Friday, April 20
Pittsburgh, Pa.
5:00 PM EST
Pitt
24-16-1, 12-6
9
vs
2
Virginia
12-33, 3-16
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6
7
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H
E
Virginia
0
0
0
1
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7
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Pitt
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X
9
8
1
Photo by: Alex Mowrey/Pitt Athletics
Panthers Rout Cavaliers, 9-2, in Series Opener
4/20/2018 8:08:00 PM | Softball
Gray goes 3-for-4 with Two Doubles and a Home Run
PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh softball team took game one of its ACC clash with Virginia as the squad defeated the Cavaliers 9-2 Friday night at Vartabedian Field in Pittsburgh, Pa.
With the victory, the Panthers' record improves to 24-16-1 on the season and 12-6 in ACC play, while Virginia falls to 12-33 overall and 3-16 in conference action.
Pitt jumped out to an early lead they would never relinquish, as junior Sarah Dawson dazzled in a complete game performance, conceding only a pair of solo home runs en route to her 11th win of the year. Dawson allowed just seven hits and two runs over seven innings, giving up just one walk while striking out three.
Dawson received plenty of run support in the game, as the Panthers plated their most runs since March 18 at North Carolina (10). Leading the way for Pitt was junior Olivia Gray, who notched two doubles and a home run while batting in three runs and scoring two. Junior Alexis Solak contributed two RBIs, while junior Taylor Myers scored a pair of runs. Overall, seven different Panthers combined for nine runs scored.
Scoring Summary: Pitt 9, Virginia 2
After holding Virginia scoreless in the top of the first, Pitt posted a two spot in the bottom half of the frame to take the lead. With one away, junior Giorgiana Zeremenko drew a walk and advanced to third on a double by Gray. Following a free trip to first for freshman Hunter Levesque, Solak stepped to the plate with bases loaded. The junior grounded out to short, but tallied an RBI as Zeremenko came home from third for the first run of the inning. Gray crossed the plate for run number two on a wild pitch from Cavaliers starting pitcher Tabby Dabney.
Following a scoreless second, Gray posted a solo shot to left field to earn her second hit of the game and extend the Panthers' lead to 3-0.
The first of two home runs for UVA came in the top of the fourth as junior Olivia Gott sent a ball over the left center wall. The Cavaliers pulled within two of Pitt, 3-1.
A two-run inning for the Panthers in the bottom half of the frame put Pitt out in front by four, 5-1. Junior Gabrielle Fredericks led off the inning with a single to left, while Myers reached on a throwing error by Virginia. Senior McKayla Taylor was able to work a walk to load the bases following a dropped foul ball, which counted as an error, allowing Gray to shoot a double to right field and score two unearned runs.
Gott added a second home run for Cavaliers in the top of the sixth, making the score 5-2.
In the bottom of the sixth frame, Pitt piled on insurance runs for Dawson, ballooning the lead to seven. Myers started the frame with a walk, before advancing to second on a Taylor ground out. An RBI-single by Zeremenko scored Myers from there, before Levesque tripled in freshman Morgan Batesole, who pinch ran, to make the score 7-2. Solak singled to bring in Levesque from third and grow the lead to 8-2. After advancing on a wild pitch, Solak scored on a Kruger double to bring the score to its final, 9-2. The final three runs in the inning came with two outs.
Up Next
Pitt and Virginia will continue the series Saturday, April 21 at 1 p.m. The weekend will conclude with a final contest Sunday, April 22 at 12 p.m.
#H2P | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
With the victory, the Panthers' record improves to 24-16-1 on the season and 12-6 in ACC play, while Virginia falls to 12-33 overall and 3-16 in conference action.
Pitt jumped out to an early lead they would never relinquish, as junior Sarah Dawson dazzled in a complete game performance, conceding only a pair of solo home runs en route to her 11th win of the year. Dawson allowed just seven hits and two runs over seven innings, giving up just one walk while striking out three.
Dawson received plenty of run support in the game, as the Panthers plated their most runs since March 18 at North Carolina (10). Leading the way for Pitt was junior Olivia Gray, who notched two doubles and a home run while batting in three runs and scoring two. Junior Alexis Solak contributed two RBIs, while junior Taylor Myers scored a pair of runs. Overall, seven different Panthers combined for nine runs scored.
Scoring Summary: Pitt 9, Virginia 2
After holding Virginia scoreless in the top of the first, Pitt posted a two spot in the bottom half of the frame to take the lead. With one away, junior Giorgiana Zeremenko drew a walk and advanced to third on a double by Gray. Following a free trip to first for freshman Hunter Levesque, Solak stepped to the plate with bases loaded. The junior grounded out to short, but tallied an RBI as Zeremenko came home from third for the first run of the inning. Gray crossed the plate for run number two on a wild pitch from Cavaliers starting pitcher Tabby Dabney.
Following a scoreless second, Gray posted a solo shot to left field to earn her second hit of the game and extend the Panthers' lead to 3-0.
The first of two home runs for UVA came in the top of the fourth as junior Olivia Gott sent a ball over the left center wall. The Cavaliers pulled within two of Pitt, 3-1.
A two-run inning for the Panthers in the bottom half of the frame put Pitt out in front by four, 5-1. Junior Gabrielle Fredericks led off the inning with a single to left, while Myers reached on a throwing error by Virginia. Senior McKayla Taylor was able to work a walk to load the bases following a dropped foul ball, which counted as an error, allowing Gray to shoot a double to right field and score two unearned runs.
Gott added a second home run for Cavaliers in the top of the sixth, making the score 5-2.
In the bottom of the sixth frame, Pitt piled on insurance runs for Dawson, ballooning the lead to seven. Myers started the frame with a walk, before advancing to second on a Taylor ground out. An RBI-single by Zeremenko scored Myers from there, before Levesque tripled in freshman Morgan Batesole, who pinch ran, to make the score 7-2. Solak singled to bring in Levesque from third and grow the lead to 8-2. After advancing on a wild pitch, Solak scored on a Kruger double to bring the score to its final, 9-2. The final three runs in the inning came with two outs.
Up Next
Pitt and Virginia will continue the series Saturday, April 21 at 1 p.m. The weekend will conclude with a final contest Sunday, April 22 at 12 p.m.
#H2P | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dawson, Sarah (12-11)
L: T. Dabney (0-9)
Batting:
2B: O. Gott 1
HR: O. Gott 2
RBI: O. Gott 2
Base Running:
RUNS: O. Gott 2
SB: M. Keshin 1
Batting:
2B: Gray, Olivia 2 ; Kruger, Kaitlyn 1
3B: Levesque, Hunter 1
HR: Gray, Olivia 1
RBI: Zeremenko, Giorgiana 1 ; Gray, Olivia 3 ; Levesque, Hunter 1 ; Solak, Alexis 2 ; Kruger, Kaitlyn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Zeremenko, Giorgiana 1 ; Batesole, Morgan 1 ; Gray, Olivia 2 ; Levesque, Hunter 1 ; Solak, Alexis 1 ; Hershman, Erin 1 ; Myers, Taylor 2
SB: Batesole, Morgan 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF/C
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballOF/INF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballC/INF
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