Saturday, February 17
Chapel Hill, N.C.
9:30 AM EST
Pitt
4-3-1
6
vs
5
Wisconsin
3-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Pitt
3
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
6
9
3
Wisconsin
4
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
5
6
2
Photo by: Alex Mowrey/Pitt Athletics
Pitt Downs Wisconsin in Extra Innings Thriller
2/17/2018 2:24:00 PM | Softball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The University of Pittsburgh softball team defeated Wisconsin, 6-5, in a nine-inning thriller Saturday morning at Anderson Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Following a first inning that saw a three-run home run by the Panthers [4-3-1] and a grand slam by the Badgers [3-3], the two teams battled through the remainder of the game with Pitt coming out on top.
The Panthers tied the game in the top of the fifth and took the lead in the sixth, but Wisconsin answered in the bottom half of the inning to knot the score once again. The seventh inning passed with no runs, leading to extras for the second consecutive game. Pitt found the answer in the ninth thanks to an error by the Badgers.
Junior Gabrielle Fredericks had a day for the Panthers, tallying a career-high four RBI after going 2-for-3 with a three-run homer in the opening inning of play. Fredericks had all but one of Pitt's RBI as junior Alexis Solak earned the last one. Solak also finished with two hits, along with freshman Hunter Levesque.
In the circle, junior Sarah Dawson recorded the win to move to 3-3 on the season. Dawson tossed four complete innings to close out the game after the Badgers saw both starting pitcher Kayla Harris and first reliever Brittany Knight, giving up no hits and striking out two in 16 batters faced.
Knight had a solid outing for Pitt prior to Dawson entering, throwing a season-high 3.1 innings. She gave up just two hits in 11 batters faced.
Harris struggled from the get go, giving up four hits, including the grand slam in the opening frame.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Panthers jumped on the board in the opening inning of play thanks to a three-run shot by Fredericks. Two early free passes haunted Wisconsin, as Badgers' pitcher Angela Morrow tagged Solak with a pitch and walked senior Giorgiana Zeremenko in back-to-back at-bats to put runners on first and second. This set up Frederick's home run, which gave Pitt a 3-0 lead.
The Panthers early advantage didn't last long as Wisconsin answered in the bottom half with a grand slam. An error, single and walk loaded the bases for the Badgers. Wisconsin's five-hitter took full advantage, sending a ball over the left field wall.
The Badgers threatened again in the second, calling for a pitching change for Pitt. Knight replaced Harris in the circle with two away and runners on second and third. However, the Panthers got out of the jam thanks to a diving catch by Levesque in foul territory down the left field line.
After three scoreless innings, Pitt knotted the game at 4-4, as Fredericks earned her second hit of the day and RBI number four. With one away, Zeremenko sent a shot to the left center wall, allowing her to reach second safely for a standup double. Fredericks, who came to the plate with two away, ripped a ball down the right field line bringing around junior Marissa DeMatteo. DeMatteo pinch ran for Zeremenko, putting speed on the base path.
The Panthers took the lead in the top of the sixth on a two-out single by Solak. Levesque crossed the plate for Pitt after reaching base on a single up the middle and advancing two bases on back-to-back fielder's choice plays. Solak sent a ball up the middle on the next play to bring the freshman home making it 5-4, Panthers.
The score was tied for the third time in the game after Wisconsin put up a run on two Pitt errors in the bottom half of the sixth, 5-5.
The Panthers juiced the bases in the seventh on two free passes and a single, but were unable to push any runs across. Pitt held the Badgers in the bottom to force extra innings.
It wasn't until the ninth that the Panthers scored the go-ahead run to put them ahead, 6-5. A leadoff single through the left side from senior McKayla Taylor and issued walk to Erin Hershman set up Levesque at the plate with two away. Levesque chopped a ball towards one, which the first baseman was unable to handle allowing Taylor to advance home for the win.
UP NEXT
The Panthers will close out play at the Big Ten/ACC Challenge Sunday, Feb. 18. Pitt will face Illinois for the second time this weekend at 10 a.m. With potential inclement weather in the forecast, fans can check Twitter and PittsburghPanthers.com for game time updates.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Following a first inning that saw a three-run home run by the Panthers [4-3-1] and a grand slam by the Badgers [3-3], the two teams battled through the remainder of the game with Pitt coming out on top.
