Saturday, March 31
Pittsburgh, Pa.
2:00 PM EST
Pitt
18-12-1, 7-2
6
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4
Duke
18-16, 4-6
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7
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Duke
0
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10
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Pitt
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X
6
6
3
Photo by: Pete Madia/Pitt Athletics
Pitt Takes Two from Duke at Vartabedian Field
3/31/2018 10:08:00 PM | Softball
Panthers Earn Fourth Conference Series Win of the Season.
PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh softball team earned its fourth series conference win of the season after taking a doubleheader from Duke Saturday, March 31 at Vartabedian Field in Pittsburgh.
With the wins, Pitt improves to 19-12-1 on the season and 8-2 in ACC play, while Duke falls to 18-17 overall and 4-7 in conference play.
In their home opener, the Panthers took down the Blue Devils 6-4. Pitt tallied six hits in the contest, with two apiece coming from senior Erin Hershman and junior Taylor Myers. Hershman had three RBIs on the day, while senior Giorgiana Zeremenko tallied one after posting her 11th home run of the season on a solo shot in her opening at-bat. Zeremenko was also intentionally walked three times following the long ball in game one and four times total between both games.
Sarah Dawson earned the complete-game win for the Panthers, giving four total runs, but only one earned after three errors led to runs. The junior struck out three in the outing.
In game two, the Panthers continued their wrath at the plate, tallying nine hits en route to an 8-4 victory. Juniors Olivia Gray and Alexis Solak tallied three RBIs apiece in game two after Gray went 2-for-4 with a two-run shot and Solak went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer. Freshman Hunter Levesque also added two hits for Pitt, while Zeremenko and sophomore Connor McGaffic each added one.
In the circle, senior Kayla Harris went the distance, striking out four. Harris gave up four runs, three earned, on five hits, while walking three.
Game One Scoring Summary: Pitt 6, Duke 4
Pitt opened the first inning with a run on the board thanks to a solo shot to right field by Zeremenko.
Duke tied the game in the top of the second after a pair of hits and a Panthers error scored one. The Blue Devils led off with a single down the left field line from Amelia Wiercioch, which turned into a two-base play after an error allowed the runner to advance to second. A sac bunt moved Wiercioch into scoring position at third, before an RBI-single by Jazmine Moreno brought her home.
Pitt put up a three-spot in the bottom half of the second frame to take a 4-1 lead. The Panthers scored all three runs with two away, thanks to an error by Duke. Myers got things started for Pitt with a single to center and advanced to second on a sac bunt by Levesque. Following a walk to junior Gabrielle Fredericks, Hershman ripped a double over the left fielder's head, bringing in Myers. Both Fredericks and Hershman came around on the next play as the Blue Devils' first baseman bobbled a slow roller.
Duke put its second run of the game on the board in the top of the third thanks to a second error by the Panthers. The Blue Devils led off with back-to-back singles by Jameson Kavel and Rachel Abboud. Both runners advanced on a ground out in the next at-bat, but Pitt found the second out as Dawson caught Wiercioch looking. What should have been the third out, turned into a run for Duke as Gray misplayed a ball at short, allowing Kavel to score. The Panthers led 4-2 at the end of the third.
After a scoreless fourth, Pitt posted two insurance runs in the bottom of the bottom of the fifth to extend its lead to 6-2. For the third time, Myers led off for the Panthers and reached base with a double to left field. Levesque took a walk to put runners on first and second for McGaffic. McGaffic hit a ball back to the pitcher and reached first as the Blue Devils got the lead runner at third. A double to the left field wall brought around both Levesque and McGaffic scored.
Duke's comeback fell short as the Blue Devils were only add two more to their total in the sixth, remaining behind 6-4. Moreno led off with a double to center and advanced to third on a ground ball to second. A pop fly gave Pitt two outs, but an error by the Panthers allowed to the first run to score. The second run came across on a single to right field. Duke left two stranded in the sixth before being held in the top of the seventh to conclude the game.
