Wednesday, April 18
Kent, Ohio
4:00 PM EST
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Photo by: Jeffrey Gamza/Pitt Athletics
Pitt Earns Midweek Road Win at Kent State, 6-4
4/18/2018 7:11:00 PM | Softball
Panthers Return to ACC Play this Weekend Against Virginia
KENT, Ohio – The University of Pittsburgh softball team earned a midweek road win at Kent State, 6-4, Wednesday evening at the Diamond at Dix in Kent, Ohio.
With the victory, the Panthers move to 23-16-1 on the season, while the Golden Flashes fall to 20-19 in 2018.
Pitt earned the victory despite a late comeback attempt by Kent State, which saw the Golden Flashes post a pinch-hit grand slam in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Panthers lead to 6-4. Senior pitcher Kayla Harris, who started the game, earned her 10th win of the season after tossing 5.2 innings, giving up just two hits and no runs, while striking out four.
Harris' time was split as junior Taylor Rahach relieved Harris at the start of the fifth frame. Rahach retired Kent State in order in her opening inning, before giving up three walks in the sixth to set up the grand slam. Harris returned following the home run, retiring the final two batters of the inning and staying in the remainder of the game.
At the plate, the Panthers produced eight hits from six different players. Junior Olivia Gray led the team, reaching base in all four of her appearances, earning a single, double and two walks. Gray also scored two of Pitt's runs. Senior McKayla Taylor went 2-for-4 from the batter's box with three RBIs thanks to a three-run homer in the fourth inning.
The Panthers other three runs were scored on a wild pitch and two Golden Flashes' errors.
Scoring Summary: Pitt 6, Kent State 4
Pitt jumped on the board in the opening inning of play, scoring a single run on a bases-loaded wild pitch. The Panthers juiced the bases from the get-go as Taylor ripped a single in the leadoff spot and Zeremenko and Gray each took walks. With Solak at the plate, Kent State pitcher Kristyn Eckl lost control of a ball that dribbled towards the third base line, allowing Taylor to take home. Despite having no outs and two runners in scoring position, Pitt was unable to push across any other runs.
The Panthers made it 2-0 in the third, scoring their second run of the game on an error by the Golden Flashes. Gray crossed the plate for Pitt after earning her second walk of the game to reach base. She moved into scoring position on a ground out by Solak and took third on a wild pitch, before coming home on a fielding error by Kent State's first baseman.
Pitt added multiple insurance runs in the top of the fourth as the squad put up a four-spot thanks to a three-run long ball and a Golden Flashes' error. Taylor was the owner of the home run, bringing in Kruger who singled to lead off the inning and Hershman who was hit with a pitch. With two away, Gray extended the inning with a single up the middle. The junior moved up to second after stealing a base and set herself up to score after taking third on a wild pitch. Gray advanced to home on Kent State's second fielding error of the day on a ball hit by Solak.
A pinch-hit grand slam by senior Holly Speers in the bottom of the sixth inning put Kent State back within striking distance, cutting the Panthers' lead to 6-4. Rahach issued three walks in the frame to set up the home run. Harris returned to the game following the long ball to retire the final two batters of the sixth inning.
Harris and the Panthers' defense held the Golden Flashes scoreless in the final frame of play en route to the victory.
Up Next
Pitt will host ACC opponent Virginia in a three-game series at Vartabedian Field starting Friday April 20 at 5 p.m.
#H2P | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
With the victory, the Panthers move to 23-16-1 on the season, while the Golden Flashes fall to 20-19 in 2018.
Pitt earned the victory despite a late comeback attempt by Kent State, which saw the Golden Flashes post a pinch-hit grand slam in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Panthers lead to 6-4. Senior pitcher Kayla Harris, who started the game, earned her 10th win of the season after tossing 5.2 innings, giving up just two hits and no runs, while striking out four.
Harris' time was split as junior Taylor Rahach relieved Harris at the start of the fifth frame. Rahach retired Kent State in order in her opening inning, before giving up three walks in the sixth to set up the grand slam. Harris returned following the home run, retiring the final two batters of the inning and staying in the remainder of the game.
At the plate, the Panthers produced eight hits from six different players. Junior Olivia Gray led the team, reaching base in all four of her appearances, earning a single, double and two walks. Gray also scored two of Pitt's runs. Senior McKayla Taylor went 2-for-4 from the batter's box with three RBIs thanks to a three-run homer in the fourth inning.
The Panthers other three runs were scored on a wild pitch and two Golden Flashes' errors.
Scoring Summary: Pitt 6, Kent State 4
Pitt jumped on the board in the opening inning of play, scoring a single run on a bases-loaded wild pitch. The Panthers juiced the bases from the get-go as Taylor ripped a single in the leadoff spot and Zeremenko and Gray each took walks. With Solak at the plate, Kent State pitcher Kristyn Eckl lost control of a ball that dribbled towards the third base line, allowing Taylor to take home. Despite having no outs and two runners in scoring position, Pitt was unable to push across any other runs.
The Panthers made it 2-0 in the third, scoring their second run of the game on an error by the Golden Flashes. Gray crossed the plate for Pitt after earning her second walk of the game to reach base. She moved into scoring position on a ground out by Solak and took third on a wild pitch, before coming home on a fielding error by Kent State's first baseman.
Pitt added multiple insurance runs in the top of the fourth as the squad put up a four-spot thanks to a three-run long ball and a Golden Flashes' error. Taylor was the owner of the home run, bringing in Kruger who singled to lead off the inning and Hershman who was hit with a pitch. With two away, Gray extended the inning with a single up the middle. The junior moved up to second after stealing a base and set herself up to score after taking third on a wild pitch. Gray advanced to home on Kent State's second fielding error of the day on a ball hit by Solak.
A pinch-hit grand slam by senior Holly Speers in the bottom of the sixth inning put Kent State back within striking distance, cutting the Panthers' lead to 6-4. Rahach issued three walks in the frame to set up the home run. Harris returned to the game following the long ball to retire the final two batters of the sixth inning.
Harris and the Panthers' defense held the Golden Flashes scoreless in the final frame of play en route to the victory.
Up Next
Pitt will host ACC opponent Virginia in a three-game series at Vartabedian Field starting Friday April 20 at 5 p.m.
#H2P | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Harris, Kayla (10-1)
L: ECKL, Kristyn (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Gray, Olivia 1
HR: Myers, Taylor 1
RBI: Myers, Taylor 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Myers, Taylor 2 ; Gray, Olivia 2 ; Kruger, Kaitlyn 1 ; Hershman, Erin 1
SB: Gray, Olivia 1 ; Levesque, Hunter 1 ; Kruger, Kaitlyn 1
CS: Hershman, Erin 1
HBP: Hershman, Erin 1
Batting:
2B: BRANCIFORT, Hunter 1
HR: SPEERS, Holly 1
RBI: SPEERS, Holly 4
Base Running:
RUNS: SBORLINI, Olivia 1 ; DOBBIN, Emily 1 ; MILLER, Kaitlyn 1 ; SPEERS, Holly 1
HBP: BRANCIFORT, Hunter 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
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