Friday, February 9
Fullerton, Calif.
1:30 PM EST
Pitt
1-0
4
vs
1
Loyola Marymount
0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Pitt
0
0
0
2
1
1
0
4
6
1
Loyola Marymount
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
3
1
Photo by: Alex Mowrey/Pitt Athletics
Walk-Off Win Highlights Season-Opening Sweep for Pitt
2/9/2018 9:24:00 PM | Softball
Pitt Downs Loyola Marymount and Utah State
LMU Box Score | USU Box Score | Season Stats
FULLERTON, Calif. – The University of Pittsburgh softball team opened the 2018 season with back-to-back wins at the Titan Classic after defeating Loyola Marymount and Utah State Friday, Feb. 9 at Anderson Family Field in Fullerton, Calif.
In the Panthers [2-0] season opener, the squad took down the Lions of Loyola Marymount [0-1] 4-1 behind home runs from seniors McKayla Taylor and Erin Hershman.
The long ball continued to benefit Pitt in game two as back-to-back homers by senior Giorgiana Zeremenko and junior Gabrielle Fredericks brought a trailing Panthers team back to tie Utah State 2-2 in the sixth. The home runs set up a walk-off win for Pitt as junior Olivia Gray smacked a single to left center in the bottom of the seventh to score junior Taylor Myers from first.
Taylor and Fredericks led Pitt at the plate, both finishing 3-for-6 with one home run and a double.
Hershman scored twice for the Panthers, reaching base three different times after getting hit with pitches.
In the circle, junior Sarah Dawson got the nod in game one, while senior Kayla Harris started game two. Dawson earned the win against LMU, giving up just three hits in four complete innings. Harris earned the save against the Lions as she entered at the start of the fifth with just a two run lead. She faced just nine total battles in three innings.
Despite giving up just one run in the opening inning, Harris was dominant in game two against the Aggies. The senior posted six strikeouts in six innings pitched and at one point retired eight straight batters. Junior Coastal Carolina transfer Taylor Rahach saw her first action as a Panther in the final inning of play as she relieved Harris of her duties at the start of the final inning. Rahach retired Utah State in order with one strikeout.
Game One: Pitt 4, Loyola Marymount 1
Pitt earned its first win of the season after defeating LMU, 4-1, thanks to six hits, including two key home runs.
Loyola Marymount jumped on the board first in the third inning, scoring its lone run of the game, as Lindsey Matoi touched home on a single by Andrea to right field by Andrea Gonzalez. Matoi, the leadoff hitter in the inning, reached first on a throwing error by Pitt and advanced to second on a sac bunt before crossing home plate.
The Panthers answered in the top of the fourth and took a 2-1 lead as Hershman smacked a long ball over the center field wall, bringing around Fredericks who doubled to start the frame.
Pitt added to its lead in the fifth, thanks to a fielding error by the Lions. Following a single by junior Alexis Solak, Zeremenko hit a high fly ball to the short gap, which was dropped by the Loyola Marymount shortstop. Solak was on the move, reaching home on the play.
With a 3-1 lead, the Panthers scored their final run in the sixth as Taylor led off with a long ball over the left field wall.
Game Two: Pitt 3, Utah State 2
Pitt earned its first walk-off win of the season against Utah State, after trailing 1-0 for most of the game. However, after falling behind 2-0 in the sixth, the Panthers answered with consecutive home runs to tie the game, before going on to walk-off on a Gray RBI-single.
For the second-straight game, Pitt's opponent got on the board in the first inning. The Aggies used a three-hit inning to put a run on the board, but what could have been two runs was held to just one after a heads up play by Connor McGaffic in right field. The sophomore came up throwing after Utah State scored their first run, to catch the runner from second attempting to take home.
The following four innings were a pitchers dual as both hurlers held their own on the mound with the assistance of their defense. Harris retired eight straight batters during this time span and struck out five.
The Aggies struck again in the top of the sixth, extending their lead to 2-0, after back-to-back doubles to start the inning.
The Panthers' successful comeback began in the bottom of the sixth as they tied the score 2-2 on consecutive homers by Zeremenko and Fredericks.
Pitt walked-off in the seventh on an RBI-single by Gray. Sophomore Kaitlyn Kruger, who pinch hit for Myers, earned a two-out walk to get things started. Myers re-entered the game to provide speed on the base path, which came in clutch as Gray dropped crushed a two-out, full count liner to left center allowing Myers to cross the plate.
Up Next
The Panthers continue play at the Titan Classic Saturday, Feb. 10. Pitt is set to take on Rutgers at 4 p.m. EST, before playing Cal State Fullerton, the host team, at 8:30 p.m. EST.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
FULLERTON, Calif. – The University of Pittsburgh softball team opened the 2018 season with back-to-back wins at the Titan Classic after defeating Loyola Marymount and Utah State Friday, Feb. 9 at Anderson Family Field in Fullerton, Calif.
In the Panthers [2-0] season opener, the squad took down the Lions of Loyola Marymount [0-1] 4-1 behind home runs from seniors McKayla Taylor and Erin Hershman.
