No. 2 Seed Pitt Set for 2018 ACC Softball Tournament

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh softball team is set for the 2018 ACC Championship, entering the tournament as the No. 2 seed. The Panthers will face the No. 10 seed Virginia Tech in the quarterfinals of the Championship Thursday, May 10 at 5 p.m. at Shirley Clements Mewborn Field in Atlanta, Ga.

THE SCHEDULE

Pitt [31-17-1, 16-6 ACC] earned the No. 2 seed and a first round bye in the tournament after winning the ACC Coastal Division with a mark of 16-6 in conference play. The Panthers will take on the Hokies [23-29, 7-16 ACC] in the quarterfinals after Virginia Tech defeated the Blue Devils [29-27, 13-11 ACC] 3-0 in the opening round of the tournament Wednesday, May 9.
If the Panthers win their quarterfinal matchup, they will advance to the semifinals and play the winner of No. 3 seed North Carolina versus No. 6 seed Georgia Tech Friday, May 11 at 3:30 p.m.
The championship game will be played Saturday, May 12 at 12 p.m., live on ESPN.

HOW TO FOLLOW

Fans will be able to watch the first three rounds on the Regional Sports Network (check provider for schedule) or the ACC Network Extra on WatchESPN.
The Championship game will broadcast live on ESPN.
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 both games against Louisville, with game three of the series being cancelled due to inclement weather. The Panthers won game one by a score of 9-8, securing their ACC Coastal Division Championship, before taking game two with a 10-2 five-inning victory.
Senior Kayla Harris earned both wins in the series after making a brief appearance in game one and throwing a five-inning complete game in game two. For the series, Harris allowed eight hits and five runs while striking out two in six innings on the mound.
Junior Sarah Dawson recorded a save in game one after starting the game and then re-entering for Harris in the seventh frame to close things out. The junior allowed eight hits and five runs (four earned) while adding three strikeouts in six innings of action.
Offensively, junior Gabrielle Fredericks led the team after going 4-for-5 with two doubles, a run and an RBI. Senior McKayla Taylor also plated over .500 in the series, going 4-for-7 while adding a double, two home runs and 6 RBIs.

SCOUTING VIRGINIA TECH

Virginia Tech enters the conference tournament owning a 22-29 overall record including a 7-16 mark in ACC play. Most recently, the Hokies recorded an 11-0 win over Hampton.
Carrie Eberle, who owns a 1.65 ERA and a .182 batting average against to go along with 120 strikeouts in 173.2 innings on the mound, leads the Hokies' pitching staff.
At the plate, Emma Strouth leads the Virginia Tech offense with a .295 batting average to go along with a team-high 43 hits and 20 runs.

PITT AGAINST THE FIELD

Virginia Tech owns a 17-9 all-time edge over the Panthers in a series that dates back to 1999. Though the Hokies own the all-time edge, Pitt has won the past five meetings against Virginia Tech, with each victory coming by three or more runs.
The Seminoles own a 17-1 all-time record against Pitt, though the Panthers were able to knock off No. 13/9 Florida State earlier this season via a 1-0 extra-innings victory, ending FSU's 36-game conference win streak.
North Carolina holds a 9-5 all-time edge over the Panthers, but Pitt took two of three in its series against the Tar Heels this season.
In 23 meetings, the Eagles own a 17-6 record against the Panthers. Pitt and Boston College have splits its last four matchups.
Notre Dame holds a 33-3 all-time record against Pitt, with the teams splitting their previous two meetings.
The Panthers own a 12-7 all-time series edge over the Yellow Jackets, with Pitt winning two of three against Georgia Tech in this year's series.
Louisville holds a 19-4 all-time edge over Pitt, though the Panthers took both against the Cardinals in their final conference series of the season en route to earning the ACC Coastal Division Championship.
The Orange own a 21-11 all-time record against the Panthers, with the two teams splitting wins in their last six contests.

