Pitt to Host No. 24 Virginia Tech for first ACC Home Series

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh softball team will host No. 24 Virginia Tech for a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) series beginning Friday, March 22 at Vartabedian Field in the Petersen Sports Complex.

THE SCHEDULE

The Panthers will open their series against the Hokies with a 5 p.m. contest Friday, March 22.
Pitt will then face Virginia Tech on Saturday at 4 p.m.
The Panthers will close out their three-game slate with the Hokies on Sunday with a 12 p.m. contest.

HOW TO FOLLOW

Live stats will be available for all games.
Fans can watch the contests on ACC Network Extra.
Fans can also follow @Pitt_SB on Twitter for live in-game updates.

LAST TIME OUT

Pitt dropped its home opener to Ohio, 11-9, in an extra-innings battle Tuesday, March 19 at Vartabedian Field.
The Bobcats used a six-run seventh inning to take a 9-4 lead before the Panthers answered back in the bottom of the frame with five runs of their own, tying the contest and sending it into extras, where Ohio would ultimately come out on top.
The Panthers utilized three pitchers on the mound in senior Taylor Rahach, redshirt sophomore Brittany Knight and freshman Abby Edwards. The trio combined to allow nine earned runs while striking out six through 10 innings of play.
Pitt produced at the plate, collecting 11 hits from eight different players. Sophomore Hunter Levesque led the way with a 2-for-4 effort, adding four RBIs, three runs, two home runs and one walk. Senior Gabrielle Fredericks and junior Walker Barbee both recorded two hits on the day as well, with Fredericks adding a long ball in the contest. Senior Alexis Solak, junior Alexee Haynes, sophomores Morgan Batesole and Chandler Walter and freshman Katlyn Pavlick all recorded one hit apiece in the matchup, with Haynes adding a grand slam in the seventh frame.

FACING A STRONG SCHEDULE

The Panthers face a tough schedule in the 2019 season, one that features two teams that finished in the top 25 of the NFCA Coaches Poll last year, including No. 6 Oregon, who advanced to the College World Series in last year's NCAA Tournament.
Pitt also faces a total of nine NCAA Tournament teams from a season ago.
The Panthers' schedule currently features five teams that are either ranked or receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Poll, while five opponents also fit that criteria in the ESPN/USA Softball Poll.

LOOKING BACK AT LAST YEAR'S ACC SUCCESS

Pitt went 16-6 in conference play during the 2018 season, winning seven of its eight ACC series.
Both marks were a program high since joining the league in 2014.
The Panthers' strong play in conference led to their first ACC Coastal Division Championship in program history.

PAVLICK PUTTING UP NUMBERS

Freshman Katlyn Pavlick has had an impressive start to her Panther career offensively.
On the season, Pavlick ranks first on the team in batting average (.286), on-base percentage (.419), slugging percentage (.571), total bases (40), hits (20), runs (18) walks (16), home runs (five) and doubles (five).
Pavlick hit a leadoff long ball in her first career at-bat for Pitt, going on the close out the Panthers season-opening weekend at the Cougar Classic (Feb. 8-10) ranked first on the team in runs (five) and home runs (two), tied for first in hits (six) and second in both batting average (.429) and walks (three).
In Pitt's third tournament of the season from Feb. 22-24, Pavlick accumulated a .500 on-base percentage to go along with a .273 batting average, five walks, three hits, three runs and one double at the UCF Knight's Classic.
In the Panthers' first ACC series against Virginia from March 9-10, the freshman hit .500 through three games, adding five runs, four hits, four walks, two home runs and a double.
Pavlick hit for a .444 average in the Panthers' series against Duke from March 15-17, adding four hits, four RBIs, two doubles and two walks. The freshman was a big factor in helping Pitt to collect its first ACC win of the season, going 2-for-2 with two doubles, two RBIs and two walks in the Panthers' 5-3 victory against the Blue Devils Sunday, March 17.

LOOK OUT FOR LEVESQUE

Coming off a 2018 season in which she garnered ACC All-Freshman Team recognition, sophomore Hunter Levesque has continued to be a constant in Pitt's starting lineup this season.
The Troy, N.Y., native is one of just two Panther players to start all 26 games on the season, and currently ranks first on the team in RBIs (13), second in total bases (34), runs (11), walks (eight) and home runs (four) while tying for second in doubles (four) and ranking third in hits (16).
Levesque ranked third on the team with a .357 batting average at the conclusion of the Panthers season-opening weekend at the Cougar Classic (Feb. 8-10), adding five hits, three RBIs, two runs and two walks.
The sophomore batted .333 in Pitt's ACC series against Duke from March 15-17, collecting three hits, two doubles and one RBI.

