Saturday, March 30
Pittsburgh, Pa.
12 PM
Pitt
4-28, 1-10
2
vs
6
North Carolina
19-12, 8-3
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2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
North Carolina
0
4
2
0
0
0
0
6
14
0
Pitt
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
2
5
1
Photo by: Alex Mowrey/Pitt Athletics
Pitt’s Offensive Explosion Leads to Series Finale Victory over North Carolina
3/30/2019 7:44:00 PM | Softball
Box Score 1Box Score 2Game One Box Score (PDF)Game Two Box Score (PDF)Season Stats (PDF)Photo Gallery
Panthers Blast Five Home Runs in Game Three Win against Tar Heels
PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh softball team recorded season-highs in hits, runs and home runs in its series finale victory over North Carolina Saturday afternoon at Vartabedian Field.
The Panthers dropped their opener in the Saturday doubleheader, 6-2, before reeling off a 14-5 five-inning victory in their series finale with the Tar Heels.
"I think we just needed the opportunity to show that we know that this is what we're capable of," said head coach Jodi Hermanek. "To finally to get it against a great pitching staff - at UNC there are no slouches in the circle – it was great to see. They [North Carolina] have a couple of really great, talented pitchers at the top of the conference right now, so to get it from them I think is even bigger. I'm just super happy that this team came out with the offensive grind this weekend."
Redshirt sophomore Brittany Knight started on the mound for Pitt in game one, allowing six earned runs in 2.1 innings of action. Freshman Abby Edwards entered the game in relief of Knight, tossing 4.2 innings of scoreless ball.
The Panthers collected five hits at the plate, with seniors Gabrielle Fredericks, Olivia Gray and Alexis Solak, junior Connor McGaffic and sophomore Hunter Levesque all recording one hit apiece.
In game two, senior Taylor Rahach earned the start, allowing three earned runs in 2.1 innings of work. For the second consecutive contest, Edwards entered the game in relief, picking up the win while allowing just one earned run and striking out one in 2.2 innings of play.
The Panthers poured it on at the plate, recording season-highs in hits (15), runs (14) and home runs (five). Of the 14 runs, Pitt collected an astounding 10 of them in the third inning.
"It was just a lot of fun," said Hermanek. "I think we saw three pitchers throughout that second game. We went up and down the lineup getting some pinch hits and great at-bats from players like Sarah [Seamans] and Morgan [Batesole]. Morgan goes out there and hits her first college home run and sprinted around the bases faster than anyone could see.
"It was just a great opportunity for us to come and watch our good hitters do what we know they're capable of doing."
Eight different batters contributed to the Panthers 15 hits, including a perfect 4-for-4 game from Levesque, who also added two runs and one RBI. Solak went 3-for-4 at the plate to go along with a run and RBI, while Gray posted a 2-for-3 showing while adding four RBI and two runs. Fredericks rounded out the multi-hit group with a 2-for-3 performance, collecting four RBI while blasting two home runs.
McGaffic, junior Alexee Haynes, sophomore Morgan Batesole and freshman Katlyn Pavlick each added one hit apiece in the matchup, with Pavlick collecting her team-high sixth long ball of the season and Batesole recording her first career home run.
SCORING SUMMARY – GAME ONE
North Carolina got on the board first, scoring four runs in the second inning to take an early lead.
The Tar Heels then used a two-run long ball in the third inning to earn a 6-0 advantage.
Pitt scored its first run of the game in the fourth inning, with junior Walker Barbee using a sac fly to send home Solak.
The Panthers added another run in the fifth frame, with Fredericks sending a single through the left side of the infield to score Levesque, but ultimately couldn't muster enough offense to catch the Tar Heels.
SCORING SUMMARY – GAME TWO
The Tar Heels again took an early lead in game two, scoring two runs in the second frame to get out in front of the Panthers.
Pitt answered in the bottom of the inning, with Fredericks sending a solo shot over the left field wall to make it 2-1.
North Carolina put the score at 3-1 in the top of the third, using an RBI-single to extend its lead.
The Panthers again answered in the bottom of the inning, this time in dramatic fashion, collecting a ridiculous 10 runs in the frame. Pitt collected its runs via a solo shot by Pavlick, two-run homer by Gray, three-run long ball by Fredericks, RBI-double by Levesque, two-RBI single by Gray and an RBI-double by Solak.
The back-and-forth continued into the fourth inning, with the Tar Heels adding two runs to put the score at 11-5.
Pitt again answered at the plate, with Batesole using a three-RBI home run over the left field wall to give the Panthers a 14-5 lead and the eventual win.
UP NEXT
The Panthers will close out their homestand with a 4 p.m. matchup against Ohio State Wednesday, April 3 at Vartabedian Field.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
The Panthers dropped their opener in the Saturday doubleheader, 6-2, before reeling off a 14-5 five-inning victory in their series finale with the Tar Heels.