The Panthers tied the game in the top of the fifth and took the lead in the sixth, but Wisconsin answered in the bottom half of the inning to knot the score once again. The seventh inning passed with no runs, leading to extras for the second consecutive game. Pitt found the answer in the ninth thanks to an error by the Badgers.
Junior Gabrielle Fredericks had a day for the Panthers, tallying a career-high four RBI after going 2-for-3 with a three-run homer in the opening inning of play. Fredericks had all but one of Pitt's RBI as junior Alexis Solak earned the last one. Solak also finished with two hits, along with freshman Hunter Levesque.
In the circle, junior Sarah Dawson recorded the win to move to 3-3 on the season. Dawson tossed four complete innings to close out the game after the Badgers saw both starting pitcher Kayla Harris and first reliever Brittany Knight, giving up no hits and striking out two in 16 batters faced.
Knight had a solid outing for Pitt prior to Dawson entering, throwing a season-high 3.1 innings. She gave up just two hits in 11 batters faced.
Harris struggled from the get go, giving up four hits, including the grand slam in the opening frame.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Panthers jumped on the board in the opening inning of play thanks to a three-run shot by Fredericks. Two early free passes haunted Wisconsin, as Badgers' pitcher Angela Morrow tagged Solak with a pitch and walked senior Giorgiana Zeremenko in back-to-back at-bats to put runners on first and second. This set up Frederick's home run, which gave Pitt a 3-0 lead.
The Panthers early advantage didn't last long as Wisconsin answered in the bottom half with a grand slam. An error, single and walk loaded the bases for the Badgers. Wisconsin's five-hitter took full advantage, sending a ball over the left field wall.
The Badgers threatened again in the second, calling for a pitching change for Pitt. Knight replaced Harris in the circle with two away and runners on second and third. However, the Panthers got out of the jam thanks to a diving catch by Levesque in foul territory down the left field line.
After three scoreless innings, Pitt knotted the game at 4-4, as Fredericks earned her second hit of the day and RBI number four. With one away, Zeremenko sent a shot to the left center wall, allowing her to reach second safely for a standup double. Fredericks, who came to the plate with two away, ripped a ball down the right field line bringing around junior Marissa DeMatteo. DeMatteo pinch ran for Zeremenko, putting speed on the base path.
The Panthers took the lead in the top of the sixth on a two-out single by Solak. Levesque crossed the plate for Pitt after reaching base on a single up the middle and advancing two bases on back-to-back fielder's choice plays. Solak sent a ball up the middle on the next play to bring the freshman home making it 5-4, Panthers.
The score was tied for the third time in the game after Wisconsin put up a run on two Pitt errors in the bottom half of the sixth, 5-5.
The Panthers juiced the bases in the seventh on two free passes and a single, but were unable to push any runs across. Pitt held the Badgers in the bottom to force extra innings.
It wasn't until the ninth that the Panthers scored the go-ahead run to put them ahead, 6-5. A leadoff single through the left side from senior McKayla Taylor and issued walk to Erin Hershman set up Levesque at the plate with two away. Levesque chopped a ball towards one, which the first baseman was unable to handle allowing Taylor to advance home for the win.
UP NEXT
The Panthers will close out play at the Big Ten/ACC Challenge Sunday, Feb. 18. Pitt will face Illinois for the second time this weekend at 10 a.m. With potential inclement weather in the forecast, fans can check Twitter and PittsburghPanthers.com for game time updates.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dawson, Sarah (3-3)
L: MENZ (2-2)
Batting:
2B: Zeremenko, Giorgiana 1 ; Fredericks, Gabrielle 1
HR: Fredericks, Gabrielle 1
RBI: Solak, Alexis 1 ; Fredericks, Gabrielle 4
SH: Zeremenko, Giorgiana 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Solak, Alexis 1 ; Zeremenko, Giorgiana 1 ; DeMatteo, Marissa 1 ; Taylor, McKayla 1 ; Fredericks, Gabrielle 1 ; Levesque, Hunter 1
HBP: Solak, Alexis 1 ; McGaffic, Connor 1
Batting:
2B: JENKINS 1
HR: CROSS 1
RBI: CROSS 4 ; ARENTS 1
SH: ARENTS 1
Base Running:
RUNS: JENKINS 1 ; WYDERSKI 1 ; JOHNSON 1 ; CROSS 1 ; FLUGAUR 1
SB: JENKINS 1 ; WYDERSKI 1 ; FLUGAUR 1
CS: JENKINS 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
4
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF/C
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P/INF
/ SoftballOF/INF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballC/INF
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