Game Two Scoring Summary: Pitt 8, Duke 4
The Blue Devils jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening frame after a Kortney Dry single through the right side scored Rachel Abboud, who drew a walk to reach base. A sacrifice fly to right by Jazmine Moreno would send Raine Wilson home for the second run of the inning. The Blue Devils run ended after a groundout to second.
The Panthers' bats went to work in the bottom half as they knotted the score 2-2. Zeremenko got things going with a single to left and a fly out to left by senior McKayla Taylor would advance Zeremenko to second. Gray sent a long ball over the center field wall to tie things up, 2-2.
Pitt added three to their total in the next inning to extend its lead to 5-2. With one away after a Hershman foul out, Zeremenko picked up her fourth intentional walk of the day and Taylor was hit with a pitch to put runners on first and second. Duke threw out Zeremenko at third on a fielder's choice from Gray for the second out of the inning, but the Panthers struck as Solak blasted a three-run long ball over the left center wall.
The Blue Devils remained within striking distance after the top half of the third, putting up two runs to pull within one of the home team, 5-4. After retiring the first two batters for outs, Pitt struggled the remainder of the frame, tallying two errors that led to both runs.
The Panthers added their final runs of the game in the bottom half of the third, before both teams were held scoreless the remainder of the contest. With one away, Pitt had bases loaded after singles from Levesque and McGaffic and a Hershman walk. Following a pitching change for Duke, an error by the Blue Devils allowed both Levesque and McGaffic to score. A single up the middle by Gray in the next at-bat scored Hershman for the final run of the game, giving Pitt an 8-4 victory.
Up Next
Pitt will look to sweep the series as the Panthers take on Duke in the final game of the weekend Sunday, April 1 at 12 p.m.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
With the wins, Pitt improves to 19-12-1 on the season and 8-2 in ACC play, while Duke falls to 18-17 overall and 4-7 in conference play.
In their home opener, the Panthers took down the Blue Devils 6-4. Pitt tallied six hits in the contest, with two apiece coming from senior Erin Hershman and junior Taylor Myers. Hershman had three RBIs on the day, while senior Giorgiana Zeremenko tallied one after posting her 11th home run of the season on a solo shot in her opening at-bat. Zeremenko was also intentionally walked three times following the long ball in game one and four times total between both games.
Sarah Dawson earned the complete-game win for the Panthers, giving four total runs, but only one earned after three errors led to runs. The junior struck out three in the outing.
In game two, the Panthers continued their wrath at the plate, tallying nine hits en route to an 8-4 victory. Juniors Olivia Gray and Alexis Solak tallied three RBIs apiece in game two after Gray went 2-for-4 with a two-run shot and Solak went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer. Freshman Hunter Levesque also added two hits for Pitt, while Zeremenko and sophomore Connor McGaffic each added one.
In the circle, senior Kayla Harris went the distance, striking out four. Harris gave up four runs, three earned, on five hits, while walking three.
Game One Scoring Summary: Pitt 6, Duke 4
Pitt opened the first inning with a run on the board thanks to a solo shot to right field by Zeremenko.
Duke tied the game in the top of the second after a pair of hits and a Panthers error scored one. The Blue Devils led off with a single down the left field line from Amelia Wiercioch, which turned into a two-base play after an error allowed the runner to advance to second. A sac bunt moved Wiercioch into scoring position at third, before an RBI-single by Jazmine Moreno brought her home.
Pitt put up a three-spot in the bottom half of the second frame to take a 4-1 lead. The Panthers scored all three runs with two away, thanks to an error by Duke. Myers got things started for Pitt with a single to center and advanced to second on a sac bunt by Levesque. Following a walk to junior Gabrielle Fredericks, Hershman ripped a double over the left fielder's head, bringing in Myers. Both Fredericks and Hershman came around on the next play as the Blue Devils' first baseman bobbled a slow roller.
