Seamans’ Grand Slam Jump Starts Offense to 8-2 Victory over Clemson

Sunday, March 8

Clemson, SC

12 p.m.

Pitt

7-11, 2-5

Clemson

18-8, 5-1

Pitt

Clemson

Photo by: Justin Pondexter/Pitt Athletics

Seamans’ Grand Slam Jump Starts Offense to 8-2 Victory over Clemson

3/8/2020 3:50:00 PM | Softball

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CLEMSON – Sophomore Sarah Seamans hit a pinch hit grand slam and junior Brittany Knight threw seven scoreless innings in the Panthers' 8-2 victory over Clemson at the Clemson Softball Stadium Sunday evening.

The win snapped Clemson's 10-game winning streak. Pitt improved to 7-11 overall and 2-4 in ACC play, while Clemson fell to 18-8 and 5-1 in conference action.
Clemson scored the first run of the game in the top of the first, as Valerie Cagle earned an RBI after advancing a runner home with a groundout to second base. In the next at bat, Marissa Guimbarda drove a ball to left field, but sophomore Katlyn Pavlick reached her glove toward the top of the wall and snagged it, saving multiple runs. Grace Mattimore scored for the Tigers, making it a 2-0 game.

In the bottom of the fourth, senior Kaitlyn Kruger walked and seniors Connor McGaffic and Alexee Haynes both singled, loading the bases up for the Panthers. Seamans came up to bat as a pinch hitter, and on the ninth pitch of the at bat, smashed a grand slam to left field, giving Pitt the 4-2 lead. Later in the inning, Pavlick hit a two-run homer to left field, increasing the Panther advantage, 6-2. The home run for Pavlick was her fourth of the season.

SARAH SEAMANS GRAND SLAM!! ??

Not bad for your first career home run.

Pitt takes the lead, 4-2!

?? https://t.co/YeVUKt0Vrb #H2P pic.twitter.com/3g3dVRw2Bm
— Pitt Softball (@Pitt_SB) March 8, 2020

In the bottom of the fifth, Kruger recorded the third home run of the day for Pitt, hitting a solo shot to left for her second home run of the year, making it a 7-2 game. Junior Hunter Levesque added another insurance run in the top of the sixth, scoring junior Morgan Batesole on a sacrifice bunt.

Kruger Smash!! ??

Kaitlyn Kruger gets in on the home run parade with a solo shot to left.

Pitt 7, Clemson 2

?? https://t.co/YeVUKt0Vrb #H2P pic.twitter.com/cDcy3WJgIt
— Pitt Softball (@Pitt_SB) March 8, 2020

After Clemson's two run first inning, Knight and the Panther defense shut down the Tigers, allowing just one hit. Knight improved her record to 6-5 on the year and finished the game throwing seven scoreless innings, giving up one hit and no earned runs. Freshman Becca Miller started the game, giving up the two earned runs.

Brittany Knight's reflexes are in check ??

Pitt leads 7-2 over Clemson.

?? https://t.co/YeVUKt0Vrb #H2P pic.twitter.com/bf7sBkfpGw
— Pitt Softball (@Pitt_SB) March 8, 2020

Seamans finished the game 1-for-1 with four RBIs. Haynes and Batesole each had two hits, with Batesole scoring two runs and Haynes one. Pavlick finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs, while Kruger and Levesque each went 1-for-3 with an RBI.

News & Notes

Levesque's single in the first inning extended her hitting streak to nine games.
Seamans' grand slam was the first home run of her career. It was the first pinch-hit home run for the Panthers since Knight did so against Boston College on May 5, 2019 and first grand slam since Kruger hit one against Boston College on May 4, 2019.
The three home runs hit by the Panthers were the most in a game this season

Herms Take

"It was a team win" said head coach Jodi Hermanek. "We capitalized on a huge inning in the middle part of the game. It started with a great base hit, a push bunt by Connor [McGaffic] which matriculated to offensive energy. Then comes Sarah [Seamans] who does the damage and later on in the game, we continued to hit and win our at bats. Defensively, we had Brittany's [Knight] back. She produced all the outs and we received them well defensively. It's a huge team win and I am super proud of the Panthers tonight."

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