Pitt to Face Kent State in Fall Ball Finale

Photo by: Alex Mowrey/Pitt Athletics

Pitt to Face Kent State in Fall Ball Finale

10/6/2018 3:33:00 PM | Softball

Panthers to Face Golden Flash Sunday in Final Game of Fall Season

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh softball team is set for its final game of the fall season as it takes on Kent State Sunday, Oct. 7 at 2 p.m. at the Diamond at Dix in Kent, Ohio.

LAST TIME OUT

The Panthers took both games in their doubleheader against Saint Francis (PA), earning a 12-2 and 7-3 victory against the Red Flash Saturday, Sept. 29 at Vartabedian Field.
Junior Brittany Knight earned the start in game one for Pitt, where she delivered an impressive showing in the circle, recording the win after throwing six innings and allowing just four hits and one run while striking out five.
At the plate, the Panther offense put on a show, with every starter recording at least one hit in the game. Junior Kaitlyn Kruger boasted a 2-for-4 effort while collecting a double, triple and RBI. Knight also showed her abilities at the plate, going a perfect 2-for-2 in the game. Freshman Sarah Seamans went 1-for-1 at the plate, blasting a three-run long ball in her only at-bat. Senior Gabrielle Fredericks also collected a home run in the matchup while going 1-for-3 with a walk.
In game two, senior Sarah Dawson earned the complete-game win after throwing seven innings and allowing just five hits and three runs to go along with three strikeouts.
The Panther offense once again impressed in game two. Freshman Katlyn Pavlick led the way with a 3-for-3 showing while adding three runs, three RBIs, a home run and a double. Junior Alexee Haynes added a 2-for-2 effort to go along with two RBIs, while sophomore Hunter Levesque went 1-for-3 with a solo shot over the right field wall.

RETURNEES

Pitt return's 15 players from a roster that won its first ACC Coastal Division Championship in program history a season ago. Returning to the team are seniors Dawson, Fredericks, Marissa DeMatteo, Olivia Gray, Taylor Myers, Taylor Rahach, Alexis Solak and Nava Susi, juniors Knight, Kruger, Haynes and Connor McGaffic and sophomores Levesque, Morgan Batesole and Brie Horrell.
Among the returnees are multiple key contributors to last year's success. Kruger earned NFCA All-Mid-Atlantic Region Third Team recognition a season ago, while Gray received First Team All-ACC honors and Levesque was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team.

NEWCOMERS

The Panthers also welcome four newcomers to the team in freshmen Pavlick, Seamans, Hannah Bach and Abby Edwards.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN FLASH

Kent State finished the 2018 spring season with a 29-23 overall record, including a 14-9 mark in MAC action.
The Golden Flash are led by head coach Eric Oakley, who enters his fourth season with the program. Oakley has compiled a 99-73 (.576) record during his time with Kent State and a 152-201-1 (.431) career record during his seven years as a head coach.
Offensively, Kent State is led by sophomore Kennadie Goth, who finished last season with a .403 batting average to go along with 56 hits, 31 runs, 11 stolen bases and eight walks.
In the circle, the Golden Flash return last year's ace in junior Madi Huck, who closed the season with team-best 2.68 ERA while going 18-9 and collecting 120 strikeouts and seven shutouts in 180.1 innings pitched.

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