BATESOLE'S GOT A BAT

Following her insertion into the starting lineup Feb. 23, sophomore Morgan Batesole has been a consistent presence at the plate for Pitt.
In 39 at bats, Batesole sports a .282 batting average, adding 11 hits, five runs, four RBIs, two walks and one double.
In the Panthers' first ACC series against Virginia from March 9-10, the Walnut Creek, Calif., native hit for a .429 average through three games, collecting three hits to go along with one RBI and one run.

HAYNES WITH THE HOT HAND

Junior Alexee Haynes has had a hot hand at the plate in her last 10 games, amassing a .314 batting average while adding 11 hits, eight RBIs, two runs, two walks, two home runs and one double during that span.
On the year, Haynes owns a .263 average to go along with 15 hits, 10 RBIs, four walks, three runs, two home runs, one triple and one double.
The sophomore hit for a .417 average at the Ole Miss Classic from March 1-3, adding five hits, two RBIs and one walk in four games.
In the Panthers' first ACC series against Virginia from March 9-10, Haynes batted .364 to go along with four hits, one RBI, one double and one walk through three games.
The Charleston, W.V., native recorded just the 14^th grand slam in program history Tuesday, March 19 in Pitt's matchup against Ohio.

FREDERICKS FINDING HER FOOTING AT THE PLATE

After a relatively slow start to the season offensively, senior Gabrielle Fredericks has found her footing at the plate as of late, ranking second on the team in batting average (.333) and on-base percentage (.412) during the Panthers' past 10 games.
During that span, she has also collected 10 hits, five RBIs, four walks, three home runs, three runs and one double.
On the season, Fredericks owns a .263 batting average to go along with 15 hits, six RBIs, five walks, four doubles, three home runs and three runs.
The New Philadelphia, Ohio, native batted .375 in Pitt's three-game ACC series against Virginia from March 9-10, collecting three hits, two RBIs, two walks and one home run.

GRAY GOT GAME

The conference released its first-ever Preseason All-ACC Team Tuesday, Jan. 29, with senior Olivia Gray being selected as one of its 15 members.
Gray garnered All-ACC First Team recognition following a 2018 campaign that saw her record a .311 batting average to go along with 50 hits, 29 runs, 25 RBIs, eight doubles and four home runs.
Gray finished the 2018 season with 173 assists, which ranks third in single-season program history. She also collected 10 assists in a matchup with UCF Feb. 12, 2017, which is the top single-game mark in program history.
In Pitt's season-opening tournament at the Cougar Classic from Feb. 8-10, Gray finished the weekend with a .333 batting average while ranking first on the team in doubles (four) and tying for the team-lead in hits (six). She also added four runs and three RBIs in the team's five contests.

THE SERIES – VIRGINIA TECH

The Hokies hold a 17-10 all-time edge over the Panthers in a series that dates back to 1999.
In the teams' most recent meeting, Pitt earned a 6-4 victory over Virginia Tech in the 2018 ACC Tournament following former Panther McKayla Taylor's walk-off grand slam.
The Panthers have won their last six meetings against the Hokies.

SCOUTING THE HOKIES

Virginia Tech enters Friday's contest with a 24-4 [5-1 ACC] record, most recently earning a 9-7 win over Lipscomb Wednesday, March 20.
The Hokies are currently ranked No. 24 in the ESPN/USA Softball Poll, their highest ranking of the season. The squad is also receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll.
Offensively, Virginia Tech currently has five regulars hitting .350 or better on the season, with sophomore Darby Trull leading the team at .452.
In the circle, two Hokies own sub-3.00 ERAs. Junior Carrie Eberle currently sports a 1.71 ERA to go along with a 15-1 record, while sophomore Keely Rochard sits a 2.21 while going 9-3 on the year.

UP NEXT

Following their three-game series with Virginia Tech, the Panthers will host in-state rival Penn State at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 27 at Vartabedian Field in the Petersen Sports Complex.

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Pitt to Host No. 24 Virginia Tech for first ACC Home Series

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Walker Barbee

Morgan Batesole

Abby Edwards

Gabrielle Fredericks

Olivia Gray

Alexee Haynes

Brittany Knight

Hunter Levesque

Katlyn Pavlick

Taylor Rahach

Alexis Solak

McKayla Taylor

Chandler Walter

Pitt to Host No. 24 Virginia Tech for first ACC Home Series

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Walker Barbee

Morgan Batesole

Abby Edwards

Gabrielle Fredericks

Olivia Gray

Alexee Haynes

Brittany Knight

Hunter Levesque

Katlyn Pavlick

Taylor Rahach

Alexis Solak

McKayla Taylor

Chandler Walter

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