April 5, 2008

Box Score

PITTSBURGH--Freshman Reba Tutt smacked a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to end the possible shutout, as the Pitt softball team fell to Connecticut, 8-3, in its home opener, at Trees Field. The Panthers slipped to 17-13 (3-2 Big East), while the Huskies improved to 12-12 (2-1 Big East) on the year.

Tutt (Culpeper, Va./Highland) recorded her second home run of the season with a one-strike shot over the center field wall, ending Pitt's drought in the game. Tutt's hit drove in freshman Mollie Illenberger (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) and senior Rebecca Stottlemyer (Charleroi, Pa./Home School) for her 11th RBI of the year.

Connecticut scored in the top of the second inning, after loading the bases with zero outs on the scoreboard. Freshman Cory Berliner (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain) then used six strikeouts to catch the next two batters looking. However, a long hit to left field would score three runs for the Huskies on the next play.

Later a two-run homer in the third lifted the Huskies to a 5-0 lead, while Connecticut scored another three runs in the seventh off four hits. Berliner struck out a career-tying 10 batters, improving to second on the freshman all-time strikeout list at 110. She fell to 7-6 on the mound, giving up 11 hits.

Tutt was 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run in the contest, while senior Jessica Dignon (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) went 2-for-3 at the plate.

Pitt was out-hit, 11-8, in the contest and stranded eight runners.