Duke put its second run of the game on the board in the top of the third thanks to a second error by the Panthers. The Blue Devils led off with back-to-back singles by Jameson Kavel and Rachel Abboud. Both runners advanced on a ground out in the next at-bat, but Pitt found the second out as Dawson caught Wiercioch looking. What should have been the third out, turned into a run for Duke as Gray misplayed a ball at short, allowing Kavel to score. The Panthers led 4-2 at the end of the third.
After a scoreless fourth, Pitt posted two insurance runs in the bottom of the bottom of the fifth to extend its lead to 6-2. For the third time, Myers led off for the Panthers and reached base with a double to left field. Levesque took a walk to put runners on first and second for McGaffic. McGaffic hit a ball back to the pitcher and reached first as the Blue Devils got the lead runner at third. A double to the left field wall brought around both Levesque and McGaffic scored.
Duke's comeback fell short as the Blue Devils were only add two more to their total in the sixth, remaining behind 6-4. Moreno led off with a double to center and advanced to third on a ground ball to second. A pop fly gave Pitt two outs, but an error by the Panthers allowed to the first run to score. The second run came across on a single to right field. Duke left two stranded in the sixth before being held in the top of the seventh to conclude the game.
Game Two Scoring Summary: Pitt 8, Duke 4
The Blue Devils jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening frame after a Kortney Dry single through the right side scored Rachel Abboud, who drew a walk to reach base. A sacrifice fly to right by Jazmine Moreno would send Raine Wilson home for the second run of the inning. The Blue Devils run ended after a groundout to second.
The Panthers' bats went to work in the bottom half as they knotted the score 2-2. Zeremenko got things going with a single to left and a fly out to left by senior McKayla Taylor would advance Zeremenko to second. Gray sent a long ball over the center field wall to tie things up, 2-2.
Pitt added three to their total in the next inning to extend its lead to 5-2. With one away after a Hershman foul out, Zeremenko picked up her fourth intentional walk of the day and Taylor was hit with a pitch to put runners on first and second. Duke threw out Zeremenko at third on a fielder's choice from Gray for the second out of the inning, but the Panthers struck as Solak blasted a three-run long ball over the left center wall.
The Blue Devils remained within striking distance after the top half of the third, putting up two runs to pull within one of the home team, 5-4. After retiring the first two batters for outs, Pitt struggled the remainder of the frame, tallying two errors that led to both runs.
The Panthers added their final runs of the game in the bottom half of the third, before both teams were held scoreless the remainder of the contest. With one away, Pitt had bases loaded after singles from Levesque and McGaffic and a Hershman walk. Following a pitching change for Duke, an error by the Blue Devils allowed both Levesque and McGaffic to score. A single up the middle by Gray in the next at-bat scored Hershman for the final run of the game, giving Pitt an 8-4 victory.
Up Next
Pitt will look to sweep the series as the Panthers take on Duke in the final game of the weekend Sunday, April 1 at 12 p.m.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dawson, Sarah (10-7)
L: A. Wiercioch (5-5)
Batting:
2B: R. Abboud 1 ; J. Moreno 1
RBI: R. Wilson 1 ; J. Moreno 1
SH: K. Dry 1
Base Running:
RUNS: J. Kavel 2 ; A. Wiercioch 1 ; J. Moreno 1
HBP: J. Ferraro 1
Batting:
2B: Myers, Taylor 1 ; Hershman, Erin 2
HR: Zeremenko, Giorgiana 1
RBI: Zeremenko, Giorgiana 1 ; Hershman, Erin 3
SH: Levesque, Hunter 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Zeremenko, Giorgiana 1 ; Myers, Taylor 1 ; Levesque, Hunter 1 ; Fredericks, Gabrielle 1 ; McGaffic, Connor 1 ; Hershman, Erin 1
HBP: Gray, Olivia 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
1
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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INF/C
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OF/INF
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OF
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INF
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