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Softball
Pitt Completes Sweep with Offensive Explosion
April 22, 2018
PITTSBURGH ââ’¬” Olivia Gott (Weston, Fla.) capped her scorching weekend at the plate with a 2-for-2 performance and her fourth home run of the series, but Pittsburgh (26-16-1, 14-6 ACC) tallied 12 times in the first four innings to run-rule Virginia (12-35, 3-18 ACC), 12-1, in the series finale.
For the first time in the series, Virginia opened the scoring as Gott uncorked her fourth home run of the weekend. The junior took a 1-0 offering out of the park to right to give the Hoos an early lead. The homer perhaps should have provided more damage, as Allison Davis (Oak Hill, Va.) was caught stealing despite what appeared to be obstruction on the play.
Pittsburgh countered with a three-run bottom of the first. The Panthers strung together a pair hits to score the tying run before a two-out error brought home a pair more for the 3-1 advantage. All three runs were unearned in the inning.
The Panthers added to their lead in the second. A single put one aboard before nine-hole hitter Erin Hershman drove a two-run shot to dead center. The homer chased Virginia starter Tabby Dabney (Mechanicsville, Va.) from the circle, as Lacy Smith (Lancaster, Pa.) came on in relief. A bases-loaded walk would make it 6-1 Panthers after two innings.
A hit batsman and a walk to open the bottom of the fourth spelled trouble for Virginia, as Pitt pushed its lead out once again. Three-straight singles made it a 9-1 game and chased reliever Erika Osherow (Darien, Conn.). Another single made it 11-1 as the Cavaliers were called for obstruction at the plate and Pitt eventually tacked on another for a 12-1 lead.
Along with Gott’s 2-for-2 day, Allison Davis finished with her third multi-hit game of the weekend. The senior ended the day 2-for-3 at the plate.
UP NEXT
Virginia returns to The Park for its final home game of the year on Wednesday (April 25). The Cavaliers host James Madison in a 6 p.m. first pitch on ACC Network Extra.