Pitt Hosts Penn State in Home Opener Wednesday

PITTSBURGH – The Pitt softball team is set to host its first home game of the season Wednesday afternoon as it takes on Penn State at 5 p.m. at Vartabedian Field.

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LEADING OFF

After 19-straight games on the road, the Pitt softball team plays at Vartabedian Field for the first time this season Wednesday evening vs. Penn State.
This is the second meeting between the in-state schools this season as the Nittany Lions won a pitcher's duel, 1-0, Feb. 13 in Leesburg, Fla.
Live coverage can be found on the ACC Network with Alex Perlman and Madison Shipman on the call.

AROUND THE DIAMOND

Pitt took two of three in the Lady Bison Classic in Nashville, Tenn., this past weekend, defeating Bowling Green and Houston Baptist. Originally scheduled for five games, a snowstorm and below freezing temps canceled two games.
Redshirt freshman Dani Drogemuller is 6-3 with a 1.59 ERA and 71 strikeouts on the season. Her strikeout total is sixth in the ACC, while her ERA ranks 10th.
The Panthers are fifth in the ACC in stolen bases per game (1.42). Pitt has registered four games with three or more stolen bases as a team.
Sophomore Cami Compson is hitting .364 with 20 hits, 3 HRs, 3 2Bs, 14 RBI, 7 BBs and a .618 SLG%. She hit a team-best .444 in the Lady Bison Classic.
Both graduate student Ally Muraskin and Drogemuller combine for a 1.98 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 8 complete games and 106 strikeouts.

SCOUTING REPORT

Penn State enters Pittsburgh with an overall record of 10-11 with a 5-4 mark in away contests. It is 2-3 against Atlantic Coast Conference competition.
The Nittany Lions are one of the top defensive units in the country, ranking 19th in the nation and first in the Big Ten with a .976 fielding percentage.
Penn State ranks third in the Big Ten and 35th in the country in shutouts with six. Bailey Parshall (#1) has accounted for five of them, going 6-3 with a 1.83 ERA, .85 WHIP and 83 strikeouts. Her shutout mark is fourth in the nation.
Cassie Lindmark (#20) leads the offense with a .409 batting average. She has 27 hits, 15 RBI, 5 doubles and leads the team with a .487 on-base percentage.
Ally Kurland (#32) is 16th in the country in doubles with seven so far this year. She's second on the team with a .333 batting average, tallying 23 hits, 17 RBI and 15 runs scored.
The series is split 2-2 since 2017. Jodi Hermanek is 1-2 against Penn State since joining Pitt in 2019.

THE NEED FOR SPEED

The Panthers have showcased their speed on the base paths this season, totaling 27 stolen bags. Pitt ranks fifth in the conference with 1.42 stolen bases per game.
Pitt totaled 10 stolen bases in the Northern Lights Invitational Feb. 11-13 with seven different Panthers recording a stolen bag.
EC Taylor had a team-best three in Leesburg, including two against Akron. It was the eighth multi-steal game of her career as she finished T-2nd for a single season with 27 stolen bases in her first year as a Panther in 2021.
Taylor is sixth in the ACC in stolen bases per game (0.39).
The Panthers went 6-for-6 in the Texas A&M Invitational on the base paths with Bailey Drapola accounting for half of them (3-for-3).
Pitt followed up the Texas A&M Invitational with six stolen bases in the Wings ETC Classic. EC Taylor led the team with three for the weekend.
In three games in the Lady Bison Classic, the Panthers swiped five bases, three of which came against Bowling Green Mar. 13.
Pitt had eight stolen bases vs. Akron, the most since joining the ACC in 2013-14.

UP NEXT

Pitt remains home and hosts Notre Dame for three games beginning Friday, Mar. 18 at 6 PM.
Saturday's contest at 2 PM will be live on the ACC Network, with Friday and Sunday on ACCNX.
Both teams enter with a 1-2 conference mark.