University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
Rutgers
Seniors Make History As Panthers Complete Sweep
4/29/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 29, 2007
PITTSBURGH-Seniors celebrate sweep in home finale with record-setting performances, as the Panthers defeated Rutgers 10-1 in game two of this afternoon's doubleheader at Trees Field. The Panthers improved to 22-31 on the year and 8-11 in the conference, while the Scarlet Knights slipped to 20-30 on the season and 7-11 in Big East play.
Pitt recorded its fourth consecutive mercy-rule win, as the Panthers tallied a three-run bomb in the fifth inning. This is the first time Pitt has ever recorded four straight wins in that fashion.
The win also marked a career record 43rd win for senior pitcher Laura Belardinelli (Endicott, N.Y./Union-Endicott), who improved to 7-9 on the year. Belardinelli surpassed Nikki Gasti's (2000-03) record of 42 career wins.
"This is an honor to hold a school record," Belardinelli said. "It isn't something I thought about, I just went out and gave my best in every game. Having this record is something I share with my teammates because I didn't do it alone. Everything from someone scoring a run, making a defensive play, or my catcher making my pitches look good played a role in this honor. I thank all of my teammates."
On that same note, senior Sheena Hellon (Sacramento, Calif./Cordova) set a school record for stolen bases in a season when she stole second in the first inning of the game, giving her 25 steals on the year. Hellon surpassed Robin Johnston's 2000 mark of 24 steal and still holds the school record for stolen bases in a career with 58 steals.
As stated earlier, Pitt won the game in the fifth inning when junior Jessica Dignon (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) garnered her second home run of the season with a two-out bomb to right center field. Dignon tallied the home run off a 2-2 pitch that sent seniors Morgan Howard (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) and Heather Connor (Muhlenberg, Pa./Reading) in for the score.
Dignon leads the team with runs scored (32) and has 22 RBIs on the season. This weekend she recorded seven RBIs, two doubles and posted a .667 batting average.
The first run of the fifth inning was tallied when senior Joey Scarf (Humble, Texas/Humble) recorded a sacrifice fly out to center field, allowing freshman April Ghiroli (Branford, Conn./Lyman) to tag from third.
Rutgers scored its lone run in the fourth off a sacrifice play where the Panthers threw out the batter at first for the second out of the inning, allowing the runner at third to score. However, Scarf gave the Panthers a 6-1 lead in the fourth inning when she scored on the throw to second after sophomore Samantha Card (Miami, Fla./Our Lady of Lourdes/Florida International) stole second. Scarf advanced to base in the inning after being hit in the knee by the Scarlet Knights pitcher.
Pitt's first five runs of the game were posted in the third inning off seven hits. Scarf and Dignon smacked back-to-back one-out singles to right field. After both stole a base, Scarf scored when the throw at third was too much for the Rutgers' third baseman.
Freshman Alex Shoemaker (Yorktown, Va./Grafton) then tallied her ninth double of the season, and earned her 25th RBI of the year. With Pitt leading 2-0, junior Rebecca Stottlemyer (Charleroi, Pa./Home school) pinch ran for Shoemaker and later scored her ninth run of the season.
Connor then singled through the left side, which scored junior Valerie Mihalik (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland), who earned her 16th RBI on the play before. During the four weekend games, Mihalik stole six bases and is 13-for-13 on the year.
On the mound, freshman Kaitlyn Schuster (Ellwood City, Pa./Lincoln) entered the game in the top of the fifth with bases loaded and two outs in the board. Schuster, then, earned her third save of the season when she got the batter to pop up to Hellon.
Pitt travels to Kent State on Wednesday, May 2, at 2 p.m. for the first of two non-conference doubleheaders this week.
Score by Innings R H E
Rutgers 000 10 - 1 3 1
Pitt 005 14 - 10 11 0
