Friday, May 11
Atlanta, Ga.
3:30 PM EST
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Photo by: Delvin Jones/Pitt Athletics
Panthers Defeat Tar Heels, Advance to ACC Championship Game
5/11/2018 9:19:00 PM | Softball
No. 2 Seed Pitt will Face No. 1 Seed Florida State in the Finals on ESPN.
ATLANTA – The University of Pittsburgh softball team will take part in the 2018 ACC Championship Game after the defeating North Carolina 3-0 in the quarterfinals of the tournament Friday afternoon at Mewborn Field in Atlanta, Ga.
"We're really excited," said head coach Holly Aprile. "The team played great and made its adjustments. We can't wait to play tomorrow."
No. 2 seed Pitt [33-17-1] will take on top-seeded and nationally ranked Florida State [46-10] in the Championship Saturday, May 12 at 12 p.m. live on ESPN. The championship appearance is the second in the past four years for the Panthers, who also faced the Seminoles back in the 2015 final after upsetting ranked Notre Dame and UNC in the quarter and semifinal rounds. Florida State came out on top in the game, 6-2.
Starting pitcher Sarah Dawson tossed a gem for the Panthers, earning her 15th win of the season. The junior threw her first complete game shutout of the year, while holding the Tar Heels to just two hits. Dawson allowed just two walks and struck out one in 23 batters faced.
"Sarah was tremendous today," said Aprile. "She got in a few jams early in first two innings, but battled right through that. She made adjustments up and down the lineup. It's a really potent lineup to pitch to since they have many different things happening with their slappers and power hitters. She just did a great job."
At the plate, junior Taylor Myers and senior Erin Hershman came up clutch for Pitt. Myers put Pitt on the board in the second inning with a two-run single, while Hershman doubled down the right field line to send in an insurance run.
"All year we have tried to make things happen on the bases and at the plate," said Aprile. "Taylor [Myers] came through with the big hit and it worked out nicely."
"Erin's [Hershman] at-bat was huge. She was able to sneak her bat out at that pitch and pull it around, placing it in the perfect position for us to be able to score that insurance run."
Six Pitt players in total earned hits in the contest, including sophomore Kaitlyn Kruger and freshman Hunter Levesque, who both tallied hits in the second inning to set up Myers two-RBI at-bat. Kruger finished the day 1-for-2, with a walk and a run scored.
Scoring Summary: Pitt 3, North Carolina 0
A two-RBI single by Myers in the second inning put Pitt on the board first in the semifinal contest. To get the bats going, Levesque and Kruger posted back-to-back singles with one away, before both moved up on a double steal to set up the clutch hit by Myers. The junior sent a hard hit ball up the middle, allowing both runners to come around.
The Panthers added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth as Hershman struck some two-out lightening. After battling to a full count, Kruger walked to lead off the inning. Replaced by pinch runner Morgan Batesole, the freshman moved to second on a sac bunt by Myers, before coming around on a double down the right field line by Hershman with two away. Pitt led 3-0 after four complete innings.
The Panthers would go on to hold the Tar Heels scoreless the remainder of the game, en route to an appearance in the Championship Game.
Up Next
Pitt will take face No. 10/7 Florida State in the Championship Saturday, May 12 at 12 p.m. live on ESPN.
#H2P | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
"We're really excited," said head coach Holly Aprile. "The team played great and made its adjustments. We can't wait to play tomorrow."
No. 2 seed Pitt [33-17-1] will take on top-seeded and nationally ranked Florida State [46-10] in the Championship Saturday, May 12 at 12 p.m. live on ESPN. The championship appearance is the second in the past four years for the Panthers, who also faced the Seminoles back in the 2015 final after upsetting ranked Notre Dame and UNC in the quarter and semifinal rounds. Florida State came out on top in the game, 6-2.
Starting pitcher Sarah Dawson tossed a gem for the Panthers, earning her 15th win of the season. The junior threw her first complete game shutout of the year, while holding the Tar Heels to just two hits. Dawson allowed just two walks and struck out one in 23 batters faced.
"Sarah was tremendous today," said Aprile. "She got in a few jams early in first two innings, but battled right through that. She made adjustments up and down the lineup. It's a really potent lineup to pitch to since they have many different things happening with their slappers and power hitters. She just did a great job."
At the plate, junior Taylor Myers and senior Erin Hershman came up clutch for Pitt. Myers put Pitt on the board in the second inning with a two-run single, while Hershman doubled down the right field line to send in an insurance run.
"All year we have tried to make things happen on the bases and at the plate," said Aprile. "Taylor [Myers] came through with the big hit and it worked out nicely."
"Erin's [Hershman] at-bat was huge. She was able to sneak her bat out at that pitch and pull it around, placing it in the perfect position for us to be able to score that insurance run."
Six Pitt players in total earned hits in the contest, including sophomore Kaitlyn Kruger and freshman Hunter Levesque, who both tallied hits in the second inning to set up Myers two-RBI at-bat. Kruger finished the day 1-for-2, with a walk and a run scored.
Scoring Summary: Pitt 3, North Carolina 0
A two-RBI single by Myers in the second inning put Pitt on the board first in the semifinal contest. To get the bats going, Levesque and Kruger posted back-to-back singles with one away, before both moved up on a double steal to set up the clutch hit by Myers. The junior sent a hard hit ball up the middle, allowing both runners to come around.
The Panthers added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth as Hershman struck some two-out lightening. After battling to a full count, Kruger walked to lead off the inning. Replaced by pinch runner Morgan Batesole, the freshman moved to second on a sac bunt by Myers, before coming around on a double down the right field line by Hershman with two away. Pitt led 3-0 after four complete innings.
The Panthers would go on to hold the Tar Heels scoreless the remainder of the game, en route to an appearance in the Championship Game.
Up Next
Pitt will take face No. 10/7 Florida State in the Championship Saturday, May 12 at 12 p.m. live on ESPN.
#H2P | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dawson, Sarah (15-11)
L: Pickett,B (28-12)
Base Running:
SB: Murray,L 1
Batting:
2B: Hershman, Erin 1
RBI: Myers, Taylor 2 ; Hershman, Erin 1
SH: Myers, Taylor 1 ; Hershman, Erin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Levesque, Hunter 1 ; Kruger, Kaitlyn 1 ; Batesole, Morgan 1
SB: Levesque, Hunter 1 ; Kruger, Kaitlyn 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
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