THIRTY OR MORE GETS YOU IN THE DOOR

The Panthers have now recorded 30 or more wins in three of the past four years, with the squad qualifying for the ACC Tournament in each of those three seasons.
Pitt went 37-22 in the 2015 season, where they entered the tournament as the No. 6 seed. The team advanced to the championship game after wins over Notre Dame and North Carolina before eventually falling to Florida State. The Panthers' success in the ACC Tournament led to their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament, where they finished 2-2.
In 2016, Pitt entered the conference tournament as the No. 8 seed after compiling a 31-21 regular season record. The Panthers would yet again suffer defeat to the Seminoles, this time in the first round of the tournament.

TAKING THE COASTAL CROWN

After being projected to finish ninth in the ACC Preseason Coaches' Poll, Pitt earned its first ACC Coastal Division Championship with a 16-6 mark in conference action during the 2018 season.
The Panthers' 16 conference wins is a program high since entering the ACC back in 2014, surpassing the 2015 team's 11 victories.
Pitt also recorded a program record seven ACC series wins, almost doubling the previous record of four set by the 2015 squad.

APRILE NAMED ACC COACH OF THE YEAR

Head coach Holly Aprile was named ACC Coach of the Year after leading Pitt to a historic 2018 season.
Aprile guided the Panthers to their first ACC Coastal Division Championship in program history after being picked to finish ninth in the ACC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
The squad finished with a 31-17-1 regular season record, marking the third time in the past four seasons they have earned 30-plus wins.
The team also went 16-6 in conference play while winning seven of eight ACC series'. The 16 victories and seven series wins were both program highs since the team joined the ACC in 2014.

ALL-ACC ACCOLADES

Four Panther players also earned ACC accolades for their accomplishments in the 2018 season.
Senior Giorgiana Zeremenko and junior Olivia Gray earned All-ACC First Team honors.
Senior Kayla Harris was tabbed an All-ACC Second Team member.
Freshman Hunter Levesque was named to the ACC All-Freshmen Team.

MOVING UP IN THE RPI

Heading into the ACC Tournament, the Panthers sit at 48 in the RPI, their highest ranking of the season. Pitt has played four teams in the top-50 RPI, including Florida State, who was sixth the week the two teams went head-to-head.
The Panthers also received votes in the USA Today / NFCA Coaches Poll for the first time this season.

DOUBLE OR NOTHING

Pitt's defense ranks first in the ACC with 0.65 double plays per game, good for third overall in the nation. The Panthers have turned 32 double plays this season.

GOING YARD

With 1.08 home runs per game, the Panthers sit 15^th in the nation this week in the category. In the ACC, the squad holds the top spot. Pitt has blasted 53 long balls in 49 games.
Pitt has seen 11 different players hit a home run, including a team-leading 15 bombs by senior Giorgiana Zeremenko, who ranks 26^th in the nation in home runs, while also ranking 26^th in the nation in home runs per game (0.31). Both rank second in the ACC.
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 two home runs away from tying her own record and three away from breaking it, as her 15 home runs in 2018 is tied for second overall in program history for a single season. She now has 46 in her career.

MYERS MAKING MOVES IN ACC PLAY

Seeing substantial playing time for the first time in her career, junior Taylor Myers has proven to be an asset both at the plate and in the outfield for the Panthers.
In conference play, Myers owns a .276 batting average. In 58 at-bats, she has produced 16 hits while adding four doubles and one long ball. The junior has also racked up seven RBIs and 10 runs. Myers has also been hit by a pitch four times in conference play, which is tied for first on the team.
Defensively, she has seen her time in the outfield increase, playing all three positions. She owns 33 putouts in ACC play.
Overall, Myers is batting .252 with 26 hits and 12 RBIs, while boasting 56 putouts, one assist and one error in the field to make for a .983 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 (.348), hits (48), doubles (10), home runs (15), slugging percentage (.746) and walks (33).
She boasts 13 multi-hit games, seven multi-RBI games and has reached base in the last 15 games.
In conference play, Zeremenko has been unstoppable, tallying 24 hits in 59 at-bats for a .407 average. She has recorded four doubles and seven home runs in 22 games, while producing 14 RBIs and 14 runs scored. Zeremenko has reached base in over 55 percent of her appearances.
She ranks 26^th in the nation in home runs, while also ranking 26^th in the nation in home runs per game (0.31). Both rank second in the ACC.
With a team-leading 15 home runs, Zeremenko is just two away from tying her own single-season record of 17 long balls and three away from breaking it, as her 2018 total is tied for second overall in program history for a single season.
Zeremenko became the all-time leader in the career category at the B1G/ACC Challenge earlier this season, notching her 35^th career home run. She now has 46 total 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.

