Pitt Welcomes Virginia for Continued ACC Action
3/24/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Game Notes
Game 1: Live Stats |ESPN3
Game 2: Live Stats |ESPN3
Game 3: Live Stats |ESPN3
PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh softball team will welcome Virginia for a three-game series this weekend, as the two teams will square off beginning Friday, March 25 at 4 p.m. with a single game being played at Vartabedian Field. The Panthers and Cavaliers will conclude the series on Saturday, March 26 with a doubleheader that is slated to start at Noon.
Friday’s matchup versus Virginia (9-22, 0-6 ACC) marks the fourth of eight straight home games for Pitt (18-9, 2-4 ACC).
MULTIMEDIA
• All three games will be broadcast live on ESPN3 with Kevin Wheeler and Amanda Silay on the call. Live stats will also be available and can be found at PittsburghPanthers.com.
SERIES HISTORY
• The all-time series between the Panthers and Cavaliers is currently tied at 5-5.
• In 2015, Pitt went 2-1 against Virginia. In the final game of the series, the Panthers defeated the Cavaliers 10-2 in five innings of play.
LAST TIME OUT
• Pitt finished last weekend 2-1 against North Carolina in its home opener.
• The Panthers split the doubleheader with the Tar Heels on Saturday, winning game one 7-3, but fell in game two, 13-3 in six innings. Pitt won the series finale 11-3 in five innings of play.
• With Pitt’s first win over UNC, head coach Holly Aprile secured her 200th career win.
ZEREMENKO NAMED ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• Sophomore Giorgiana Zeremenko was tabbed ACC Player of the Week for her dominating performance in the Panthers first home series of the season over North Carolina, league officials announced Monday.
• Zeremenko went yard in all three games of the series and finished the weekend 5-of-9 from the plate, tallying six RBIs.
SOPHOMORE STANDOUT
• Zeremenko has been on a tear this season. She leads Pitt in nearly every offensive category, including batting average (.492), home runs (9), RBIs (35), total bases (64), slugging percentage (1.085) and on base percentage (.563).
• Zeremenko leads the ACC in batting average, slugging percentage and on base percentage, while ranking second in total bases (64). Her nine home runs are good for third in the ACC.
• Her 1.085 slugging percentage ranks her second in the nation while she ranks 11th in batting average.
• Zeremenko is two home runs away from entering the top-five all time in single-season home runs. She currently has nine and would be tied for fifth with two more. She’s on pace to break the record which Kelly Hmiel holds with 15 from the 2011 season.
GOING STREAKING
• Freshman Olivia Gray is currently on a nine-game hitting streak dating back to Pitt’s March 5 game at San Diego.
• Zeremenko currently holds a 13-game reached base streak dating back to the Panthers game against Providence on Feb. 28.
• Sophomore McKayla Taylor follows right behind Zeremenko with a 10-game reached base streak. Her streak goes back to Pitt’s game versus Grand Canyon on March 5.
IN THE RANKINGS
• Pitt leads the conference in slugging percentage (.548), doubles (48) and total bases (380). The Panthers rank second in the ACC in on base percentage (.425), runs scored (200), hits (227) and home runs (34). The team’s batting average of .329 is good for third in the conference as well.
• The Panthers have also been filling up the national statistical columns, ranking ninth in the nation in doubles per game (1.78), 14th in home runs per game (1.26) and scoring per game (7.41), 15th in slugging percentage (.548), and 17th in on base percentage (.425).
REPRESENTING THE WPIAL
• Local products Zeremenko (Canon McMillian), Gray (Trinity) and Erin Hershman (Mars) currently comprise the Panthers’ outfield.
SCOUTING VIRGINIA
• Virginia travels to Pittsburgh with an overall record of 9-22, including a 0-6 mark in the ACC.
• The Cavaliers split a mid-week doubleheader at Longwood on Wednesday, falling 7-1 in the first. Virginia bounced back to win the second 6-3.
• Prior to Longwood matchup, the Cavaliers were swept by Louisville.
LOOKING FORWARD
• Pitt will play its first mid-week matchup of the season in a doubleheader against St. Bonaventure (3-11) on Wednesday, March 30. The first of the two games is set to start at 3 p.m.
• The Panthers have already beaten the Bonnies twice this season, 10-0 and 9-1, both in five innings of play.
#H2P
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