Panthers Set for Midweek Contest at Ohio University

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh Softball team is set to travel to Ohio University for a midweek contest in Athens, Ohio. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. at Ohio Softball Field.

THE SCHEDULE

Tuesday's game against the Bobcats [14-12, 3-0 MAC] is slated for a 5 p.m. start time, though fans should stay tuned for updates on PittsburghPanthers.com or Twitter as inclement weather is in the forecast. All times and dates are subject to change.
General admission seats for all regular season home events are $5 each. Children ages 3 and older must have a ticket for admission.

HOW TO FOLLOW

A live video stream will be available via YouTube, as well as live stats.
Fans can follow @Pitt_SB on Twitter for live in-game updates.

LAST TIME OUT

Pitt [17-11-1, 6-2 ACC] earned their third series victory against Virginia Tech, after taking down the Hokies 4-1 and 4-0 last weekend. The two teams were unable to play the third game of the series due to inclement weather in the Blacksburg, Va., area.
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.
On the weekend, junior Olivia Gray went 4-for-6 at the plate with three RBIs and a walk. She posted a .625 on base percentage and slugged .667. In the opening game of the series, Gray was perfect, going 3-for-3. She tallied every RBI for the Panthers to lead Pitt to a win. In game two, she reached base twice, producing a single and a walk. Defensively Gray completed five putouts.

THE SERIES

Pitt and Ohio will meet for the seventh time in program history, with the all-time record sitting at a tie.
The Panthers three wins have come in the last three meetings, with the most recent being a 15-2 victory back in 2006.

SCOUTING OHIO UNIVERSITY

Ohio enters the weekend with a 14-12 overall record and 3-0 mark in MAC play.
In their last action, the Bobcats swept Central Michigan to open conference play.
Ohio is batting .263 on the season with 114 runs scored and 20 home runs. Michaela Dorsey, who has posted 21 hits en route to a .389 average, leads the squad.
In the circle, Danielle Stiene boasts a 2.71 ERA and is 9-5 in 17 appearances.

GOING YARD

With 1.07 home runs per game, the Panthers sit 18^th in the nation this week in the category. In the ACC, the squad holds the second spot. Pitt has blasted 31 long balls in 29 games.
Nine different players have hit a homer, including a team-leading 10 by senior Giorgiana Zeremenko, who ranks 20^th in the nation in home runs and first in the ACC and 23^rd in the nation in home runs per game
Zeremenko became the all-time leader in the category at the B1G/ACC Challenge, notching her 35^th home run. She was the leading home run hitter for Pitt the past two seasons including 2016 when she set the single-season record with 17. She now has 41 in her career.

DOUBLE OR NOTHING

Pitt's defense ranks first in the ACC with 0.55 double plays per game, good for seventh overall in the nation. The Panthers have turned 16 double plays this season.

MYERS MAKING MOVES IN ACC PLAY

Seeing substantial playing time for the first time in her career, junior Taylor Myers has proved to be an asset both at the plate and in the outfield for the Panthers.
In conference play, Myers ranks third on the team with a .368 batting average. In 19 at-bats, she has produced seven hits, two of which have been doubles and one long ball. The junior also owns six RBIs and five runs scored. Myers has also been hit with a team-leading four pitches.
Defensively, she has seen her time in the outfield increase, playing all three positions. She owns 19 putouts in ACC play and a perfect fielding percentage.
Overall, Myers his hitting .240 with 12 hits and eight RBIs, while boasting 38 putouts and no errors in the field.

THE ZEREMENKO ZONE

Senior Giorgiana Zeremenko has been on a wrath at the plate in 2018 for the Panthers.
On the season, the Canonsburg, Pa., native is leading the team in multiple categories including average (.370), hits (34), doubles (nine), home runs (10), slugging percentage (.793) and walks (13).
In conference play, Zeremenko has been unstoppable, tallying 12 hits in 24 at-bats to hit .500. She has already recorded three doubles and three home runs in eight games, while producing six RBIs and six runs scored. Zeremenko has reached base in over 60 percent of her appearances.
She ranks 20^th in the nation in home runs and first in the ACC and 23^rd in the nation in home runs per game

