Pitt
Maryland
Softball Named Strikeout For Cancer Runner-Up
2/27/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 27, 2011
BOCA RATON, Fla.—The University of Pittsburgh softball team finished second overall at the Strikeout for Cancer Tournament after falling to Maryland, 5-4, in the championship game hosted by Florida Atlantic at FAU Softball Stadium. The Panthers slipped to 7-3 on the year.
The Panthers led 2-1 after the first inning. During Pitt’s half of the stanza, senior Reba Tutt and sophomore Holly Stevens scored on a pair of infield errors by the Terps.
Next, Pitt trailed 5-2 when junior Kelly Hmiel gave the Panthers their third run of the game in the fourth inning. After being walked to lead off the frame, Hmiel was moved to second with a sacrifice hit from junior Niki Cognigni. She would score when junior Yvette Bravo recorded a single with a hit to left field. Bravo added a hit in the second inning, as well.
Earning her 14th RBI of the year, Stevens recorded a single in the fifth to give Pitt its final tally of the day. Stevens recorded at least one RBI in the last four games of the tournament and eight total on the weekend. Senior Ashley Amistade scored the run mentioned. She smacked a two-out single, and moved to second on yet another infield error by Maryland. The Terps finished the day with three errors.
However, in the end Pitt’s four runs were not enough to catch up, as Maryland held on to its one-run lead in the final two innings.
Maryland scored in the first inning off a wild pitch with the bases juiced. The Terps added four more runs off four hits and a Pitt error in the bottom of the second.
Senior Alyssa O’Connell (2-1) suffered her first loss of the season in the game. She allowed two earned runs off four hits in the nine batters she faced. Coming in as relief, senior Cory Berliner pitched 2.1 innings and freshman Karlyn Jones tossed another 2.2 frames. Berliner struck out two batters, while Jones gave up just two hits.
During the tournament, Pitt earned wins over Kent State (8-0), Jacksonville (3-0) and Florida Atlantic (3-0).
The Panthers resume action on Friday, March 4 in the LSU Purple and Gold Challenge in Baton Rouge, La. Pitt opens with a 10 a.m. contest against Texas.
Score by Innings R H E
Pitt 200 110 0 - 4 5 1
Maryland 140 000 X - 5 12 3
