University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Friday, February 12
Leesburg, Fla.
11 AM
Pitt
vs
Liberty
2/11/2021 2:03:00 PM | Softball
LEESBURG, Fla. – The University of Pittsburgh softball team begins its 2021 campaign Friday morning for two games in The Spring Games in Leesburg, Fla.
Pitt takes on Liberty at 11 a.m., followed by New Mexico State at 1:30 p.m. The Panthers are the designated home team against Liberty.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Pitt takes on Liberty at 11 a.m., followed by New Mexico State at 1:30 p.m. The Panthers are the designated home team against Liberty.
HOW TO FOLLOW
- Due to COVID-19 restrictions, live stats will be unavailable for the two day tournament. For score updates and more, follow Pitt Softball on twitter (@Pitt_SB).
- The games will be live streamed at flosoftball.com. A purchase is required to watch, which can be found here.
- The University of Pittsburgh softball team opens the season at The Spring Games in Leesburg, Fla., for four games in two days beginning Friday, Feb. 12.
- Friday will be the first game played for Pitt since March 11, 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic canceled all spring competitions nationwide in mid-March.
- The Panthers begin play Friday at 11 AM against Liberty, followed by New Mexico State at 1:30 PM.
- Pitt concludes The Spring Games Saturday, Feb. 13 against Middle Tennessee State (10 AM) and Liberty (12:30 PM).
- Pitt is designated home team Friday vs. Liberty and Saturday vs. Middle Tennessee State.
- Like all NCAA spring sports, the 2020 Pitt Softball season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The Panthers finished last season 8-12 overall and 2-4 in conference play.
- Pitt did not play a home contest last year, and has not done so since May 5, 2019. The first scheduled home game in 2021 is March 26 vs. Syracuse.
- Senior Hunter Levesque ended the 2020 campaign on an 11-game hitting streak, finishing the season with a .321 batting average, 18 hits, four doubles, two home runs, seven RBI and a team-best .433 on-base percentage.
- During her 11-game hitting streak that rolls into this season, Levesque batted. .355 with 11 hits, three doubles, 19 total bases and 10 runs. Her slugging percentage (.613) and on-base percentage (.444) were the best on the team during that stretch.
- Levesque earned Second Team All-NFCA Region and Second Team All-ACC honors sophomore year. Last year, no accolades were given due to the shortened season.
- Head Coach Jodi Hermanek added two transfers to this year's team during the offseason.
- Sophomore Bailey Drapola joins Pitt via Akron, where she led every major offensive category for the Zips in 2020, batting .347 with a .640 slugging percentage, four homers, eight doubles and seven RBI. She also led the team in assists with 41 at shortstop.
- Sophomore EC Taylor will make her Pitt debut this weekend, playing 2020 for the University of Florida. Taylor stole two bases during the spring and batted .400 with an RBI and four runs scored during the Gators' fall season.
- Graduate student Walker Barbee returns to Pitt for one more season, using her extra eligibility granted from the NCAA for all spring sport athletes effected by COVID-19.
- Barbee played in 18 contests last season, starting in 17 and looks to be the day one starter behind the plate for the Panthers.
- In addition to the two transfer students Pitt acquired this offseason, coach Hermanek adds five freshmen to the team.
- Kaitlyn Burdick (Orlando, Fla.), Jack Busch (Spartanburg, S.C.), Cami Compson (Westerville, Ohio), Dani Drogemuller (Frankfort, Ill.) and Yanna Marrow (Lexington, Ky.) will suit up in a Panther uniform for the first time this weekend.
- The Panthers meet the Flames for the second and third time in program history this weekend.
- In the lone meeting between the two schools, Liberty defeated Pitt, 4-1, March 13, 2019.
- Liberty finished 10-13 overall in 2020, with a 6-11 neutral site record and perfect 4-0 showing at home.
- Senior infielder Amber Bishop-Riley led the Flames in offense last season, batting .420 with a team-best 29 hits, 18 runs and 27 RBI. She also hit 10 homeruns, good for first in the ASUN and T-10th in the nation.
- Freshman Karlie Keeney totaled 17 appearances last year for Liberty, going 5-5 with a 2.96 ERA. She struck out 45 batters and threw eight complete games in 78 total innings pitched.
- The meeting Friday afternoon will be the first between the Panthers and Aggies.
- New Mexico State finished 15-8 last season, compiling an 8-3 neutral record and 6-3 home mark.
- Redshirt freshman infielder Ramsey Lopez was a standout power hitter last year, batting .434 with 23 hits, 19 runs, three doubles, nine homeruns and 19 RBI. She tallied a 1.000 slugging percentage, good for first in the WAC and third in the nation. She also drew 0.96 walks per game, which was first in the WAC and eighth in the country.
- Like New Mexico State, the Panthers will face Middle Tennessee State for the first time in school history Saturday morning.
- Middle Tennessee State finished 15-13 overall and 0-3 in C-USA in 2020. The Blue Raiders compiled a 13-8 neutral site record before the pandemic hit.
- The Blue Raiders had five batters bat .300 or above, with graduate student Lexi Cushing batting .364 with 28 hits, 21 runs, two doubles, 10 home runs and 19 RBI. Her 10 homers were third in the C-USA and tied for 10th in the nation (with Liberty's Bishop-Riley).
- Senior Amber Baldwin compiled a 5-4 record in the circle last season, finishing with 44 strikeouts and a 3.05 ERA. She also threw six complete games in 57.1 innings pitched and had one shutout and one save.
- Following The Spring Games, Pitt travels to the Raleigh/Durham area and plays six conference games in four days Feb. 18-21.
- The ACC pod play games will be played at both Duke University and NC State. The Panthers first contest is scheduled for 1:30 PM Thursday, Feb. 18 against Duke.
Players Mentioned
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