Pitt
Youngstown State
Card and Bravo Blast Three-Run Homers in Win
4/29/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 29, 2009
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio—Senior Sam Card and freshman Yvette Bravo blasted three-run homers, as the University of Pittsburgh softball team earned its third mercy-rule victory of the season, with a 9-0 shutout over Youngstown State at McCune Park. Pitt evened its record to 22-22, while the Penguins slipped to 8-36.
Pitt’s final runs of the game were scored in the fourth thanks to a three-run bomb from Card. Her shot sailed just inside the left line for her second homer of the season and 20th of her career. With that home run, Card took sole possession of second place on the all-time career homerun list, edging out Christa Hunter’s (2003-06) 19. She is now just three long balls shy of tying the all-time mark of 23 by Jacki Haar (1999-00).
Card’s homer drove in sophomores Reba Tutt and Ashley Amistade.
In the opening inning, Bravo sent the first pitch she was tossed deep over the right field fence, smacking her team-leading sixth homerun of the year. Bravo’s bomb gave Pitt a 3-0 lead, as Tutt and Card were on base. Tutt was hit by a pitch and stole second, while Card was walked.
In the bottom of that inning, Pitt turned its seventh double play of the season. First junior Megan Livesey grabbed a groundball and made a throw to freshman Kristen Cheesebrew at second for the lead runner. Cheesebrew then fired a pass to first baseman Ciera Damon to end the inning.
Next, in the second stanza, Tutt drove in a run with a base-hit up the middle. Freshman Sara Falatico scored on the play, after pinch running for Damon. Amistade followed with a one-pitch single to left field, scoring Tutt and Livesey. Pitt led 6-0 after two.
Sophomore Cory Berliner (8-9) tossed her third shutout of the year, allowing four hits and fanning three.
Amistade was 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run, while Tutt was 1-for-1 with three runs and a RBI.
Game two of the doubleheader will start shortly.
