DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Sweeps Pittsburgh
4/8/2006 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
PITTSBURGH - The DePaul softball team extended its winning streak to seven games and won its second straight BIG EAST series by sweeping Pittsburg on Saturday at Trees Field. The Blue Demons blanked the Panthers 10-0 (five innings) in the first game and took the second game 7-1. The win improves DePaul to 18-9, 5-1 while it drops Pittsburgh to 24-15, 7-3.
The Blue Demons offense was explosive as they scattered 19 hits and combined for four doubles and three home runs on the day. Freshman Amber Patton went 5-for-7 on the day and was perfect (3-3) at the plate in the first game. Sophomore Marcy Wilus and juniors Kate Sheaks and Kara Amundson each registered home runs and led the Blue Demons with three RBI each.
DePaul freshman pitcher Stephanie Blagaich and senior Leslie Scott combined for a two-hit shut out in game one. Blagaich threw the first four innings and gave up both hits and fanned a pair of batters. Scott threw the final inning and struck out one.
Wilus put the Blue Demons on the board in the first inning, connecting on a two-RBI double. Wilus crossed the plate and extended DePaul's lead to 3-0 on a double steal with Blagaich three batters later.
DePaul tacked on single runs in the third and fourth innings. Patton scored in the third on a balk by Panther starter Laura Belardinelli, while Amundson solo shot in the fourth gave the Blue Demons a 5-0 lead.
DePaul's final runs of game one came in the fifth inning, using singles by Sandy Vojik, Linda Secka, Patton, Amundson and Wilus to score five runs.
Belardinelli (11-5) suffered the loss, threw 4.2 innings and gave up five runs (four earned) on four hits. Christa Hunter threw the final out. She gave up five runs and five hits.
The Blue Demon bats continued to heat up in the second half of the twinbill, notching 10 hits in their 7-1 victory.
DePaul started their scoring in the second inning when Vojik doubled to score Wilus, who walked to begin the inning.
Senior Sara Polensky led of the top of the third with a solo home run and Patton, Tarulli-Fisher, and Wilus followed with singles to extend the Blue Demon lead to 4-0.
Junior Kate Sheaks plated DePaul's final runs of the day with a three-run home run over the center field fence in the fourth inning.
Pittsburgh's lone run of the day crossed the plate on a Blue Demon error at first base in the bottom of the fourth.
The duo of Blagaich and Scott also tossed the second game. Blagaich (6-1) notched the start and threw the first five innings, while Scott closed out game. The duo gave up eight hits, struck out five and walked two batters.
Meghan Bostick (7-9) threw a complete game Pittsburg and struck out nine.
The Blue Demons will travel to Syracuse for an 11 a.m. CT doubleheader with the Orange. Syracuse will have live audio on Sunday. The audio will available on their All-Access site, (Syracuse's multi-media subscription service.) with Todd Robbins and E.J. Argenio calling the action.
