Pitt Set for Final Road Series at No. 13/9 Florida State

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh softball team will travel to Tallahassee, Fla., this weekend for a three game series against No. 13/9 Florida State at JoAnne Graf Field.

THE SCHEDULE

The Panthers [19-13-1, 8-3 ACC] will begin their three-game slate against the Seminoles [31-6, 9-0 ACC] Friday, April 6 at 6 p.m. Pitt will then face Florida State Saturday, April 7 at 1 p.m. before concluding the series Sunday, April 8 at 12 p.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW

All games will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra through WatchESPN.
Live stats will be available for all games.
Fans can also follow @Pitt_SB on Twitter for live in-game updates.

LAST TIME OUT

Pitt took two out of three games in its Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) series against Duke this past weekend. The Panthers won game one 6-4 and game two 8-4 before dropping the series finale to the Blue Devils, 2-1.
Junior Sarah Dawson started two games in the series, splitting the pair. Dawson went the distance in both games, giving up 17 hits, six runs and two earned runs while striking out six in 14 innings on the rubber.
Senior Kayla Harris made one start in the series, earning a complete game win after allowing four runs (three earned) and striking out four.
Junior Olivia Gray went 4-for-9 in the series while adding a home run, two scores and three RBIs.
Junior Taylor Myers went 4-for-10 at the plate while producing a double and one run.

THE SERIES

The Panthers have faced the Seminoles 15 times in program history, with Florida State earning victories in each matchup.

SCOUTING FLORIDA STATE

No. 13/9 Florida State enters the weekend series with a 31-6 overall record and a 9-0 mark in the ACC.
The Seminoles are currently riding a 19-game win streak, dating back to March 3. During that time span, FSU has shut down seven of its opponents in run-rule victories.
Florida State is coming off a doubleheader sweep of No. 19 Louisiana Wednesday evening, defeating the Ragin' Cajuns 8-0 (five innings) in game one and 7-1 in game two.
Florida State sits atop of the ACC in the standings and multiple statistical categories including doubles per game, ERA, home runs per game, on base percentage and slugging percentage.
The Seminoles are led in the circle by a pair of dominant pitchers, including redshirt senior Kylee Hanson, who boasts a 0.84 ERA, and redshirt junior Meghan King, who holds an ERA of 1.19. Hanson, a transfer from FAU with one year of eligibility left, has proven to be Florida State's go-to, holding a 17-3 record on the season.
At the plate, FSU boasts six players hitting over .300 including freshman Sydney Sherrill, who claims a .412 average to lead the team. Sherrill leads the team in hits (47) and doubles (18), while sitting just behind senior Jessie Warren in multiple categories. Warren, who has been the Seminoles rock at the plate in her time at FSU, leads the team with 10 home runs and 39 RBIs, while posting a .821 slugging percentage.

DOMINATING THE DIVISION

Both Pitt and Florida State sit atop their respective divisions in the ACC.
The Panthers rank first in the Coastal Division, owning an 8-3 mark in conference play, good for a .727 winning percentage.
The Seminoles lead the Atlantic Division, sporting a perfect 9-0 record against ACC competition.

GOING YARD

With 1.09 home runs per game, the Panthers sit 17^th in the nation this week in the category. In the ACC, the squad holds the second spot. Pitt has blasted 36 long balls in 33 games.
Pitt has seen 11 different players hit a home run, including a team-leading 11 bombs by senior Giorgiana Zeremenko, who ranks 19^thin the nation in home runs and first in the ACC while also ranking 22^nd 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. She now has 42 in her career.

DOUBLE OR NOTHING

Pitt's defense ranks first in the ACC with 0.61 double plays per game, good for fourth overall in the nation. The Panthers have turned 20 double plays this season.

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 .379 batting average. In 29 at-bats, she has produced 11 hits while adding three doubles and one long ball. The junior has also racked up six RBIs and six runs scored. 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 19 putouts in ACC play.
Overall, Myers is batting .258 with 16 hits and eight RBIs, while boasting 39 putouts and one error in the field.

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 (.356), hits (36), doubles (nine), home runs (11), slugging percentage (.772) and walks (18).
In conference play, Zeremenko has been unstoppable, tallying 14 hits in 30 at-bats for a .467 average. She has already recorded three doubles and four home runs in 11 games, while producing seven RBIs and eight runs scored. Zeremenko has reached base in over 60 percent of her appearances.
She ranks 19^th in the nation in home runs and first in the ACC, while also ranking 22^nd in the nation in home runs per game.
After cranking a home run to right center in her first at-bat against Duke, Zeremenko was intentionally walked four times in Saturday's doubleheader. 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 a season-high 15 straight games and is hitting .268 on the season with 26 hits, 25 runs scored and 13 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 133 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 is hitting .278 with 22 hits, 13 runs scored and two 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 eight games in which she has recorded multiple hits and has reached base in 10 of the last 12 games.
Solak is currently hitting .274 and ranks third on the team with 29 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 7-1 on the season in and 4-0 in ACC play. In 18 total appearances, 13 of which she started, Harris has tossed seven complete games, including four shutouts.
In 78.2 innings pitched, Harris has struck out 29, while giving up just 13 walks.
In conference play, Harris boasts a 1.62 ERA after five appearances and has held her opponents to a .186 average.
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 10-8 on the season. In a team leading 91.1 innings pitched, she has struck out 47 batters and owns a 2.30 ERA. Dawson has also held her opponents to a .262 average.
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 .301 career average with 110 hits.
This season, Gray is hitting .288 with 30 hits, including six extra-base hits.
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 return home for the remainder of its ACC schedule, first welcoming Georgia Tech April 13-15. This series marks the first of just three remaining conference series.

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Pitt Set for Final Road Series at No. 13/9 Florida State

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sarah Dawson

Olivia Gray

Kayla Harris

Brittany Knight

Hunter Levesque

Taylor Myers

Alexis Solak

McKayla Taylor

Giorgiana Zeremenko

Pitt Set for Final Road Series at No. 13/9 Florida State

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sarah Dawson

Olivia Gray

Kayla Harris

Brittany Knight

Hunter Levesque

Taylor Myers

Alexis Solak

McKayla Taylor

Giorgiana Zeremenko

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