, 2006
Box Score
PISCATAWAY, N.J.--Pitt ends scoreless game in the fifth, as the Panthers recorded a 5-1 win over Rutgers for the sweep of this afternoon's doubleheader at RU Softball Complex. With its longest win streak of the season at seven, Pitt is 21-12 on the season and 5-1 in the conference.
Both sophomore Valerie Mihalik (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland) and junior Sheena Hellon (Sacramento, Calif./Cordova) stole bases to put runners in scoring position with senior Christa Hunter (Sacramento, Calif./Harim Johnson West) at the plate. On the next pitch, Hunter hit a sacrifice fly to center field, that allowed Mihalik to score on the tag. Senior Jessica Thomas (Southlake, Texas/Carroll) posted the second run of the game on the board, when she earned her eighth RBI of the year with a base hit to center field, sending Hellon in for the run.
Senior Francesca DiMaria (Pittsburgh, Pa./Montour) scored in the sixth after she noticed Jessica Dignon's (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) shot to left wasn't fielded and ran home. Later, Hellon stepped to the plate with bases loaded and hit a fly ball to center field that was dropped allowing Scarf to score. Pitt led 4-1 after six innings of action.
Junior Laura Belardinelli (Endicott, N.Y./Union Endicott) pitched the shutout until the fifth inning when Christine Yard hit a leadoff homer to left in the fifth for Rutgers.
Rutgers threatened in the bottom of the fourth with runners at first and second, but Belardinelli (9-4) struck out a batter for the second out and tallied the groundout on the third out. Belardinelli picked up the win, working all seven innings.
Sophomore Rebecca Stottlemyer (Charleroi, Pa./Home School) scored in the seventh when Rutgers' catcher tried to throw out junior Morgan Howard (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny), who stole her 10th base of the year.
This is the first time Pitt has ever started the Big East season at 5-1 and travels to Villanova on Sunday for a noon doubleheader.
Score by Innings R H E
Pittsburgh 000 022 1 - 5 7 1
Rutgers University 000 010 0 - 1 4 2
