Panthers Return Home for Georgia Tech Series

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh softball team will return home this weekend for a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) series against Georgia Tech at Vartabedian Field.

THE SCHEDULE

The Panthers [20-15-1, 9-5 ACC] will begin their series against the Yellow Jackets [21-18, 7-5 ACC] with a doubleheader Friday, April 13 starting at 4 p.m. before concluding the series Saturday, April 14 at 1 p.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW

All games will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra through WatchESPN.
Live stats will be available for all games.
Fans can also follow @Pitt_SB on Twitter for live in-game updates.

LAST TIME OUT

Pitt took one out of three games in its ACC series against No. 13/9 Florida State last weekend, marking its first ACC series loss of the season. The Panthers played a doubleheader Friday, dropping game one 2-1 after a walk-off by the Seminoles before bouncing back with a 1-0 extra-innings win. Pitt then dropped game three to Florida State, 8-0, Sunday.
The Panthers' win against the Seminoles broke Florida State's 36-game conference win streak, which dated back to the 2016 season and was the fifth-longest streak in NCAA history.
Junior Sarah Dawson earned the start in game one of the series, allowing eight hits and just two runs in 6.1 innings on the mound.
Senior Kayla Harris entered the circle for game two, earning a complete game shutout after allowing nine hits and striking out two in eight innings of play. Harris' outstanding effort later earned her ACC Pitcher of the Week honors.
Both Dawson and junior Taylor Rahach saw the rubber in game three. Dawson surrendered six runs in 1.2 innings, while Rahach allowed two runs in three innings of relief work.
Offensively, freshman Hunter Levesque had the Panthers strongest showing in the series, going 3-for-7 with a double and a run.
Junior Olivia Gray recorded two hits in the series, with one sending in junior Marissa DeMatteo for the game-winning run against Florida State in the eighth inning of game two. Gray also came up big defensively in the eighth, snagging a high line drive to short before tagging out a runner at second for a clutch double play that helped the Panthers seal the game.
Senior Giorgiana Zeremenko also finished the series with two hits, while adding a double.

THE SERIES

Pitt and Georgia Tech have met 16 times in program history, with the Panthers owning a 10-6 all-time series edge over the Yellow Jackets.
The Panthers and Yellow Jackets have traded wins in their last six meetings.
Pitt owns a 4-2 home record against Georgia Tech.

SCOUTING GEORGIA TECH

Georgia Tech enters the weekend series with a 21-18 overall record and a 7-5 mark in the ACC.
The Yellow Jackets are coming off a 1-0 extra-innings loss to Kennesaw State.
Georgia Tech is led in the circle by senior Emily Anderson, who owns a 14-10 record in 30 appearances, including 20 complete games and five shutouts. In 174.1 innings on the mound, Anderson sports a 2.01 ERA to go along with 151 strikeouts.
At the plate, the Yellow Jackets have one regular hitting over .300 on the season in freshman Cameron Stanford. Stanford sports a .320 batting average to go along with six home runs, 17 RBIs and a team-high 26 runs. Junior Katie Krzus, who is hitting .292 on the season, leads the team in home runs (8), RBIs (28) and hits (35).

GOING YARD

With 1.00 home runs per game, the Panthers sit 28^th in the nation this week in the category. In the ACC, the squad holds the fourth spot. Pitt has blasted 36 long balls in 36 games.
Pitt has seen 11 different players hit a home run, including a team-leading 11 bombs by senior Giorgiana Zeremenko, who ranks 31^stin the nation in home runs and first in the ACC while also ranking 35^th in the nation in home runs per game.
Zeremenko became the all-time leader in the category at the B1G/ACC Challenge, notching her 35^th career home run. She was the leading home run hitter for Pitt the past two seasons, including 2016, when she set the single-season record with 17. She now has 42 in her career.

DOUBLE OR NOTHING

Pitt's defense ranks first in the ACC with 0.67 double plays per game, good for third overall in the nation. The Panthers have turned 24 double plays this season.

MYERS MAKING MOVES IN ACC PLAY

Seeing substantial playing time for the first time in her career, junior Taylor Myers has proved to be an asset both at the plate and in the outfield for the Panthers.
In conference play, Myers ranks third on the team with a .324 batting average. In 37 at-bats, she has produced 12 hits while adding three doubles and one long ball. The junior has also racked up six RBIs and six runs scored. Myers has also been hit with a team-leading four pitches.
Defensively, she has seen her time in the outfield increase, playing all three positions. She owns 23 putouts in ACC play.
Overall, Myers is batting .255 with 17 hits and eight RBIs, while boasting 43 putouts, one assist and one error in the field.

THE ZEREMENKO ZONE

Senior Giorgiana Zeremenko has been on a wrath at the plate in 2018 for the Panthers.
On the season, the Canonsburg, Pa., native is leading the team in multiple categories including average (.349), hits (38), doubles (10), home runs (11), slugging percentage (.743) and walks (18).
In conference play, Zeremenko has been unstoppable, tallying 16 hits in 38 at-bats for a .421 average. She has recorded four doubles and four home runs in 14 games, while producing seven RBIs and eight runs scored. Zeremenko has reached base in over 55 percent of her appearances.
She ranks 31^st in the nation in home runs and first in the ACC, while also ranking 35^th in the nation in home runs per game.
After cranking a home run to right center in her first at-bat against Duke, Zeremenko was intentionally walked four times in Pitt's doubleheader against the Blue Devils March 31. In the three game series, she finished 2-for-6 with five walks, two runs, one home run and one RBI.

