Softball Closes 2002 Campaign With Split Against Pittsburgh

May 4, 2002

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College softball team their final action of the season, splitting a BIG EAST Conference doubleheader with the University of Pittsburgh at PC's Raymond Field Saturday afternoon. The Panthers won game one, 6-0, but the Friars rebounded to win game two, 1-0.

In the first game, Pittsburgh (21-29 overall/6-10 BIG EAST) opened the afternoon with the first run. Panthers' centerfielder Beth Gill led off the game with a single and shortstop Angela Blackmon followed with a double to score Gill. Pitt increased their lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning, as Casey Pickard singled, was sacrificed to second and scored on Tiffany White's double. White chased PC starter, junior Melissa Peterson (Huntington Beach, Calif.) with her double. Friar sophomore Cori Van Dusen (Riverside, Calif.) came on in relief and rightfielder Jodi McGartland greeted her with a two-run home run to leftfield, putting the Panthers up, 5-0. UP added two more runs for the final margin in the top of the seventh inning.

The Friars (16-36-1 overall/5-15 BIG EAST) managed just two hits against Pitt's Nikki Gasti, who pitched a complete-game, two-hit shutout, while striking out eight batters. Peterson and freshman catcher Ashlee Weatherford (Woodland, Calif.) picked up the hits for Providence.

In the second game, Peterson scattered four hits in pitching a complete game shutout as the Friars won, 1-0. Providence, though, managed just three hits off of Pittsburgh's Gina Bessolo. The Friars scored in the bottom of the second inning when Weatherford led the inning off with a double. Junior outfielder Sarah Morin (Westerly, R.I.) sacrificed Weatherford to third and Peterson singled to center to score her battery mate. The only threat to PC's lead came in the top of the seventh inning when the Panthers put runners on first and second with no outs. Peterson struck out pinch hitter Jodi McGartland for the first out, induced a ground ball by the next batter and cut down the lead runner at third base for the second out and then her first pitch to pinch hitter Missy Smith was a passed ball, allowing runners to advance to second and third. Peterson got Smith to bounce a grounder to thirdbaseman Megan St. Ledger (Wilmington, N.C.), who made the through across the infield for the final out.

Providence closes the season with the split with Pittsburgh. With zero seniors on the roster and with six freshman who received valuable playing time, the Friars appear to be in good position to succeed in the spring of 2003.

GAME #1:     1   2   3   4   5   6   7      R   H   EPittsburgh   1   0   0   3   0   0   2      6   9   0Providence   0   0   0   0   0   0   0      0   2   1

Winner: Nikki Gasti (10-15)   Loser: Melissa Peterson (5-11)   Save: none

Doubles:   UP - Blackmon-2, WhiteTriples:   noneHome runs: UP - McGartland (her 1st)

GAME #2:     1   2   3   4   5   6   7      R   H   EPittsburgh   0   0   0   0   0   0   0      0   4   0Providence   0   1   0   0   0   0   X      1   3   1

Winner: Melissa Peterson (6-11)   Loser: Gina Bessolo (9-11)   Save: none

Doubles:   PC - WeatherfordTriples:   noneHome runs: none

Cancelled Event: Softball versus Tarleton State

Completed Event: Softball versus Brown on April 30, 2025 , Loss , 1, to, 2

Completed Event: Softball at Villanova on May 2, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 8 , (5 innings)

Completed Event: Softball at Villanova on May 3, 2025 , Loss , 4, to, 5

Completed Event: Softball at Villanova on May 4, 2025 , Loss , 5, to, 13 , (6 innings)

Completed Event: Softball versus No. 3 Villanova on May 7, 2025 , Win , 10, to, 9 , (8 innings)

Completed Event: Softball versus No. 2 Connecticut on May 8, 2025 , Loss , 4, to, 5

Completed Event: Softball versus No. 5 Butler on May 8, 2025 , Win , 7, to, 0

Completed Event: Softball versus No. 1 St. John's on May 9, 2025 , Win , 10, to, 0 , (5 innings)

Completed Event: Softball versus No. 4 Creighton on May 10, 2025 , Loss , 4, to, 5

Providence College Athletics

Softball Closes 2002 Campaign With Split Against Pittsburgh

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