Pitt
3-0
Mercer
2-1
Panthers' Offense Shines on Day Two of Mercer Invitational
2/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Game One Box | Game Two Box | Season Stats
MACON, Ga. - Powerful hitting led the University of Pittsburgh softball team to a successful second day at the Mercer Invitational as the Panthers defeated Mercer 19-1 and St. Bonaventure 9-1, both in five innings of play to move to 4-0 on the season.
In 52 at-bats on the day Pitt scored 28 runs, including 19 against Mercer, on 25 hits while recording 24 RBI.
"I couldn't be more proud of our team today for their focus and determination at the plate," head coach Holly Aprile said. "We made adjustments and stayed with our approach up and down the line up and the results showed."
The Panthers put up five homeruns, including two from sophomore McKayla Taylor. Taylor's first over the fence hit was a grand slam, Pitt's second of the season. Other homeruns came from freshman Alexis Solak, sophomore Erin Hershman and redshirt senior Maggie Sevilla. Sevilla's homerun was the 23rd of her career, which ties for second all-time in career homeruns in the Panthers' record book.
Hershman led the Panthers offensively today going 5-for-6 with two doubles in addition to her homerun. The Pittsburgh native now leads the team on the season with a .700 batting average and a .769 on base percentage.
On the mound, sophomore Kayla Harris earned her second win of the season, holding the bears to just one run on four hits. She struck out three and only walked two batters.
In game two, senior Jenna Modic held it down against the Bonnies, throwing a one-hitter while giving up just a single run. Modic struck out six in the game and only walked one batter.
Defensively the Panthers committed just one error in the field, while posting a .979 fielding percentage.
"Defensively I thought we were terrific as well and we pitched two very good games," Aprile said.
Game One: Pitt 19, Mercer 1 [Five Innings]
• Pitt earned its third win of the season defeating tournament host Mercer, 11-1, in five innings of play. This marks the Panthers' second run rule game this season.
• With two outs in the first inning, Kaitlin Manuel got the bats started for Pitt after she crushed a double down the right field line to score Sevilla and Taylor who reached base on a walk and a single, respectively. Hershman followed up with a tough hit to the shortstop which the Mercer infielder couldn't handle, scoring Manuel to make the score 3-0 at the end of the half inning.
• Following a scoreless second inning, the Panthers bats heated up again in the top of the third scoring three runs. Sevilla led off the inning with a double to left and was joined on the bases by Taylor who walked. Manuel, who came up big in the first inning performed again, this time singling to left to score Sevilla. With bases loaded following a Hershman walk, Solak singled up the middle for two RBI, which gave Pitt a 6-0 lead.
• The Panthers added three more runs to their total in the fourth inning, thanks to a three-run homer by Sevilla.
• Pitt's bats took over in the fifth, as the Panthers put up 10 runs on seven hits and an error. The Panthers scored eight of their 10 runs on three hits, all of which were home runs. Solak hit the first, followed by Taylor's grand slam and the final came from Hershman. A single with two on by redshirt senior Shelby Pickett would end the game, as the first run would score easily with the second to follow thanks to an error by the Bears.
Game Two: Pitt 9, St. Bonaventure 1 [Five Innings]
• Pitt took down St. Bonaventure for the second time in five innings, 9-1. The Panthers posted nine hits and did not commit any errors.
• Pitt jumped on the board in the first inning, scoring five runs on four hits and an error. Following a double by Pickett, Sevilla sent her home with a double of her own. Sevilla scored on the very next play, an error by the shortstop on Taylor's hit. With runners on first and third after a fielder's choice, Hershman doubled to left center to score Taylor. Senior Kathryn Duran knocked in the final two runs of the inning with a single to right center. The Panthers led 5-0 at the end of the first.
• Pitt let up its first run of the season in the top of the fourth inning when a wild pitch by Modic allowed a runner to score from third.
• The Panthers answered in the bottom of the fourth with three runs. Sevilla posted an RBI while Taylor's first homerun of the day brought around two more. Pitt had an 8-1 advantage following the inning.
• The Panthers scored their final run on a throwing error by the Bonnies, which allowed Hershman to score on a single up the middle by freshman Olivia Gray.
UP NEXT
Pitt will play in the championship game against Central Michigan at 2:15 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Harris, Kayla (2-0)
L: Jill McElderry (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Sevilla, Maggie 1 ; Manuel, Kaitlin 1 ; Hershman, Erin 1 ; Gray, Olivia 1
HR: Sevilla, Maggie 1 ; Taylor, McKayla 1 ; Hershman, Erin 1 ; Solak, Alexis 1
RBI: Pickett, Shelby 1 ; Sevilla, Maggie 3 ; Taylor, McKayla 4 ; Manuel, Kaitlin 3 ; Hershman, Erin 2 ; Solak, Alexis 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Pickett, Shelby 1 ; Myers, Taylor 1 ; Sevilla, Maggie 4 ; Taylor, McKayla 3 ; Modic, Jenna 1 ; Manuel, Kaitlin 2 ; Hershman, Erin 2 ; Solak, Alexis 2 ; Gray, Olivia 1 ; Sills, Ashlee 2
Batting:
RBI: Kaytlin Haney 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Quirisa Mauga 1
SB: Emma Andrew 1
