University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
USF
Softball Eliminated From Big East Championships
5/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 10, 2007
SOUTH BEND, IN--Junior Valerie Mihalik scored the tying run in the seventh inning, as Pitt's softball team fell 2-1 in nine innings to USF in the first round of the Big East Tournament at the Belleville Softball Complex. The Panthers end their season at 23-35, while the Bulls improved to 44-21.
With one out on the board and a USF pitching change, Mihalik (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland) scored the tying run in the seventh inning thanks to senior Heather Connor's (Muhlenberg, Pa./Reading) perfectly placed bunt that squeezed in the run.
Prior to Connor's squeeze, junior Mary Hecker (Roseville, Calif./Roseville) pinch hit another bunt that placed runners on second and third.
In the bottom half of the seventh, Pitt recorded a double play when senior Laura Belardinelli (Endicott, N.Y./Union-Endicott) struck out a batter and Connor's throw to senior Sheena Hellon (Sacramento, Calif./Cordova) at second caught the base runner attempting to steal.
In the extra inning, the Panthers had opportunities to score as they placed runners on base with a hit in the eighth and ninth.
Senior Morgan Howard's (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) slap bunt in the ninth moved freshman Alex Shoemaker (Yorktown, Va./Grafton) to second after she reached on an error. A wild pitch from the Bulls placed the two of them in scoring position. However both were left on base.
Later in the bottom of the inning, USF scored the winning run as Howard caught a sacrifice fly in left field that sent in a runner from third. The Bulls scored their first run off two hits in the first inning, after the cleanup hit a short shot to center field.
Pitt had an opportunity to score early in the first when junior Jessica Dignon (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) placed runners on the corners with one out on the board after she tallied a hit over the first baseman's head. Dignon then stole second but both she and Hellon were left stranded. Hellon advanced to base with a lead-off walk.
Later in the third, it was senior Joey Scarf (Humble, Texas/Humble) and Dignon left in scoring position. Scarf was overthrown by USF's third baseman, while Dignon earned a two-out walk. In the game, Dignon was 2-for-3 with four assists.
Both Scarf and Dignon stole bases in the inning, giving Pitt a school record 117 steals on the season.
Pitt's defense made great plays, holding off runs in the game, including a key standoff in the bottom of the third.
In that inning, Hellon checked the runner at third before firing an assist to sophomore Samantha Card (Miami, Fla./Our Lady of Lourdes/Florida International) at first. Senior Meghan Bostick (Colleyville, Texas/Grapevine) then decided to intentionally walk the Bulls' clean up on the next at-bat. With two outs and runners on the corners, Connor made the final out when she caught a foul ball right in front of the gate.
Then with the bases juiced after another intentional walk in the fifth inning, Hellon caught a pop up to get the Panthers out of the inning. Despite out-hitting Pitt 9-4, USF stranded 10 runners in the game.
Belardinelli (8-10) took the loss for Pitt, giving up two hits and one run in 2.1 innings of relief. Bostick put in 6.1 innings of work, allowing seven hits.
Score by Innings R H E
Pitt 000 000 100 - 1 4 0
USF 100 000 001 - 2 9 2
