March 15, 1999

The Pittsburgh Panthers women's softball team concluded its spring trip with a 3-2 extra-innings win over host Georgia Tech March 13 in the Yellow Jackets' Round Robin Tournament. The victory marked the Panthers' fifth of the season and their second over Georgia Tech in three days. Overall, Pittsburgh finished its nine-day spring trip with a 4-7 record.

The Panthers led 1-0 after two innings on the strength of second baseman Jamie Wernett's (Hellertown, Pa./Saucon Valley) RBI double to score catcher Jackie Haar (Naples, Fla./Lely). Georgia Tech knotted the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh on a clutch two- out RBI single to send the game into extra innings. Pittsburgh scored two runs in the top of the eighth to claim the victory. Freshman Clare McCann (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) scored off a Tiffany Barrett (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) double and Haar followed with an RBI single for the win.

Freshman Gina Bessalo (Lakewood, Calif./Lakewood) pitched a complete game and earned her second victory of the season.

Pittsburgh also faced Georgia Tech March 11 in a double-header and split a pair of games with the Yellow Jackets.

Georgia Tech opened the day with a 3-1 win, but the Panthers rallied to take the second game, 6-4.

After taking a 6-0 lead in the second game of the double-header, Pittsburgh held off a late Yellow Jacket rally for the victory.

Pittsburgh opened the scoring with a three-run second inning. Haar recorded her sixth homerun of the season to put Pittsburgh ahead, 1-0. Freshman Jodie McGartland (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to score Wernett and freshman Amy Steich (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville Area) hit an RBI single to score junior Dawna Kasper (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley).

Freshman third baseman Rhianna Rogers (Camarillo, Calif./Rio Mesa) gave the Panthers a 5-0 lead off a two-run homerun in the fourth and added one more run in the fifth off a Haar RBI double.

Freshman pitcher Katie Mitchell (Wildwood, Mo./LaFayette) recorded her first win on the mound this season, while junior Laura LeViere (Pittsburgh, Pa./Northgate) came in with two outs in the bottom of the seventh for the save.

Prior to the Georgia Tech Tournament, Pittsburgh faced Georgia in a double-header March 10, and dropped both games, 4-1 and 3-1. The Panthers also met Southern Mississippi in a double-header March 9 and dropped both contests, 10-2 and 17-3.

Pittsburgh began its spring break trip in the Georgia State Tournament March 6-7. The Panthers came away with 4-0 and 2-1 victories over Fordham and Evansville, respectively, and 3-1 and 3-0 losses to Georgia State and Virginia Tech.

The Panthers' record stands at 5-11 overall. They return to action Friday, March 19 when they face Princeton and Michigan State in the Florida Atlantic Tournament.