April 1, 2006

Box Score

PISCATAWAY, N.J.--Pitt holds off comeback with three solo home runs in the fifth, as the Panthers post an 11-5 victory over Rutgers in game one of this afternoon's doubleheader, at RU Softball Complex.

After a one-hour and 10 minute rain delay, senior Christa Hunter (Sacramento, Calif./Harim Johnson West) replaced junior Meghan Bostick (Colleyville, Texas/Grapevine) on the mound in the fourth after a pair of singles opened the fourth inning. The Scarlet Knights, then, tied the ball game at five with a double to center that sent two runners home.

Pitt's first at-bat after the rain cleared up started with two quick groundouts. But the next three batters would give the Panthers a lift due to three bombs over the left field fence, taking an 8-5 advantage. Back-to-back-to-back home runs were hit by junior Sheena Hellon (Sacramento, Calif./Cordova), her fourth of the year, Hunter (fifth) and junior Heather Connor (Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg), her third long ball of the season.

In the first inning, junior Joey Scarf (Humble, Texas/Humble) scored off a base-hit from sophomore Jessica Dignon (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) that bounced passed the third baseman. Scarf bunted to get on base and moved to third on a passed ball, after stealing second. In the second, Hunter recorded two RBI with a double to right center after earning a full count. On the previous at-bat, senior Lisa McGregor (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) brought Dignon home with a single over second base.

Scarf scored her second run of the game after she garnered her fifth double of the season and earned an extra base when the left fielder muffled the ball. Dignon, then, stepped to the plate and sent a hard shot back to Rutgers' Nicole Freeman, allowing the run. Pitt held a 5-0 lead after two innings of play.

Rutgers scored one run when Brittany Loisel dropped a shot in the hole between the right fielder and second baseman, that scored Shantai Dixon. Two more runners scored on a single to center field, allowing the Scarlet Knights to pull within two in the bottom of the second.

Hunter (5-1) picked up the win in the circle allowing three hits in 3.2 innings of work, while Freeman (1-7) took the loss for Rutgers.

Sophomore Rebecca Stottlemyer (Charleroi, Pa./Home School), who replaced McGregor on base, Hellon and Hunter all scored the final runs in the seventh.

Score by Innings                                R  H  E

Pittsburgh.                    410 030 30 -   11 11  0

Rutgers University      030 200 0X -  5   8   5