TAYLOR AT THE PLATE

In her final season with the Panthers, senior McKayla Taylor continues her dominance at the plate.
Taylor has reached base in 16 out of the past 18 games and is hitting .255 on the season with 27 hits, 25 runs scored and 13 RBIs.
Against NC State, Taylor recorded her 128^th RBI, setting a new program record as she passed Holly Stevens, who set the record with 127 from 2010-13. The senior now has 133 in her career.
Her record-breaking weekend saw her record six hits in 11 at-bats to hit .545 against the Wolfpack. The senior put up four RBIs and scored twice. Two of Taylor's hits were for extra bases as he blasted a three-run homer and an RBI-double in game two. On the weekend, she finished with a .909 slugging percentage and a .583 on-base percentage.
She was perfect in game two of the NC State series, reaching base in all four appearances at the plate. She went 3-for-3 with a homer, double and was hit by a pitch. Taylor also posted a team-leading four RBIs. She continued her dominance in game three, producing three singles in her first three at-bats. Defensively, Taylor finished the weekend at third perfectly with 13 assists and three putouts.

FRESHMAN STANDOUT

After starting the season out in the bottom of the batting order, freshman Hunter Levesque worked her way into the top half of the order after picking up her game.
Levesque ranks second on the team with a .291 batting average to go along with 25 hits, 14 runs scored and two home runs.
The freshman reached base in nine straight games during a span from March 8 to March 23.

SOLAK SHOWING OFF

Junior Alexis Solak has proven to be one of the Panthers most consistent hitters at the plate.
The junior boasts eight games in which she has recorded multiple hits and has reached base in 11 of the last 15 games.
Solak is currently hitting .261 and ranks third on the team with 30 hits.
From Feb. 10 to Feb. 24, Solak reached the base paths in 10 straight games.

HARRIS' LAST HURRAH

Senior pitcher Kayla Harris looks to finish out her career in the circle for the Panthers on a high note.
Harris is currently 8-1 on the season in and 5-0 in ACC play. In 19 total appearances, 14 of which she started, Harris has tossed eight complete games, including five shutouts.
In 86.2 innings pitched, Harris has struck out 31, while giving up just 15 walks.
In conference play, Harris boasts a 1.24 ERA after six appearances and has held her opponents to a .213 average.
Against Virginia Tech, she tossed a complete-game shutout, giving up just four hits to the Hokies, while holding them scoreless. While facing 26 batters, she allowed just one walk.
While facing No. 13/9 Florida State, the senior posted a complete game shutout after the Panthers earned a 1-0 extra-innings win. Pitt's victory snapped the Seminoles 36-game conference win streak, which was the fifth-longest streak in NCAA history. Harris' outstanding effort later earned her ACC Pitcher of the Week honors.

DOMINANT DAWSON

Junior pitcher Sarah Dawson has been dominant in the circle for Pitt so far in 2018.
Dawson is currently 10-10 on the season. In a team leading 99.1 innings pitched, she has struck out 48 batters and owns a 2.68 ERA.
In a win over Coastal Carolina, Dawson pitched a complete game and struck out a career-high seven batters.
At the B1G/ACC Challenge, the junior gave up just five earned runs in 13.1 innings pitched, while striking out 11 total batters. Four of those earned runs came in the opening game of the weekend, leaving Dawson almost perfect after that.
Against Illinois Feb. 18, Dawson started the game and pitched all but one frame in the five-inning game, as she and Brittany Knight combined to toss the team's first shutout victory, 9-0. Dawson struck out five on the day and walked just one batter against the Illini.

LOCAL LEADER

Local product Olivia Gray, who hails from Washington, Pa., just south of Pittsburgh and attended Trinity High School, has grown to become one of Pitt's top players.
Gray, who started all of 2017 at third base and the beginning of the 2018 slate, has since become the starting shortstop. She boasts a .299 career average with 112 hits.
This season, Gray is hitting .286 with 32 hits, including six extra-base hits.
Against the Hokies, Gray went 4-for-6 at the plate with three RBIs and a walk. She posted a .625 on base percentage and slugged .667. In the opening game of the series, Gray was perfect, going 3-for-3. She tallied every RBI for the Panthers to lead Pitt to a win. In game two, she reached base twice, producing a single and a walk. Defensively Gray completed five putouts.
Gray hit .353 in the team's opening weekend tournament boasting a team-leading six hits, including one triple and four runs scored.

UP NEXT

Pitt will travel to Kent, Ohio, for a midweek game against Kent State Wednesday, April 18 at 4 p.m.

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Panthers Return Home for Georgia Tech Series

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sarah Dawson

Marissa DeMatteo

Olivia Gray

Kayla Harris

Brittany Knight

Hunter Levesque

Taylor Myers

Taylor Rahach

Alexis Solak

McKayla Taylor

Giorgiana Zeremenko

Panthers Return Home for Georgia Tech Series

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sarah Dawson

Marissa DeMatteo

Olivia Gray

Kayla Harris

Brittany Knight

Hunter Levesque

Taylor Myers

Taylor Rahach

Alexis Solak

McKayla Taylor

Giorgiana Zeremenko

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