Pitt Visits Kent State for Midweek Contest

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh softball team will take on Kent State in a midweek matchup Wednesday at the Diamond at Dix in Kent, Ohio.

THE SCHEDULE

The Panthers [22-16-1, 11-6 ACC] will face the Golden Flashes [20-18, 6-8 MAC] in its first of two meetings this season, Wednesday, April 18 at 4 p.m.
The contest marks the first game in a home and home series, with game two occurring in Pittsburgh Tuesday, May 1 at 6 p.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW

There will be no live video for Wednesday's game.
Live stats will be available for the game.
Fans can also follow @Pitt_SB on Twitter for live in-game updates.

LAST TIME OUT

Pitt earned its fifth ACC series win of the season after taking two of three from Georgia Tech. The Panthers played a doubleheader Friday, winning game one 4-2, before dropping game two against the Yellow Jackets 8-6. Pitt returned Saturday to defeat Georgia Tech 6-2.
Junior Sarah Dawson earned the start in game one, where she finished her 11^th career complete-game win after surrendering just three hits and two runs while striking out a career-high tying seven batters. The junior retired 12 consecutive Yellow Jacket batters to open the game, adding five strikeouts through the first four frames.
Despite falling behind early in game two 6-0, the Panthers battled back to tie the score 6-6, but were unable to complete the comeback.
In the rubber match, freshman Hunter Levesque went 2-for-3 on the day while adding a home run, two RBIs and three runs. Senior Giorgiana Zeremenko earned Pitt's other long ball of the day, roping her 13^th home run of the season over the center field wall. Sophomore Kaitlyn Kruger went 2-for-3 to go along with an RBI while junior Olivia Gray went 2-for-4 with a run.

THE SERIES

Pitt and Kent State have met 25 times in program history, with the Golden Flashes owning a 14-11 edge.
The Panthers won five of the last six meetings, including a 7-0 victory the last time they faced each other in 2017.
On the road, Pitt is 3-7 all-time against Kent State.

SCOUTING KENT STATE

Kent State owns a 20-18 overall record and a 6-8 mark MAC play.
The Golden Flashes are coming off a series loss to Miami University after losing the final two contests of a three-game series.
Kent State is led in the circle by sophomore Madi Huck, who owns a 12-7 record in 26 appearances, including 13 complete games and four shutouts. In 129.1 innings on the mound, Huck owns a 3.14 ERA and has struck out 73.
At the plate, the Golden Flashes have two batters hitting over .400 on the season in senior Holly Speers and Kennadie Goth. Speers holds a .469 batting average to go along with ten home runs, 39 RBIs, 34 runs and a slugging percentage of .917. Goth is batting .427 with 44 hits in 103 plate appearances for Kent State.

DOUBLE OR NOTHING

Pitt's defense ranks first in the ACC with 0.69 double plays per game, good for third overall in the nation. The Panthers have turned 27 double plays this season.

GOING YARD

With 1.05 home runs per game, the Panthers sit 26^th in the nation this week in the category. In the ACC, the squad holds the second spot. Pitt has blasted 41 long balls in 39 games.
Pitt has seen 11 different players hit a home run, including a team-leading 13 bombs by senior Giorgiana Zeremenko, who ranks 19^th in the nation in home runs and first in the ACC while also ranking 17^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. Zeremenko is just four home runs away from tying her own record and five away from breaking it, as her 13 home runs in 2018 sits fifth overall in program history in a single season. She now has 42 in her career.

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 .311 batting average. In 45 at-bats, she has produced 14 hits while adding three doubles and one long ball. The junior has also racked up six RBIs and seven runs. 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 25 putouts in ACC play.
Overall, Myers is batting .244 with 19 hits and eight RBIs, while boasting 45 putouts, one assist and one error in the field to make for a .979 fielding percentage.

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 (.347), hits (41), doubles (10), home runs (13), slugging percentage (.763) and walks (20).
She boasts a team-leading 12 multi-hit games, tied with fellow teammate Olivia Gray.
In conference play, Zeremenko has been unstoppable, tallying 19 hits in 47 at-bats for a .404 average. She has recorded four doubles and six home runs in 17 games, while producing 11 RBIs and 10 runs scored. Zeremenko has reached base in over 54 percent of her appearances.
She ranks 19^th in the nation in home runs, while also ranking 17^th in the nation in home runs per game. She leads the ACC in both categories.
With a team-leading 13 home runs, Zeremenko is just four away from tying her own single-season record of 17 long balls and five away from breaking it, as her 2018 total sits fifth overall in program history in a single season. She now has 42 in her career.
After cranking a home run to right center in her first at-bat against Duke, Zeremenko was intentionally walked four times in Pitt's doubleheader against the Blue Devils March 31. In the three game series, she finished 2-for-6 with five walks, two runs, one home run and one RBI.

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 19 out of the past 21 games and is hitting .252 on the season with 29 hits, 28 runs scored and 14 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 134 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 RBIs. She continued her dominance in game three, 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 ranks second on the team with a .302 batting average to go along with 29 hits, 18 runs scored and three 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 proven to be one of the Panthers most consistent hitters at the plate.
The junior boasts nine games in which she has recorded multiple hits and has reached base in 14 of the last 18 games.
Solak is currently hitting .280 and ranks third on the team with 35 hits.
Against Georgia Tech, Solak went 5-for-10 to hit .500 on the weekend with three extra-base 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 9-1 on the season in and 6-0 in ACC play. In 21 total appearances, 16 of which she started, Harris has tossed eight complete games, including five shutouts.
In 91.0 innings pitched, Harris has struck out 33, while giving up just 17 walks.
In conference play, Harris boasts a 2.19 ERA after eight appearances and has held her opponents to a .248 average.
While facing No. 13/9 Florida State, the senior posted a complete game shutout after the Panthers earned a 1-0 extra-innings win. Pitt's victory snapped the Seminoles 36-game conference win streak, which was the fifth-longest streak in NCAA history. Harris' outstanding effort later earned her ACC Pitcher of the Week honors.
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 11-11 on the season. In a team leading 111.2 innings pitched, she has struck out 58 batters and owns a 2.70 ERA.
In a phenomenal outing against Georgia Tech, Dawson earned the start in game one, where she finished with a complete-game win after surrendering just three hits and two runs while striking out a career-high tying seven batters. The junior retired 12 consecutive Yellow Jacket batters to open the game, adding five strikeouts through the first four frames. On the weekend, Dawson gave up just six hits and five runs in 12.1 innings pitched, striking out 10 batters, while walking just two.
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 .304 career average with 117 hits.
This season, Gray is hitting .301 with 37 hits. She leads the team alongside Giorgiana Zeremenko with 12 multi-hit games.
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 host ACC opponent Virginia in a three-game series at Vartabedian Field starting Friday April 20 at 5 p.m.

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Pitt Visits Kent State for Midweek Contest

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sarah Dawson

Olivia Gray

Kayla Harris

Brittany Knight

Kaitlyn Kruger

Hunter Levesque

Taylor Myers

Alexis Solak

McKayla Taylor

Giorgiana Zeremenko

Pitt Visits Kent State for Midweek Contest

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sarah Dawson

Olivia Gray

Kayla Harris

Brittany Knight

Kaitlyn Kruger

Hunter Levesque

Taylor Myers

Alexis Solak

McKayla Taylor

Giorgiana Zeremenko

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