April 15, 2006
Box Score
SYRACUSE, N.Y.-Senior Christa Hunter gave Pitt a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning with a solo home run, but a bottom inning rally from Syracuse holds off the Panthers in game one of the Pitt-Syracuse doubleheader at the SU Softball Field, this afternoon. Pitt fell 8-4.
In the top of the second inning, Hunter (Sacramento, Calif./Harim Johnson West) sent an 0-2 pitch out to right field that bounced off the top of the fence, but sent junior Sheena Hellon (Sacramento, Calif./Cordova) home. Hellon was walked earlier. In the bottom half Syracuse scored two runs on a two-out double to right field. The Orange took a 2-1 lead after two innings of play.
After being hit by a pitch from Erin Downey, junior Morgan Howard (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) stole second and third base. Morgan, then, tied the game when junior Joey Scarf (Humble, Texas, Humble) hit a shallow shot to left field.
Senior Jessica Thomas (Southlake, Texas/Carroll) saved the threat of the Orange replaying the events of the second inning with a stretching catch in right-center field. Prior to the catch, Syracuse had runners at second and third, again.
Hunter tallied her seventh homer of the season with a high solo shot to center field, leading off the fifth and giving Pitt a 3-2 advantage. But the Orange took the final lead of the game with six runs in the bottom of the fifth. All of the scoring happened after Syracuse loaded the bases and recorded an off the wall double to right field.
Hellon earned a RBI after tallying a hit to the gap behind second base, sending sophomore Jessica Dignon (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) in for the run in the sixth. On the defensive end, Dignon fielded a ground ball and tapped third for a forced out, then threw the ball to senior Lisa McGregor (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford Senior) in time to beat out the runner and ending the sixth inning.
Junior Meghan Bostick (Colleyville, Texas/Grapevine) took the loss for the Panthers, allowing nine hits.
Hunter was 2 for 2 and recorded two RBI in the ball game.