TAYLOR AT THE PLATE

In her final season with the Panthers, senior McKayla Taylor continues her dominance at the plate.
Taylor has reached base in a season-high 11 straight games and is hitting .287 on the season with 25 hits, 24 runs scored and 13 RBIs.
Against NC State, Taylor recorded her 128^th RBI, setting a new program record as she passes Holly Stevens who set the record with 127 from 2010-13. The senior now has 133 in her career.
Her record-breaking weekend saw her record six hits in 11 at-bats to hit .545 against the Wolfpack. The senior put up four RBIs and scored twice. Two of Taylor's hits were for extra bases as he blasted a three-run homer and an RBI-double in game two. On the weekend, she finished with a .909 slugging percentage and a .583 on-base percentage.
She was perfect in game two of the NC State series, reaching base in all four appearances at the plate. She went 3-for-3 with a homer, double and was hit by a pitch. Taylor also posted a team-leading four RBI. She continued her dominance in game three, extending her reached base streak to seven straight appearances dating back to Saturday's contest after producing three singles in her first three at-bats. Defensively, Taylor finished the weekend at third perfectly with 13 assists and three putouts.

FRESHMAN STANDOUT

After starting the season out in the bottom of the batting order, freshman Hunter Levesque worked her way into the top half of the order after picking up her game.
Levesque is hitting .278 with 20 hits, 11 runs scored and two home runs.
The freshman has reached base in nine straight games, prior to the final game at Virginia Tech.

SOLAK SHOWING OFF

Junior Alexis Solak has proved to be one of the Panthers most consistent hitters at the plate.
The junior boasts eight games in which she has recorded multiple hits and has reached base in each of the last eight games.
Solak is currently hitting .290 and ranks second on the team with 27 hits.
From Feb. 10 to Feb. 24, Solak reached the base paths in 10-straight games.

HARRIS' LAST HURRAH

Senior pitcher Kayla Harris looks to finish out her career in the circle for the Panthers on a high note.
Harris is currently 6-1 on the season in and 3-0 in ACC play. In 16 total appearances, 12 of which she started, Harris has tossed six complete games, including four shutouts.
In 67.1 innings pitched, Harris has struck out 21, while giving up just eight walks, a team low.
In conference play, Harris boasts a 1.11 ERA after four appearances and has held her opponents to a .186 average.
Against Virginia Tech, she tossed a complete-game shutout, giving up just four hits to the Hokies, while holding them scoreless. In 26 batters faced, she allowed just one walk.

DOMINANT DAWSON

Junior pitcher Sarah Dawson has been dominant in the circle for Pitt so far in 2018.
Dawson is currently 9-7 on the season. In a team leading 77.1 innings pitched, she has struck out 41 batters and owns a 2.53 ERA. Dawson has also held her opponents to a .254 average.
In a win over Coastal Carolina, Dawson pitched a complete game and struck out a career-high seven batters.
At the B1G/ACC Challenge, the junior gave up just five earned runs in 13.1 innings pitched, while striking out 11 total batters. Four of those earned runs came in the opening game of the weekend, leaving Dawson almost perfect after that.
Against Illinois Feb. 18, Dawson started the game and pitched all but one frame in the five-inning game, as she and Brittany Knight combined to toss the team's first shutout victory, 9-0. Dawson struck out five on the day and walked just one batter against the Illini.

LOCAL LEADER

Local product Olivia Gray, who hails from Washington, Pa., just south of Pittsburgh and attended Trinity High School, has grown to become one of Pitt's top players.
Gray, who started all of 2017 at third base and the beginning of the 2018 slate, has since become the starting shortstop. She boasts a .299 career average with 106 hits.
This season, Gray is hitting .280 with 26 hits, including five extra-base hits.
Against the Hokies, Gray went 4-for-6 at the plate with three RBIs and a walk. She posted a .625 on base percentage and slugged .667. In the opening game of the series, Gray was perfect, going 3-for-3. She tallied every RBI for the Panthers to lead Pitt to a win. In game two, she reached base twice, producing a single and a walk. Defensively Gray completed five putouts.
Gray hit .353 in the team's opening weekend tournament boasting a team-leading six hits, including one triple and four runs scored.

UP NEXT

Pitt will welcome Duke to Pittsburgh for its first home series of the season, beginning Friday, March 30. The Panthers will play a three-game series with the Blue Devils, the first in program history.

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Panthers Set for Midweek Contest at Ohio University

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sarah Dawson

Olivia Gray

Kayla Harris

Brittany Knight

Hunter Levesque

Taylor Myers

Alexis Solak

McKayla Taylor

Giorgiana Zeremenko

Panthers Set for Midweek Contest at Ohio University

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sarah Dawson

Olivia Gray

Kayla Harris

Brittany Knight

Hunter Levesque

Taylor Myers

Alexis Solak

McKayla Taylor

Giorgiana Zeremenko

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