Pitt to Host Penn State in Midweek Matchup

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh softball team will face in-state rival Penn State for a non-conference matchup 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 27 at Vartabedian Field in the Petersen Sports Complex.

HOW TO FOLLOW

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

LAST TIME OUT

Pitt dropped three contests to No. 24 Virginia Tech in its ACC weekend series from March 23-24, moving to 4-25 [1-8 ACC] on the season.

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 six teams that are either ranked or receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Poll, while six opponents also fit that criteria in the ESPN/USA Softball Poll.

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 (.303), on-base percentage (.442), slugging percentage (.566), total bases (43), hits (23), runs (20) walks (19), 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 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 29 games on the season, and currently ranks first on the team in RBIs (13), second in total bases (34), runs (11), walks (nine) and home runs (four) while tying for second in doubles (four) and 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.

SOLAK STREAKING

Senior Alexis Solak is currently riding a team-best seven game hitting streak.
Since beginning her streak March 15 against Duke, Solak has hit for a team-high .474 batting average to go along with a .524 on-base percentage and .632 slugging percentage while adding nine hits, two RBIs, one home run and one walk.
On the season, Solak ranks second on the team in hits (20) and batting average (.253) while placing third in RBIs (nine).
Solak collected five RBIs in Pitt's season-opening weekend at the Cougar Classic from Feb. 8-10. She recorded an RBI in four of five games, including a season-high tying two RBIs against Central Michigan.
The senior hit .333 at the Ole Miss Classic from March 1-2. In four contests, she amassed a team-high eight total bases off of four hits, one home run and one double.
The Woodbridge, Ill., native batted .624 in the Panthers' ACC series against Duke from March 15-17, collecting five hits in just three games.

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 on-base percentage (.383) and third in batting average (.293) during the Panthers' last 15 games.
During that span, she has also collected 12 hits, five RBIs, six walks, three home runs, three runs and one double.
On the season, Fredericks owns a .254 batting average to go along with 16 hits, six RBIs, seven 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 – PENN STATE

The Nittany Lions currently hold a 15-8 all-time edge against the Panthers in a series that began in 2000.
The two teams have already met this season, with Pitt recording a 2-0 victory over Penn State at the UCF Knights Classic Feb. 24.
After dropping their first seven contests to the Nittany Lions, the Panthers have gone 8-8 against Penn State since.

SCOUTING THE NITTANY LIONS

Penn State enters Wednesday's contest with a 16-14 [2-1 B1G] record, most recently recording a 3-0 win over Michigan State Sunday, March 24.
The Nittany Lions closed out their 2018 campaign with a 9-41 overall record, including a 5-18 mark in Big Ten play.
Offensively, Penn State currently has five regulars hitting .300 or better on the season. The team is led by freshman Melina Livingston, who owns a .391 batting average.
In the circle, three Nittany Lion pitchers boast a sub-3.00 ERA. Freshman Bailey Parshall has been the squad's workhorse so far, throwing a team-high 94.2 innings while amassing a 2.29 ERA.

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