The long ball continued to benefit Pitt in game two as back-to-back homers by senior Giorgiana Zeremenko and junior Gabrielle Fredericks brought a trailing Panthers team back to tie Utah State 2-2 in the sixth. The home runs set up a walk-off win for Pitt as junior Olivia Gray smacked a single to left center in the bottom of the seventh to score junior Taylor Myers from first.
Taylor and Fredericks led Pitt at the plate, both finishing 3-for-6 with one home run and a double.
Hershman scored twice for the Panthers, reaching base three different times after getting hit with pitches.
In the circle, junior Sarah Dawson got the nod in game one, while senior Kayla Harris started game two. Dawson earned the win against LMU, giving up just three hits in four complete innings. Harris earned the save against the Lions as she entered at the start of the fifth with just a two run lead. She faced just nine total battles in three innings.
Despite giving up just one run in the opening inning, Harris was dominant in game two against the Aggies. The senior posted six strikeouts in six innings pitched and at one point retired eight straight batters. Junior Coastal Carolina transfer Taylor Rahach saw her first action as a Panther in the final inning of play as she relieved Harris of her duties at the start of the final inning. Rahach retired Utah State in order with one strikeout.
Game One: Pitt 4, Loyola Marymount 1
Pitt earned its first win of the season after defeating LMU, 4-1, thanks to six hits, including two key home runs.
Loyola Marymount jumped on the board first in the third inning, scoring its lone run of the game, as Lindsey Matoi touched home on a single by Andrea to right field by Andrea Gonzalez. Matoi, the leadoff hitter in the inning, reached first on a throwing error by Pitt and advanced to second on a sac bunt before crossing home plate.
The Panthers answered in the top of the fourth and took a 2-1 lead as Hershman smacked a long ball over the center field wall, bringing around Fredericks who doubled to start the frame.
Pitt added to its lead in the fifth, thanks to a fielding error by the Lions. Following a single by junior Alexis Solak, Zeremenko hit a high fly ball to the short gap, which was dropped by the Loyola Marymount shortstop. Solak was on the move, reaching home on the play.
With a 3-1 lead, the Panthers scored their final run in the sixth as Taylor led off with a long ball over the left field wall.
Game Two: Pitt 3, Utah State 2
Pitt earned its first walk-off win of the season against Utah State, after trailing 1-0 for most of the game. However, after falling behind 2-0 in the sixth, the Panthers answered with consecutive home runs to tie the game, before going on to walk-off on a Gray RBI-single.
For the second-straight game, Pitt's opponent got on the board in the first inning. The Aggies used a three-hit inning to put a run on the board, but what could have been two runs was held to just one after a heads up play by Connor McGaffic in right field. The sophomore came up throwing after Utah State scored their first run, to catch the runner from second attempting to take home.
The following four innings were a pitchers dual as both hurlers held their own on the mound with the assistance of their defense. Harris retired eight straight batters during this time span and struck out five.
The Aggies struck again in the top of the sixth, extending their lead to 2-0, after back-to-back doubles to start the inning.
The Panthers' successful comeback began in the bottom of the sixth as they tied the score 2-2 on consecutive homers by Zeremenko and Fredericks.
Pitt walked-off in the seventh on an RBI-single by Gray. Sophomore Kaitlyn Kruger, who pinch hit for Myers, earned a two-out walk to get things started. Myers re-entered the game to provide speed on the base path, which came in clutch as Gray dropped crushed a two-out, full count liner to left center allowing Myers to cross the plate.
Up Next
The Panthers continue play at the Titan Classic Saturday, Feb. 10. Pitt is set to take on Rutgers at 4 p.m. EST, before playing Cal State Fullerton, the host team, at 8:30 p.m. EST.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rahach, Taylor (1-0)
L: WHITE, Kellie (0-1)
Batting:
2B: PLOGGER, Riley 1 ; BUTTACAVOLI, Brina 1
RBI: BUTTACAVOLI, Brina 2
Base Running:
RUNS: MOLINA, Leah 1 ; PLOGGER, Riley 1
SB: MOLINA, Leah 1 ; CLARKE, Jazmin 1
HBP: LEWIS, Bailey 1
Batting:
2B: Taylor, McKayla 1
HR: Zeremenko, Giorgiana 1 ; Fredericks, Gabrielle 1
RBI: Gray, Olivia 1 ; Zeremenko, Giorgiana 1 ; Fredericks, Gabrielle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Zeremenko, Giorgiana 1 ; Fredericks, Gabrielle 1 ; Myers, Taylor 1
HBP: Hershman, Erin 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
P
/ SoftballINF/C
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF/INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballC/INF
/ SoftballHighlights | Pitt vs. Virginia Tech
Friday, April 18
Highlights | Pitt at Penn State
Tuesday, April 15
Highlights | Pitt vs. Duke
Saturday, April 12
Cami Compson Home Run Highlight
Tuesday, May 21