University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
19-10, 3-5
Virginia
10-23, 1-7
Panthers Split Doubleheader with Virginia
3/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score | Season Stats | ACC Stats
Game One Highlights | Game Two Highlights
Taylor Postgame Interview | Photo Gallery
PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh softball team split its doubleheader with ACC foe Virginia in a pair of home games Saturday afternoon at Vartabedian Field. After winning the first game, 11-3 in six innings, the Panthers fell to the Cavaliers 4-2 in the second tilt.
The performance on the afternoon saw Pitt [19-11, 3-6 ACC] drop the series to Virginia [11-23, 2-7 ACC] 2-1.
In the Panthers 11-3 win, Pitt posted four home runs, two of which were off the bat of sophomore McKayla Taylor. In the bottom of the fourth, freshman Olivia Gray led off the inning with a solo shot, while redshirt senior Maggie Sevilla and Taylor each added one of their own. Taylor crushed her second over the scoreboard in left field in the bottom of the sixth.
Taylor finished the day going 3-for-7 with two homeruns, two RBIs and three runs scored. She concluded the weekend with a .455 average after producing five hits in 11 at-bats.
On the mound, Kayla Harris earned the win for the Panthers in game one, while senior Jenna Modic earned the save as she held Virginia to no hits and fanned two batters to keep Pitt ahead.
On the weekend, Modic finished with a 2.33 ERA and six strikeouts in 12.0 innings pitched.
Game One: Pitt 11, Virginia 3 [Six Innings]
• Pitt took care of the Virginia Cavaliers in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, 11-3.
• Harris earned the win on the mound, giving up three earned runs in 3.2 innings pitched. She was relieved of her duties in the top of the fifth by Modic, who gave up no runs through the remainder of the game.
• The Cavaliers took the lead in the first inning. Iyana Hughes reached base on a walk and proceeded to steal second base. A sacrifice bunt moved her over and a sacrifice fly from Kaitlin Fitzgerald drove her in to give Virginia the early 1-0 lead.
• Aided by two fielding errors from the Cavaliers, the Panthers were able to strike in the second inning. Modic and junior Kaitlin Manuel both reached one errors putting runners on second and third. Following a sub allowing Ashlee Sills to pinch run for Modic, sophomore Erin Hershman lined a ball to center field which drove in both runners and gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead.
• Virginia tied the game in the third inning. Aime Chapdelaine led off with the single and then stole second base. After being moved over on a sacrifice, Chapdelaine scored after Allie Arneson beat out a throw from Taylor at short for an infield single.
• Pitt had a productive third inning when control issues plagued UVA pitcher Lacy Smith. After loading the bases courtesy of two hit batters, Modic hit a sacrifice fly to restore Pitt’s lead. Manuel was walked to drive in another run after sophomore Giorgiana Zeremenko was intentionally walked to load the bases once again. With freshman Alexis Solak up at bat, a wild pitch scored Taylor. The Panthers led, 5-2.
• The Cavaliers cut the Panthers lead to 5-3 in the fourth inning after Kaitlin Fitzgerald singled to lead off the innings and scored on a single by Allison Davis.
• Pitt strung together runs for a third straight inning in the fourth to take an 8-3 lead, thanks to three solo shots. Gray, Sevilla and Taylor went yard in the 4th frame against Allison Davis, who relieved Smith.
• The Panthers extended their lead in the fifth thanks to a couple of singles. Solak placed one in left field and was then pinch ran for by senior Morgan Choe. Choe stole second base with one out and advanced to third on a groundout by Gray. Redshirt senior Shelby Pickett then drove Choe in to give Pitt a 9-3 lead.
• After holding UVA in the top of the sixth, Taylor led off the bottom half of the inning with a solo blast that cleared the scoreboard, which marked her second home run on the day. Modic followed that up with a single. After a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly, Manuel hit a ball up the middle to bring in Modic and give the Panthers the 11-3 victory in six innings.
Game Two: Pitt 2, Virginia 4
• The Panthers dropped game two of the doubleheader, 4-2, to lose the series 2-1.
• Modic pitched all seven innings and earned the loss.
• Virginia got on the board first, scoring one run in the top of the third inning, courtesy of a line drive solo home run from Davis.
• Pitt and UVA were both unable to score in the next three innings, as the Panthers stranded at least a single runner on base every inning.
• The Cavaliers put up three runs in the top half of the inning, thanks to a three-run blast by Iyana Hughes following a single and a walk.
• Pitt’s comeback fell short the team could only push across two final runs in the seventh. Hershman, who singled to start things off, was joined by Pickett on the bases after a fielding error by the second baseman. A passed ball moved Pickett to second, setting up runners in scoring position for Sevilla. Sevilla knocked a single through the right side scoring both Hershman and Pickett. However with two outs, Taylor popped up to short to end the game.
Up Next
• The Panthers will welcome St. Bonaventure to Vartabedian Field for a Wednesday afternoon doubleheader on March 30. First pitch is slated to begin at 3 p.m.
#H2P
• For all things Pitt softball, follow the team on Twitter and Instagram.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Harris, Kayla (10-8)
L: Lacy Smith (2-6)
S: Modic, Jenna (2)
Batting:
RBI: Allie Arneson 1 ; Kaitlin Fitzgerald 1 ; Allison Davis 1
SH: Allie Arneson 1
SF: Kaitlin Fitzgerald 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Iyana Hughes 1 ; Kaitlin Fitzgerald 1 ; Aimee Chapdelaine 1
SB: Iyana Hughes 1 ; Aimee Chapdelaine 1
CS: Allie Arneson 2
Batting:
HR: Sevilla, Maggie 1 ; Taylor, McKayla 2 ; Gray, Olivia 1
RBI: Pickett, Shelby 1 ; Sevilla, Maggie 1 ; Taylor, McKayla 2 ; Modic, Jenna 1 ; Manuel, Kaitlin 2 ; Hershman, Erin 2 ; Gray, Olivia 1
SF: Modic, Jenna 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pickett, Shelby 1 ; Sevilla, Maggie 2 ; Taylor, McKayla 3 ; Modic, Jenna 1 ; Sills, Ashlee 1 ; Manuel, Kaitlin 1 ; Choe, Morgan 1 ; Gray, Olivia 1
SB: Choe, Morgan 1
HBP: Pickett, Shelby 1 ; Taylor, McKayla 1
