University of Louisville
Pittsburgh
Softball Splits Doubleheader at Pitt
May 02, 2015 | Softball
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PITTSBURGH - The University of Louisville softball team split an ACC doubleheader with host Pittsburgh Saturday afternoon at Vartabedian Field. Pittsburgh won the first game 2-1 and the Cards rebounded for a 12-0 win in the second. Louisville (29-16, 15-7 ACC) and Pittsburgh (33-18, 10-11 ACC) will meet in the deciding game Sunday at 12 p.m.
"I thought we had our chances to score in the first game, but we couldn't get the job done," said UofL head coach Sandy Pearsall. "In the second game, Shelby McCombs threw well and we were able to find ways to score, capitalizing on their mistakes early. We started to hit the ball well later in the game. I thought Maryssa Becker also had a great day."
Jenna Modic's walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the seventh broke a 1-1 tie and lifted the Panthers to a 2-1 win in game one.
The teams played through four scoreless innings before Pitt broke through with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Ashlee Sills connected on a leadoff double to left field and one out later, a hit by Maggie Sevilla put runners on the corners. A groundout by Jenna Modic sent Sills home to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.
The Cardinals answered in the top of the sixth when Becker led off with a single and was lifted for pinch runner Morgan Meyer. An error on Brittany Sims' sacrifice bunt sent Meyer to third and saw Sims safe at first for Brittany Duncan's RBI hit which tied the game at 1-1. A walk to Whitney Arion loaded the bases with one out, but the Cards were unable to push more runs across as a strikeout and a groundout ended the threat.
With the game tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Becker got Maggie Sevilla to groundout to third baseman Hailey Smith for the first out of the inning before Modic took a 2-1 count over the right field fence to give the Panthers the 2-1 win.
Becker (14-6) took the loss, allowing two earned runs on 10 hits and striking out five in 6.1 innings. She also went 2 for 4 with a double at the plate. Arion went 2 for 2 and Duncan finished the game batting 2 for 2.
Savannah King (18-7) got the win surrendering one unearned run on seven hits and striking out six in a complete game effort. Jordan Fannin paced the Panthers with a 3 for 3 performance at the plate. Modic was 1 for 3 with two RBIs in the game.
In game two of the doubleheader, sophomore Maryssa Becker belted out two home runs and drove in four runs to back freshman Shelby McCombs' two-hit complete game shutout as the Cards defeated the Panthers 12-0.
The Cards used two hits, three errors and a passed ball to score five runs in the third. Brittany Sims singled and advanced to third when Maryssa Becker reached on an error. Whitney Arion was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Kayla Soles who popped the ball up to second base, but an error on the play sent Sims home. Hailey Smith followed with a two-run single to make the score 3-0. A passed ball sent Soles home and Smith crossed the plate on another error to increase the lead to 5-0.
Louisville tacked on a pair of runs in the sixth when Brittany Sims drew a two-out walk and Becker followed with a shot over the right field wall to make the score 7-0.
The Cardinals used home runs by Sydney Benz and Becker to add five more runs in the seventh. McCombs got the offense started with a one-out hit and was lifted for pinch runner Morgan Meyer. Brittany Duncan registered a pinch hit single and Sidney Melton entered to run. Sydney Benz connected on a pinch hit home run over the centerfield fence for her second homer of the season. One out later, Sims was hit by a pitch to set up Becker's second home run of the game. Her team-best ninth homer of the season increased Louisville's lead to 12-0.
Pitt had a scoring opportunity in the fifth when Jordan Fannin, Ashlee Sills and Maggie Sevilla walked to load the bases with two outs, but Shelby McCombs delivered a strikeout to get out of the jam. She went on to retire the final six batters she faced to finish the game.
McCombs (9-5) scattered two hits and struck out four en route to her second complete game shutout of the season. In addition to Becker's performance at the plate, Sims went 1 for 2 and scored three runs. Smith was 1 for 4 with two RBIs and Benz was 1 for 1 with three RBIs.
Kayla Harris (11-11) took the loss, allowing five unearned runs on two hits and striking out two in 3.0 innings pitched.
NOTE: The Cardinals have earned the No. 4 seed in the 2015 ACC Championship and will face fifth-seeded NC State in their first round match Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in Blacksburg, Va.
