Clutch Performance Leads Pitt Past NC State, 7-5, in Series Finale

Sunday, March 4

Raleigh, N.C.

12:00 PM EST

Pitt

10-6-1, 0

NC State

12-7, 0

Pitt

NC State

Clutch Performance Leads Pitt Past NC State, 7-5, in Series Finale

3/4/2018 7:31:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score Season Stats

Panthers Take the Series 2-1

RALEIGH, N.C. – The University of Pittsburgh softball team outlasted NC State 7-5 in thrilling fashion to win its first conference series of the season Sunday afternoon at Dail Softball Stadium in Raleigh, N.C.

Pitt [10-6-1, 1-1 ACC], who won its opening ACC series, 2-1, found a 4-0 lead in the contest after back-to-back two-run innings in the fourth and fifth. What the Panthers thought was a comfortable advantage turned out to be the opposite as a four-run inning in the sixth by NC State [12-7, 1-2 ACC] allowed the Wolfpack to tie the score late in the contest. In the final inning of play, Pitt scored three clutch runs on two hits and held NC State to just one run to earn the victory.

The Panthers finished the game with double-digit hits for the second straight game, tallying 10. The win was a complete team effort as seven different players recorded hits.

Senior McKayla Taylor extended her reached base streak to five straight appearances dating back to Saturday's contest after producing three singles in her first three at-bats. Taylor Myers also came up clutch, with a two-run homer in the fifth to put Pitt up by four before giving the Panthers the go-ahead run after taking a bases-loaded pitch to the leg in the seventh.

Sophomore Connor McGaffic also proved clutch as she gave Pitt its 2-0 lead in the fourth inning with a single up the middle. McGaffic picked up her third RBI of the contest in the final inning on a sac fly to put the Panthers up by three heading into NC State's final chance at the plate.

In the circle, Taylor Rahach earned the start and pitched a solid 5.0 innings. The junior gave up just two hits in 21 batters faced and struck out four. Rahach was credited with two earned runs after walking two Wolfpack batters in the sixth, before being relieved by sophomore Brittany Knight.

Knight pitched to just four batters before junior Sarah Dawson entered in relief. Knight was credited with two earned runs which allowed NC State to tie the game.

Dawson got the Panthers out of the remainder of the sixth inning, and gave up just a leadoff solo shot in the seventh, before retiring the Wolfpack's next three batters to end the game.

SCORING SUMMARY
A two-out rally in the top of the fourth put the Panthers on top 2-0, after McGaffic smacked a two-run single to center field. With one away, senior Erin Hershman tipped a hard line drive off of the third baseman's glove to reach first and moved to second as Myers was hit with a pitch. Following the second out of the inning as Gray struck out, McGaffic stepped to the plate and blasted a single to center with a 0-2 count. Both Hershman and Myers scored on the play.

Pitt added two insurance runs in the top of the fifth as Myers drove a ball over the wall in left center for her second long ball of the season. The homer scored junior Alexis Solak who drew a leadoff walk. The Panthers led 4-0 through five complete innings.

NC State tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning after scoring four runs on three hits. Rahach delivered back-to-back walks to the first two Wolfpack batters to start the frame, which brought along a pitching chance for the Panthers. Knight entered the game but gave up a fielder's choice to load the bases in her initial batter faced. A hard hit single to first base scored the run number one of the inning, while a single to center scored the second. Both runs were credited to Rahach. A bases-loaded walk was the final appearance for Knight as the third run came across. Holding a one-run lead, Dawson entered and struck out her first batter faced, however a pinch-hit single by the Wolfpack allowed the tying run to cross the plate. Knight was credited with her second earned run as her batter was the runner third.

Despite letting NC State back in the game, Pitt battled to come out with a win in the seventh. The Panthers score three runs on two hits. Sophomore Kaitlyn Kruger led off the inning with bang, roping a ball to deep left center. Junior Marissa DeMatteo entered to pinch run at first for Kruger. Back-to-back walks to Solak and junior Gabrielle Fredericks loaded the bases for Myers, who had already hit a long ball earlier that game. With the bases juiced, Myers took one for the team as she was hit in the leg with a pitch. This gave Pitt back the lead, 5-4, as DeMatteo trotted home. Junior Olivia Gray continued the Panthers quest to victory, hitting a ball into the five-six hole for a single. Solak scored on the play for run number two of the frame, fore a sac fly by McGaffic brought in senior Taylor Stimson, who pinch ran for Fredericks. The Panthers led 7-4 as the Wolfpack returned to the plate for the final time.

Despite giving up a solo shot to NC State's leadoff hitter in the seventh, Dawson was able to effectively close out the inning avoiding any further damage.

UP NEXT
Pitt will continue its 11-day road trip in Florida, as the Panthers head further south to take on FIU in a midweek series and participate in the Parents' Weekend Tournament at FAU this coming weekend.

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