Pitt-Johnstown could not overcome a potent Seton Hill offense in 11-5 and 12-4 defeats in the inaugural PSAC West doubleheader at the university's newly renovated softball field on Tuesday afternoon.
The Mountain Cats fell to 3-13 overall and 0-4 in PSAC play. The Griffins racked up 25 total hits over two games to move to 15-4 and 3-1 in the conference.
Freshman Addison Hilligsberg suffered the loss in game one after surrendering six runs on seven hits. Julie Shinavski came on in relief and tossed 5.2 innings, giving up five runs—three earned—on seven hits.
The Griffins seized control from the beginning with three runs apiece in the first and second innings highlighted by a two-run home run from Grace Paredes. They led 7-0 before the Mountain Cats took advantage of two fielding errors in the third to cut into that deficit.
Shaylin Hagerman led off with a single and moved to second on the first error of the frame. Tori Radvan and Meghan McDonough walked to load the bases for Julia Mooney, whose two-RBI single also allowed McDonough to score on an error and make it 7-3.
Mooney finished 3-for-4 and scored a run. Jenna Tallman doubled and picked up an RBI on a bases-loaded walk in the seventh.
The Mountain Cats drew within 7-4 when Radvan blasted a solo home run over the left field fence with one out in the fourth. But they didn't get scratch any closer after the Griffins posted a run in the sixth and three more on three hits in the seventh to go up 11-4.
Senior Lauren Dellett (7-4), the reigning PSAC West Pitcher of the Year, had 12 strikeouts and six walks in a complete-game effort to collect the win.
After the Griffins scored a run on two hits in the first, the Mountain Cats began the bottom of the inning with back-to-back walks from Radvan and McDonough. Two batters later, Isabella DePalma reached on a fielding error to allow McDonough to score and tie the game at 1-all.
Tallman's leadoff double in the second was followed one batter later by Hagerman's bunt single to put runners at the corners with one out. After Hagerman was caught trying to take second base, Radvan reached on a fielding error to bring home Tallman and provide the Mountain Cats with their first and only lead.
A single from McDonough and an RBI single courtesy of Mooney made it 3-1. The Griffins wasted no time taking the lead back for good with five runs on five hits in their half of the third that gave them a 6-3 advantage.
Mia Smith was tagged with the loss in the circle after going 5.2 innings with four strikeouts and four walks.
The Mountain Cats will travel to Gannon for another PSAC West doubleheader on Thursday beginning at 2 p.m.