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 .307 career average with 127 hits.
This season, Gray is hitting .309 with 47 hits. She leads the team with 15 multi-hit games and has reached base safely in 15 consecutive games, which is tied for the longest streak on the squad.
The junior was awarded ACC Player of the Week honors after a standout week in which Pitt won four games. In three starts against Virginia, she batted .500 with three extra base hits, good for a 1.000 slugging percentage, while collecting five RBIs.
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.

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 28 out of the past 31 games and is hitting .265 on the season with 39 hits, 41 runs scored and 26 RBIs.
In Pitt's final series of the regular season against Louisville, Taylor went 4-for-7 in the two-game matchup while adding a double, two home runs and six RBIs. In game two against the Cardinals, the senior recorded a season-high tying four RBIs after blasting a solo shot to left field and a bases-clearing double in the contest.
At Kent State, Taylor recorded two hits, including a three-run long ball. Her two hits propelled her into the top five of the record book in hits. The senior now boasts 185 in her career and sits fourth overall in program history.
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 146 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 she 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 tied for second on the team with a .309 batting average to go along with 38 hits, 26 runs scored and four home runs.
The freshman posted a .500 batting average in Pitt's series against Virginia while collecting three RBIs, including a walk-off single in game two.
Levesque reached base in nine straight games during a span from March 8 to March 23.

KRUGER EMBRACING THE DP ROLE

Sophomore Kaitlyn Kruger, who has been utilized in the designated player role this season, has produced efficiently for the Panthers at the plate.
Kruger is batting .283 with 26 hits in 92 at-bats with four home runs and four doubles.

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, is currently hitting .276 and ranks third on the team with 42 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 15-2 on the season and 9-0 in ACC play. In 29 total appearances, 22 of which she started, she has tossed 12 complete games, including six shutouts. In 125.2 innings pitched, Harris has struck out 46, while giving up just 27 walks. She owns a 2.34 ERA.
After earning two wins against Marshall April 28, the senior moved up to second in program history for wins. She currently has 53 wins in her career. Harris is just three career victories away from tying for the top spot in the record book and four away from overtaking former standout pitcher Savannah King (56).
In conference play, Harris boasts a 2.58 ERA after 12 appearances and has held her opponents to a .257 batting 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 14-11 on the season with 22 starts. In a team-leading 137.2 innings pitched, she has struck out a team-high 73 batters and owns a 2.80 ERA.
The junior appeared in two games against Virginia, including a complete-game win. In total, she pitched nine innings, allowing just two runs while striking out three.
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 tying 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.

UP NEXT

If the Panthers win their quarterfinal game against No. 10 Virginia Tech, they will advance to the semifinals and play Friday, May 11 at 3:30 p.m. against either No. 3 seed North Carolina versus No. 6 seed Georgia Tech.

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No. 2 Seed Pitt Set for 2018 ACC Softball Tournament

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sarah Dawson

Gabrielle Fredericks

Olivia Gray

Kayla Harris

Brittany Knight

Kaitlyn Kruger

Hunter Levesque

Taylor Myers

Alexis Solak

McKayla Taylor

Giorgiana Zeremenko

No. 2 Seed Pitt Set for 2018 ACC Softball Tournament

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sarah Dawson

Gabrielle Fredericks

Olivia Gray

Kayla Harris

Brittany Knight

Kaitlyn Kruger

Hunter Levesque

Taylor Myers

Alexis Solak

McKayla Taylor

Giorgiana Zeremenko

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