Friday, March 23
Blacksburg, Va.
4:00 PM EST
Pitt
16-11-1, 5-2
4
at
1
Virginia Tech
11-16, 1-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Pitt
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
4
10
1
Virginia Tech
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
7
0
Potent Pitching Leads to Two Victories at Virginia Tech
3/23/2018 11:08:00 PM | Softball
Dawson and Harris Each Earn Complete Game Wins against Hokies.
BLACKSBURG, Va. – The University of Pittsburgh softball team took both games against Virginia Tech in its doubleheader Friday evening at Tech Softball Park.
Pitt [17-11-1, 6-2 ACC] took game one over Virginia Tech [11-17, 1-7 ACC] by a score of 4-1, before earning its second win of the day via a 4-0 victory.
The Panthers were led by strong pitching performances in both games. Junior Sarah Dawson got the start in game one, where she allowed just one unearned run through seven innings on the mound, while striking out two batters and walking just one. Senior Kayla Harris entered the circle in game two, where she posted a complete game shutout. In seven innings of play she allowed just four hits while walking only one batter. The win was Harris' 44th of her career, which ties her with Laura Belardinelli for the third most wins in program history.
At the plate, senior McKayla Taylor and junior Olivia Gray shined in game one of the doubleheader. Taylor went 2-for-2 while adding two walks and scoring all four of the Panthers runs. Gray went 3-for-3 in the contest, while recording three RBIs. Senior Giorgiana Zeremenko added a 2-for-4 effort in the win.
Game two saw another strong showing from Taylor, with junior Alexis Solak also coming up big for the Panthers. Taylor went 1-for-3 in matchup, while adding a walk and two runs scored. Her six runs on the day gives her 122 for her career, moving her ahead of Jessica Dignon for fifth place in program history. Solak had just one hit in the game, but it was clutch as she roped a ball over the center fielder's head in the top of seventh inning, giving her a double and sending in two insurance runs for Pitt.
Game One Scoring Summary: Pitt 4, Virginia Tech 1
The Panthers got on the board early, with Taylor scoring from third on a passed ball to give Pitt a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
In the third inning, Taylor scored her second run of the day off a Gray single up the middle of the field, giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead.
The Hokies answered in the fourth after Emma Strouth hit a triple and advanced home thanks to a throwing error from the outfield, making it 2-1.
Pitt added another run in the fifth, with Taylor recording her third run of the game off another RBI single by Gray.
The duo was back at it in the seventh, as a sac-fly by Gray sent in Taylor for her career-high fourth run of the game.
Game Two Scoring Summary: Pitt 4, Virginia Tech 0
Pitt got off to a quick start once again in game two. After three walks loaded the bases, junior Gabrielle Fredericks earned another walk, advancing Taylor for the first run of game two. In the next at-bat, a pitch hit sophomore Connor McGaffic, scoring Zeremenko and giving the Panthers a 2-0 advantage in the first inning.
Both teams went scoreless through the next five innings before Solak broke the game open with a two RBI double in the top of the seventh, giving Pitt a 4-0 lead and ultimately the victory.
Up Next
The Panthers will head to Athens, Ohio to face Ohio University Tuesday, March 27 before returning to Pitt for their first home series of the season against Duke.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Pitt [17-11-1, 6-2 ACC] took game one over Virginia Tech [11-17, 1-7 ACC] by a score of 4-1, before earning its second win of the day via a 4-0 victory.
The Panthers were led by strong pitching performances in both games. Junior Sarah Dawson got the start in game one, where she allowed just one unearned run through seven innings on the mound, while striking out two batters and walking just one. Senior Kayla Harris entered the circle in game two, where she posted a complete game shutout. In seven innings of play she allowed just four hits while walking only one batter. The win was Harris' 44th of her career, which ties her with Laura Belardinelli for the third most wins in program history.
At the plate, senior McKayla Taylor and junior Olivia Gray shined in game one of the doubleheader. Taylor went 2-for-2 while adding two walks and scoring all four of the Panthers runs. Gray went 3-for-3 in the contest, while recording three RBIs. Senior Giorgiana Zeremenko added a 2-for-4 effort in the win.
Game two saw another strong showing from Taylor, with junior Alexis Solak also coming up big for the Panthers. Taylor went 1-for-3 in matchup, while adding a walk and two runs scored. Her six runs on the day gives her 122 for her career, moving her ahead of Jessica Dignon for fifth place in program history. Solak had just one hit in the game, but it was clutch as she roped a ball over the center fielder's head in the top of seventh inning, giving her a double and sending in two insurance runs for Pitt.
Game One Scoring Summary: Pitt 4, Virginia Tech 1
The Panthers got on the board early, with Taylor scoring from third on a passed ball to give Pitt a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
In the third inning, Taylor scored her second run of the day off a Gray single up the middle of the field, giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead.
The Hokies answered in the fourth after Emma Strouth hit a triple and advanced home thanks to a throwing error from the outfield, making it 2-1.
Pitt added another run in the fifth, with Taylor recording her third run of the game off another RBI single by Gray.
The duo was back at it in the seventh, as a sac-fly by Gray sent in Taylor for her career-high fourth run of the game.
Game Two Scoring Summary: Pitt 4, Virginia Tech 0
Pitt got off to a quick start once again in game two. After three walks loaded the bases, junior Gabrielle Fredericks earned another walk, advancing Taylor for the first run of game two. In the next at-bat, a pitch hit sophomore Connor McGaffic, scoring Zeremenko and giving the Panthers a 2-0 advantage in the first inning.
Both teams went scoreless through the next five innings before Solak broke the game open with a two RBI double in the top of the seventh, giving Pitt a 4-0 lead and ultimately the victory.
Up Next
The Panthers will head to Athens, Ohio to face Ohio University Tuesday, March 27 before returning to Pitt for their first home series of the season against Duke.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dawson, Sarah (9-7)
L: Eberle, C. (4-9)
Batting:
2B: Myers, Taylor 1
RBI: Gray, Olivia 3
SF: Gray, Olivia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Myers, Taylor 4
SB: Zeremenko, Giorgiana 1
Batting:
3B: Strouth, E. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Strouth, E. 1
CS: Barrett, C. 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
3
RBI
3
AB
2
R
4
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
INF/C
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballC/INF
/ Softball2025 Hall of Fame Class | Jessica Dignon
Saturday, September 27
Highlights | Pitt vs. Virginia Tech
Friday, April 18
Highlights | Pitt at Penn State
Tuesday, April 15
Highlights | Pitt vs. Duke
Saturday, April 12