Feb. 11, 2007

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla.--The Panthers and Redhawks traded runs in the eighth, but Pitt's softball team fell 5-4 in nine innings during the final game of the FAU Miken Invitational.

Following a Miami-Ohio (1-4) score in the ninth, Pitt (0-5) had bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the inning. Jessica Dignon (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) stepped to the plate and tried to bring Valerie Mihalik (Schneckville, Pa./Parkland) home, but Miami's third baseman fielded the ball and threw home for the second out. The third baseman then fielded the next play by Pitt, ending the Panther's scoring opportunity.

Dignon tied the game in the bottom of the seventh with a single that scored senior Morgan Howard (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny). Pitt was held scoreless in three innings prior to that run.

After Miami scored in the eighth inning, freshman Alex Shoemaker (Yorktown, Va./Grafton) scored the tying run to send the game into another inning. Shoemaker doubled to open the inning for Pitt and was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Senior Heather Connor (Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg) then drove Shoemaker in when she singled.

Pitt struck first when senior Joey Scarf (Humble, Texas/Humble) scored off a Shoemaker single in the first inning. Shoemaker recorded her single with bases loaded and just one out on the board.

Nieman scored off a single for Miami in the third to tie the game at one, but Pitt regained the lead in the bottom of the third. It was Shoemaker's sacrifice fly that sent Howard in from third. Howard led-off the inning with a single back to the pitcher.

Miami then scored two runs off two hits in the fourth to take its first lead of the game. Pitt's defense stranded three runners, as freshman Kayla Zinger (Phoenix, Ariz./Sunnyslope) entered the game for senior Meghan Bostick (Colleyville, Texas/Grapevine) and garnered the next two outs.

Zinger pitched 5.2 innings in relief and gave up just two hits and two runs in the loss. Zinger recorded six strike outs in the game and falls to 0-3 on the season.

Pitt travels to Arlington, Texas to on Feb. 24 and 25 to face UT-Arlington and Prairie View A&M.

Score by Innings                        R  H  E

Miami-Ohio            001 200 011   5   7   1

Pittsburgh                101 000 110   4   7   1