Pitt Finishes 2-0 on Day One of Stetson Invitational

Friday, February 26

DeLand, Fla.

12:15 PM

Pitt

8-4

Southern Illinois

5-4

Southern Illinois

Pitt

Pitt Finishes 2-0 on Day One of Stetson Invitational

2/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Feb. 26, 2016

Game One Box | Game Two Box | Season Stats

DELAND, Fla. – The University of Pittsburgh softball team finished the first day of the Stetson Invitational with a 2-0 record, after defeating Colgate and Southern Illinois at Patricia Wilson Field in DeLand, Fla.

The Panthers [8-4] first defeated Colgate [0-1] 7-4 and then retired Southern Illinois [5-4] in just five innings of play by a score of 8-0. This marks Pitt’s sixth shortened game this season.

“Kayla [Harris] did a great job today with strong innings in both games,” head coach Holly Aprile said. “We are battling at the plate and we significantly improved our quality at-bats today.”

On the mound, sophomore Kayla Harris got back in the win column, earing both victories today to move to 4-4 on the season. Harris struck out eight and gave up no runs in two appearances, which included a shutout performance against the Solukis.

The Panthers produced 15 runs on 14 hits and saw 14 walks issued between the two games. Junior Kaitlin Manuel and senior Ashlee Sills both produced three hits apiece for the Panthers, while senior Kathryn Duran and sophomore Erin Hershman were each walked three times.

Game One: Pitt 7, Colgate 4

• Pitt began the day defeating the Raiders 7-4 with Harris earning the win.

• Senior Jenna Modic started the game on the mound for Pitt.

• After a scoreless first inning, Pitt jumped on the board in the top of the second thanks to a three-run blast over the left field fence by sophomore Giorgiana Zeremenko. Zeremenko brought around Hershman, who got on base due to a fielding error by the shortstop and Manuel who singled to left field.

• Colgate cut the Panthers' lead to two runs after putting a single digit in the bottom half of the inning. Gillian Murry singled to begin the inning and was brought around on a single to center field by Katie Bushee.

• The Panthers earned a 4-1 lead in the third. Leadoff hitter Maggie Sevilla reached first on a throwing error by short and advanced to second when the ball trickled into the outfield. On the next play, sophomore McKayla Taylor hit a single to center, allowing Sevilla to move to third. Sevilla scored when the Raiders attempted to catch Taylor returning to second base after a line drive hit by Modic was caught.

• Colgate put another run up in the bottom of the third to bring the score to 4-2, with Pitt still in the lead.

• Freshman Sarah Dawson entered on the mound for the Panthers at the beginning of the fourth.

• A two-run homer in the fifth by Colgate’s Murry tied the game at 4-4, prompting another pitching change by the Panthers. Harris entered the game with one out and one on in the same inning.

• From that point, Colgate remained scoreless the rest of the game as Harris struck out four of her 11 batters faced.

• The deciding runs came in the top of the seventh inning, as Pitt put three up to end the game. The Panthers runs came on a bases-loaded walk to Hershman and a bases-loaded double by Solak.

Game Two: Pitt 8, Southern Illinois 0 [Five Innings]

• The Panthers earned its second win of the day after defeating Southern Illinois 8-0 in five innings of play. Harris pitched every inning, shutting out the Salukis.

• Pitt got things going in the bottom of the second, posting a single run. Freshman Olivia Gray singled up the middle to bring around Manuel who was on third. Manuel hit a single to get on base and was moved to second following a Duran walk. Both runners advanced to third on a wild pitch to set up the scoring play.

• The Panthers tacked on an additional two runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 3-0 lead. SIU’s pitcher issued four walks in the inning, one of which was with bases-loaded, allowing the initial run that inning to cross the plate. Pitt’s third run came on a sacrifice fly by Taylor with bases loaded.

• The Panthers would end the game in the fifth, scoring five runs on two hits. Pitt’s first run came after a bases-loaded walk, and scored the following two on the next two at-bats as Gray and redshirt senior Shelby Pickett were both hit by pitches with the bases still loaded. Back-to-back sacrifice flies by Sevilla and Taylor allowed the final two runs to cross the plate.

UP NEXT

Pitt continues play on Saturday at 10 a.m. when they take on former Big East foe Providence. The Panthers will play its second game of the day at 4:30 p.m. against Stetson.

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