"I think we just needed the opportunity to show that we know that this is what we're capable of," said head coach Jodi Hermanek. "To finally to get it against a great pitching staff - at UNC there are no slouches in the circle – it was great to see. They [North Carolina] have a couple of really great, talented pitchers at the top of the conference right now, so to get it from them I think is even bigger. I'm just super happy that this team came out with the offensive grind this weekend."
Redshirt sophomore Brittany Knight started on the mound for Pitt in game one, allowing six earned runs in 2.1 innings of action. Freshman Abby Edwards entered the game in relief of Knight, tossing 4.2 innings of scoreless ball.
The Panthers collected five hits at the plate, with seniors Gabrielle Fredericks, Olivia Gray and Alexis Solak, junior Connor McGaffic and sophomore Hunter Levesque all recording one hit apiece.
In game two, senior Taylor Rahach earned the start, allowing three earned runs in 2.1 innings of work. For the second consecutive contest, Edwards entered the game in relief, picking up the win while allowing just one earned run and striking out one in 2.2 innings of play.
The Panthers poured it on at the plate, recording season-highs in hits (15), runs (14) and home runs (five). Of the 14 runs, Pitt collected an astounding 10 of them in the third inning.
"It was just a lot of fun," said Hermanek. "I think we saw three pitchers throughout that second game. We went up and down the lineup getting some pinch hits and great at-bats from players like Sarah [Seamans] and Morgan [Batesole]. Morgan goes out there and hits her first college home run and sprinted around the bases faster than anyone could see.
"It was just a great opportunity for us to come and watch our good hitters do what we know they're capable of doing."
Eight different batters contributed to the Panthers 15 hits, including a perfect 4-for-4 game from Levesque, who also added two runs and one RBI. Solak went 3-for-4 at the plate to go along with a run and RBI, while Gray posted a 2-for-3 showing while adding four RBI and two runs. Fredericks rounded out the multi-hit group with a 2-for-3 performance, collecting four RBI while blasting two home runs.
McGaffic, junior Alexee Haynes, sophomore Morgan Batesole and freshman Katlyn Pavlick each added one hit apiece in the matchup, with Pavlick collecting her team-high sixth long ball of the season and Batesole recording her first career home run.
SCORING SUMMARY – GAME ONE
North Carolina got on the board first, scoring four runs in the second inning to take an early lead.
The Tar Heels then used a two-run long ball in the third inning to earn a 6-0 advantage.
Pitt scored its first run of the game in the fourth inning, with junior Walker Barbee using a sac fly to send home Solak.
The Panthers added another run in the fifth frame, with Fredericks sending a single through the left side of the infield to score Levesque, but ultimately couldn't muster enough offense to catch the Tar Heels.
SCORING SUMMARY – GAME TWO
The Tar Heels again took an early lead in game two, scoring two runs in the second frame to get out in front of the Panthers.
Pitt answered in the bottom of the inning, with Fredericks sending a solo shot over the left field wall to make it 2-1.
North Carolina put the score at 3-1 in the top of the third, using an RBI-single to extend its lead.
The Panthers again answered in the bottom of the inning, this time in dramatic fashion, collecting a ridiculous 10 runs in the frame. Pitt collected its runs via a solo shot by Pavlick, two-run homer by Gray, three-run long ball by Fredericks, RBI-double by Levesque, two-RBI single by Gray and an RBI-double by Solak.
The back-and-forth continued into the fourth inning, with the Tar Heels adding two runs to put the score at 11-5.
Pitt again answered at the plate, with Batesole using a three-RBI home run over the left field wall to give the Panthers a 14-5 lead and the eventual win.
UP NEXT
The Panthers will close out their homestand with a 4 p.m. matchup against Ohio State Wednesday, April 3 at Vartabedian Field.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: George,H (7-4)
L: Knight, Brittany (2-14)
Batting:
HR: Goodman,Z 1 ; Delamora,B 1
RBI: Goodman,Z 2 ; Delamora,B 2 ; Settlemyre,A 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Goodman,Z 1 ; Dray,M 1 ; Thompson,S 1 ; Delamora,B 1 ; Vines,T 1 ; DeBerry,D 1
SB: Burkhardt,K 1 ; Thompson,S 1 ; Vines,T 1 ; DeBerry,D 1
CS: Hutcherson,C 1
Batting:
RBI: Fredericks, Gabrielle 1 ; Barbee, Walker 1
SF: Barbee, Walker 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Levesque, Hunter 1 ; Solak, Alexis 1
HBP: McGaffic, Connor 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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INF
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P/U
/ SoftballINF/C
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INF
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P/INF
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OF
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