Pitt to Host Doubleheader against Saint Francis (PA) Saturday

Photo by: Alex Mowrey/Pitt Athletics

Pitt to Host Doubleheader against Saint Francis (PA) Saturday

9/28/2018 5:30:00 PM | Softball

Panthers to Host Red Flash for Final Home Games of Fall Season

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh softball team is set to play its last home games of the fall season as it hosts a doubleheader against Saint Francis (PA) Saturday, Sept. 29 beginning at 2 p.m. at Ambrose Urbanic Field in the Petersen Sports Complex.

LAST TIME OUT

The Panthers split their doubleheader in Columbus, Ohio, after earning a 2-1 win against Wright State and recording a 6-2 loss to Ohio State Sunday, Sept. 23 at Buckeye Field.
Freshman Abby Edwards earned the win in game one against Wright State, combining with junior Brittany Knight to throw a four-hitter against the Raiders.
Senior Gabrielle Fredericks led Pitt offensively, using a two-RBI single to give the Panthers their only runs of the game.
Against the Buckeyes, freshman Kaytlyn Pavlick posted a 2-for-2 effort at the plate while adding an RBI, with senior Taylor Myers also contributing an RBI while going 1-for-3.

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 Fredericks, Myers, Sarah Dawson, Alexis Solak, Marissa DeMatteo, Olivia Gray, Taylor Rahach and Nava Susi, juniors Knight, Kaitlyn Kruger, Alexee Haynes and Connor McGaffic and sophomores Morgan Batesole, Brie Horrell and Hunter Levesque.
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 Edwards, Pavlick, Hannah Bach and Sarah Seamans.

SCOUTING THE RED FLASH

Saint Francis finished the 2018 spring season with a 39-19 overall record, including a perfect 16-0 mark in the Northeast Conference.
After winning the Northeast Conference Championship, the Red Flash advanced to the NCAA Tournament, where they suffered losses to Arizona and Mississippi State.
Saint Francis is led by head coach Jessica O'Donnell, who enters her first season with the Red Flash after spending the previous five seasons as the associate head coach at Villanova.
Offensively, the Red Flash are led by twins Cheyenne McKee and Sierra McKee. Cheyenne finished last season with a team-high .344 batting average and 53 runs to go along with 53 hits, 34 RBIs, 17 walks and eight home runs. Sierra recorded a team-high 11 doubles while recording a .331 batting average to go along with 34 runs, 32 RBIs, 19 walks and nine home runs.
Saint Francis has no returning pitchers from a season ago, losing both Abby Trahan and Adrian Smith. Trahan finished the 2018 spring season with a 28-12 record and 2.55 ERA, while Smith collected an 11-7 record to go along with a 2.74 ERA.

UP NEXT

The Panthers will close their fall season when they travel to Kent, Ohio, to take on the Golden Flashes Sunday, Oct. 7 at 2 p.m. at the Diamond at Dix.

#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook