Sunday, March 18
Chapel Hill, N.C.
1:00 PM EST
Pitt
15-11-1, 4-2
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North Carolina
12-15, 4-2
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Pitt
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North Carolina
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Photo by: Jeffrey Gamza/Pitt Athletics
Offense Erupts in 10-2 Victory at UNC
3/18/2018 4:42:00 PM | Softball
Taylor Hits Grand Slam En Route to Series Win
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Impressive offense, including a grand slam by senior McKayla Taylor, led the University of Pittsburgh softball team to a 10-2 win at the University of North Carolina in the series final Sunday afternoon at Anderson Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C.
With the win over the Tar Heels [12-15, 4-2 ACC], the Panthers [15-11-1, 4-2 ACC] earn their second series victory in ACC play.
"A series win against North Carolina is big for us," said head coach Holly Aprile. "UNC is a very good offensive team and they can also dominate on the mound with Brittany Pickett. They are just a tough team overall."
Pitt's offense erupted in the contest, as the squad tallied 12 hits, including Taylor's second-career grand slam. The senior recorded the first of her career Feb. 13, 2016, in a 19-1 win over Mercer. Taylor has now reached base safely in nine straight games and tallied her second game of tallying four RBIs.
Senior Giorgiana Zeremenko also continued her wrath at the plate, recording her third long ball of the weekend and her 10th of the season. She finished the game 2-for-2 with a double, in addition to the home run and was intentionally walked in her final two appearances. Zeremenko finished the series 7-for-10 with six extra-base hits. She recorded three doubles in addition to her three home runs.
"I think that we grew a lot this weekend and we really trusted in ourselves and in our game plan at the plate, on the mound and defensively," said Aprile. "Giorgiana [Zeremenko] had a tremendous weekend at the plate and she also did a great job behind the plate working with our pitchers. McKayla's [Taylor] grand slam was a difference maker for sure, but top to bottom we really did a great job with our offensive approach. I was very proud of our efforts in every facet of the game in this series."
Junior Alexis Solak and senior Erin Hershman both performed at the plate as well, with Solak going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and Hershman finishing 2-for-3 with two bunt singles and two runs scored. Eight different players recorded hits in the game.
In the circle, senior Kayla Harris earned the win, tossing 3.0 innings in relief, allowing no runs and just two hits in 11 batters faced. Harris replaced starting pitcher Sarah Dawson at the start of the fourth inning. The junior gave up the Tar Heels' only two runs of the game, but held UNC to just three hits and three walks in her time on the rubber, while striking out two.
SCORING SUMMARY
The Tar Heels jumped out in front in the second inning, as a bases-loaded, wild pitch allowed one run to cross the plate. North Carolina juiced the bases with its first three batters of the frame, thanks to a single by Megan Dray and back-to-back walks. With the number eight hitter at the plate, Dawson hurled a ball into the ground, past Zeremenko behind the plate, allowing Dray to score.
Pitt tied the game in the top of the third as Zeremenko sent her third home run of the weekend flying and 10th of the season.
The home team regained the lead, 2-1, after answering in the bottom of the third on a Taylor Wike home run.
A two-out grand slam by Taylor in the fourth inning gave the Panthers momentum moving forward as Pitt took a 6-2 lead. The frame began with junior Taylor Myers being hit with a pitch and a one-out single by sophomore Alexee Haynes. Despite UNC picking up the second out on a foul ball, Hershman continued the inning with a bunt single, loading the bases. On the first pitch of her at-bat, Taylor drove the ball over the center field wall for her second-career grand slam. The Tar Heels continued to struggle in the inning as Brittany Pickett issued an intentional walk to Zeremenko and also walked Gray to set up a RBI-single for Solak to bring around the final run of the frame.
With Harris dealing on defense, the Panthers solidified their victory in the top of the sixth with four runs on five hits. Hershman led off the inning for Pitt, dropping her second bunt single of the game, while Zeremenko was intentionally walked for the second time. This put runners on first and second with one away for junior Olivia Gray, who singled to left field to load the bases. Solak came up clutch with a shot down the right field line, bringing around Zeremenko and Hershman and advancing Gray to third. With runners on the corners, Solak stole second to move up to second, before heading to third on a bunt by Myers who beat out the throw for a single. Gray scored on the play to extend Pitt's lead to 9-2. Following a pitching change for UNC that saw Pickett replaced by Kellyn Daly, the bats didn't stop there as junior Gabrielle Fredericks dropped a ball in center to score Solak for the final run of the game. Pitt led 10-2 at the conclusion of the frame.
The Panthers retired the side in the bottom of the sixth with an eight-run lead, cutting the game short.
UP NEXT
Pitt returns to Pittsburgh to host Saint Francis (PA) in its home opener, Wednesday, March 21 at 4 p.m.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
With the win over the Tar Heels [12-15, 4-2 ACC], the Panthers [15-11-1, 4-2 ACC] earn their second series victory in ACC play.
"A series win against North Carolina is big for us," said head coach Holly Aprile. "UNC is a very good offensive team and they can also dominate on the mound with Brittany Pickett. They are just a tough team overall."
