Pitt Softball Suffers First Loss of Season

Friday, February 20

Charleston, S.C.

11:00 AM

Pitt

10-1

Appalachian State

4-4

Appalachian State

Pittsburgh

Pitt Softball Suffers First Loss of Season

2/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

Feb. 20, 2015

Final Stats

App. State Box Score | Season Stats

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – The Pitt softball team (10-1) suffered its first loss of the season to Appalachian State (4-4) Friday morning at the Cougar Classic in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. The Mountaineers took down the Panthers in seven innings with a final score of 5-2.

Shelby Pickett led the Panthers in batting after going 3-for-4 at the plate, improving her season batting average to a team-best .525. Close behind her is Maggie Sevilla who went 4-for-2. Both players recorded one RBI.

Pitt who went 7-for-28 at the plate was out-hit by Appalachian State as the Mountaineers went 11-for-30.

Leading off in the first inning for the Mountaineers was Cynthia Gomez who hit a hard single up the middle. Dani Heichen then grounded out to third base off a sacrifice bunt, advancing Gomez to third after a passed ball. The third batter, Pepper Butler, recorded a single scoring Gomez and giving the Mountaineers the first run on the day. Butler then advanced to second off Caroline Chambers’ ground out to second but Pitt freshman pitcher Kayla Harris closed out the inning after striking out Haley Stewart.

Shelby Pickett got the Panthers off to an exciting start by drilling the ball up the middle giving her a double in the bottom half of the inning. Kaitlin Manuel then struck out looking, recording the first out of the inning. Copying Pickett, Maggie Sevilla hit a double, scoring Pickett to tie the game at 1-1. Appalachian State then made two back-to-back outs at short and in left field on balls from Jenna Modic and Carly Thea.

In the second inning, the Mountaineers scored after Sarah Warnock crushed a line drive down the right side, scoring Cara Parker to take a 2-1 lead.

The Panthers re-tied the game after McKayla Taylor scored on a hard single up the left side from Pickett. Pitt ended the inning with Manuel flying out to center field.

App. State went three up, three down in the top of the third as Heichen lined out to third base, Butler struck out swinging, and then Chambers flew out to right field.

Pitt closed out the bottom of the inning in similar fashion. Sevilla struck out looking and both Modic and Thea were thrown out on their hits.

The Mountaineers came out strong in the top of the fourth, scoring two runs. Stewart led the inning by hitting a single through the right side off the first pitch. With one out, she advanced to second off a hard hit single from Parker. With runners in scoring position, Rogers crushed the ball up the middle. Stewart and Parker both scored off the throw and Rogers made it safely to second. Appalachian State regained a 4-2 lead.

Following a scoreless fifth inning, with the Mountaineers in control of the game, Alissa Schoelkopf entered the circle for Vanessa Ciocatto in the bottom of the sixth. The inning was the second consecutive with no runs which brought the teams to the final inning.

The last run of the game came in the top of the seventh from Taynor, who pinch ran for Warnock. Appalachian State recorded four hits in that inning to take a 5-2 lead.

Schoelkopf closed the game by striking out three straight Panthers: Pickett, Manuel and Sevilla. She is credited with the save.

The Panthers continue action in the Cougar Classic tomorrow, Saturday Feb. 21, as they take on the host team College of Charleston at noon followed by Bowling Green at 4:30 p.m.

Fans can watch Pitt versus College of Charleston at the following link: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/charleston/?SPSID=64113&SPID=7058&DB_OEM_ID=14800

For live updates this weekend, follow the team on Twitter and Instagram at @PITTSoftball.