Panthers Set for Home Opener against Blue Devils

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh softball team will play its first home games of the season in a three-game series against Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) foe Duke this weekend at Vartabedian Field.

THE SCHEDULE

The Panthers [17-12-1, 6-2 ACC] will began their three-game slate against the Blue Devils [18-15, 4-5 ACC] Friday, March 30 at 6:30 p.m. Pitt will then face Duke Saturday, March 31 at 1 p.m. before concluding the series Sunday, April 1 at 12 p.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW

All games will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra through WatchESPN.
Live stats will be available for all games.
Fans can follow @Pitt_SB on Twitter for live in-game updates.

LAST TIME OUT

Pitt dropped a mid-week contest to Ohio University, 6-1, Tuesday, March 27.
Ohio was led by a strong pitching performance by senior Danielle Stiene, who allowed just one hit and one run while dealing 10 strikeouts in seven innings of play.
Junior Taylor Rahach took the loss for the Panthers. Rahach saw just 1.2 innings of action while giving up four runs (three unearned) on four hits.
Junior Alexis Solak recorded Pitt's lone hit of the game, blasting a solo shot over the fence in the fourth inning. The homerun was her first this season and the eighth of her career.

THE SERIES

The Panthers will face Duke for the first time in program history, as this is the Blue Devils' inaugural season.

SCOUTING DUKE

Duke enters the weekend with an 18-15 overall record and a 4-5 mark in the ACC.
In their last action, the Blue Devils split a doubleheader against USC Upstate, dropping the first game in extras 3-1 before bouncing back for a 6-5 victory in game two.
As a team, Duke owns a .270 batting average while its pitching staff boasts a 2.02 ERA.
The Blue Devils have six players with a batting average of .300 or better, with sophomore Raine Wilson leading the way at .367.
On the rubber, all four of Duke's pitchers own a sub-3.00 ERA, with freshman Ameila Wiercioch ranking first on the team with a 1.52 ERA.

GOING YARD

With 1.07 home runs per game, the Panthers sit 17^th in the nation this week in the category. In the ACC, the squad holds the second spot. Pitt has blasted 32 long balls in 30 games.
Pitt has seen 10 different players hit a homerun, including a team-leading 10 long bombs by senior Giorgiana Zeremenko, who ranks 22^ndin the nation in home runs and first in the ACC while also ranking 27^th 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 career 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 0.57 double plays per game, good for sixth overall in the nation. The Panthers have turned 17 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 .231 with 12 hits and eight RBIs, while boasting 39 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 (.358), hits (34), doubles (nine), home runs (10), slugging percentage (.768) 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 22^nd in the nation in home runs and first in the ACC, while also ranking 27^th 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 12 straight games and is hitting .281 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 passed 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 .270 with 20 hits, 11 runs scored and two home runs.
The freshman reached base in nine straight games during a span from March 8 to March 23.

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 nine games.
Solak is currently hitting .290 and ranks second on the team with 28 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 17 total appearances, 12 of which she started, Harris has tossed six complete games, including four shutouts.
In 71.2 innings pitched, Harris has struck out 25, while giving up just 10 walks.
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. While facing 26 batters, 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 .297 career average with 106 hits.
This season, Gray is hitting .274 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 head to University Park, Pa., for a mid-week game against Penn State Tuesday, April 3 at 6 p.m.

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Panthers Set for Home Opener against Blue Devils

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sarah Dawson

Olivia Gray

Kayla Harris

Brittany Knight

Hunter Levesque

Taylor Myers

Taylor Rahach

Alexis Solak

McKayla Taylor

Giorgiana Zeremenko

Panthers Set for Home Opener against Blue Devils

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sarah Dawson

Olivia Gray

Kayla Harris

Brittany Knight

Hunter Levesque

Taylor Myers

Taylor Rahach

Alexis Solak

McKayla Taylor

Giorgiana Zeremenko

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