Pitt's offense erupted in the contest, as the squad tallied 12 hits, including Taylor's second-career grand slam. The senior recorded the first of her career Feb. 13, 2016, in a 19-1 win over Mercer. Taylor has now reached base safely in nine straight games and tallied her second game of tallying four RBIs.
Senior Giorgiana Zeremenko also continued her wrath at the plate, recording her third long ball of the weekend and her 10th of the season. She finished the game 2-for-2 with a double, in addition to the home run and was intentionally walked in her final two appearances. Zeremenko finished the series 7-for-10 with six extra-base hits. She recorded three doubles in addition to her three home runs.
"I think that we grew a lot this weekend and we really trusted in ourselves and in our game plan at the plate, on the mound and defensively," said Aprile. "Giorgiana [Zeremenko] had a tremendous weekend at the plate and she also did a great job behind the plate working with our pitchers. McKayla's [Taylor] grand slam was a difference maker for sure, but top to bottom we really did a great job with our offensive approach. I was very proud of our efforts in every facet of the game in this series."
Junior Alexis Solak and senior Erin Hershman both performed at the plate as well, with Solak going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and Hershman finishing 2-for-3 with two bunt singles and two runs scored. Eight different players recorded hits in the game.
In the circle, senior Kayla Harris earned the win, tossing 3.0 innings in relief, allowing no runs and just two hits in 11 batters faced. Harris replaced starting pitcher Sarah Dawson at the start of the fourth inning. The junior gave up the Tar Heels' only two runs of the game, but held UNC to just three hits and three walks in her time on the rubber, while striking out two.
SCORING SUMMARY
The Tar Heels jumped out in front in the second inning, as a bases-loaded, wild pitch allowed one run to cross the plate. North Carolina juiced the bases with its first three batters of the frame, thanks to a single by Megan Dray and back-to-back walks. With the number eight hitter at the plate, Dawson hurled a ball into the ground, past Zeremenko behind the plate, allowing Dray to score.
Pitt tied the game in the top of the third as Zeremenko sent her third home run of the weekend flying and 10th of the season.
The home team regained the lead, 2-1, after answering in the bottom of the third on a Taylor Wike home run.
A two-out grand slam by Taylor in the fourth inning gave the Panthers momentum moving forward as Pitt took a 6-2 lead. The frame began with junior Taylor Myers being hit with a pitch and a one-out single by sophomore Alexee Haynes. Despite UNC picking up the second out on a foul ball, Hershman continued the inning with a bunt single, loading the bases. On the first pitch of her at-bat, Taylor drove the ball over the center field wall for her second-career grand slam. The Tar Heels continued to struggle in the inning as Brittany Pickett issued an intentional walk to Zeremenko and also walked Gray to set up a RBI-single for Solak to bring around the final run of the frame.
With Harris dealing on defense, the Panthers solidified their victory in the top of the sixth with four runs on five hits. Hershman led off the inning for Pitt, dropping her second bunt single of the game, while Zeremenko was intentionally walked for the second time. This put runners on first and second with one away for junior Olivia Gray, who singled to left field to load the bases. Solak came up clutch with a shot down the right field line, bringing around Zeremenko and Hershman and advancing Gray to third. With runners on the corners, Solak stole second to move up to second, before heading to third on a bunt by Myers who beat out the throw for a single. Gray scored on the play to extend Pitt's lead to 9-2. Following a pitching change for UNC that saw Pickett replaced by Kellyn Daly, the bats didn't stop there as junior Gabrielle Fredericks dropped a ball in center to score Solak for the final run of the game. Pitt led 10-2 at the conclusion of the frame.
The Panthers retired the side in the bottom of the sixth with an eight-run lead, cutting the game short.
UP NEXT
Pitt returns to Pittsburgh to host Saint Francis (PA) in its home opener, Wednesday, March 21 at 4 p.m.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Harris, Kayla (5-1)
L: Pickett,B (10-5)
Batting:
2B: Zeremenko, Giorgiana 1
HR: Taylor, McKayla 1 ; Zeremenko, Giorgiana 1
RBI: Taylor, McKayla 4 ; Zeremenko, Giorgiana 1 ; Solak, Alexis 3 ; Myers, Taylor 1 ; Fredericks, Gabrielle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Taylor, McKayla 1 ; Zeremenko, Giorgiana 2 ; DeMatteo, Marissa 1 ; Gray, Olivia 1 ; Solak, Alexis 1 ; Myers, Taylor 1 ; Haynes, Alexee 1 ; Hershman, Erin 2
SB: Solak, Alexis 1 ; Myers, Taylor 1 ; Batesole, Morgan 1
HBP: Myers, Taylor 1
Batting:
HR: Wike,T 1
RBI: Wike,T 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wike,T 1 ; West,B 1
SB: Murray,L 1
PO: Ramsey,K 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
3
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
4
Players Mentioned
P
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INF/C
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INF
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P
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INF
/ SoftballOF
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OF
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/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballC/INF
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