Panthers Set to Host No. 5/5 Virginia Tech

PITTSBURGH – The Pitt softball team concludes a two-week homestand with No. 5/5 Virginia Tech for three games starting Friday, Mar. 25 at Vartabedian Field.

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SCHEDULE CHANGES

Due to a cold front coming into the Pittsburgh area this weekend, Pitt's games with Virginia Tech have been moved up.
Originally scheduled for one game on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Friday now consists of a double-header starting at 2 PM with game two beginning 30 minutes after game one.
Saturday's game is still on schedule for a 1 PM start.

LEADING OFF

The Panthers host nationally ranked Virginia Tech for three games starting Friday, Mar. 25.
Virginia Tech is Pitt's third ACC opponent this season, the previous two being No. 3/3 Florida State and RV/NR Notre Dame. The average RPI ranking between the three schools is 11.
Pitt ranks 23rd in the nation and 4th in the conference in fielding percentage (.976).

AROUND THE DIAMOND

Pitt recently concluded a three-game ACC series vs. Notre Dame. Freshman Kylie Griggs went 5-for-7 for the series with two runs and a .714 SLG and OB%. She also had 11 putouts and five assists with no errors at second base.
Sophomore Cami Compson hit .300 with two homers and three RBI against Notre Dame. She leads the squad with 17 RBI, five homers and a .343 batting average.
Senior Yvonne Whaley is batting .375 with nine hits and three runs in her last seven games. She tallied her ninth career three hit performance vs. Notre Dame Mar. 19.
Redshirt freshman Dani Drogemuller ranks fifth in the conference in strikeouts with 84. She has thrown seven complete games this season and has recorded eight games with seven or more strikeouts.

SCOUTING REPORT

Virginia Tech enters Vartabedian Field as the No. 5/5 team in the country with an overall record of 21-3 and conference record of 9-0. It is currently on a 12-game winning streak with its last loss Mar. 2 at Charlotte.
These two teams last met in Blacksburg Mar. 19-21 of last year, with the Hokies winning three of four. VT was ranked No. 18/16 at the time.
The Hokies pitching rotation ranks among the best in the country as it is seventh in ERA (1.44) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.36). Keely Rochard (#3) is second in the nation in strikeouts with 159 in 89.2 innings thrown. She is currently 12-2 with a 1.17 ERA, three saves and has kept opposing batting averages to .146 this season.
Virginia Tech is 25th in the country and second in the ACC in batting average (.321). It is also 36th in the nation and fifth in the league in slugging (.500). Emma Ritter (#90) leads the offense with a .449 BA, totaling 31 hits, 22 RBI, 4 2Bs, 3 3Bs, 3 HRs, 23 runs and 10 stolen bases.
Virginia Tech made the Super Regionals in last year's College World Series. It was one of three unseeded teams to make it to the final 16. This season, the Hokies hold the No. 1 spot in the updated RPI rankings.

COMPSON SHOWCASING POWER

Sophomore Cami Compson has flexed her muscles this season in the batter's box with five homers, 17 RBI and a .343 batting average.
Compson's .642 SLG% ranks 22nd in the ACC, while her OPS of 1.058 ranks T-22nd.
The Westerville, Ohio, native has seven multi-hit games this season with three three-hit games.
In the Texas A&M Invitational, Compson hit .400 with 3 RBI, 2 walks, 2 runs and a .500 SLG%.
She hit .500 in the Wings ETC Classic in Spartanburg, S.C., tallying 7 hits, 2 homers, a double, 7 RBI and 3 runs. Her SLG& for the weekend was a 1.000 while her on-base percentage was at .533%.
In the three games played in Nashville, Tenn., Compson led the squad with a .444 batting average and 4 hits, a triple, 2 walks and a .667 SLG%.
Against Notre Dame, Compson had 2 home runs, 3 RBI and batted .300 for the weekend.
Compson totaled 11 home runs and 29 RBI in her first collegiate season last year. Her .325 batting average led the team as she was named to the All-ACC Third Team and All-ACC Freshman Team as well as earning NFCA Mid-Atlantic Second Team All-Region accolades.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

Pitt enters the weekend with the 15th toughest schedule in the country and third toughest in the ACC behind Virginia Tech (#1) and Duke (#9).
Of all teams - past and future - Pitt's cumulative opposition losses totals 388, the lowest among any team in the nation.
So far this year, Pitt has faced receiving votes Texas A&M once, No. 3/3 Florida State three times, receiving votes Notre Dame three times with Virginia Tech ranking No. 5/5 for the weekend.

UP NEXT

Pitt heads back on the road for four straight games, including one game at Robert Morris and three at Syracuse.
The Panthers and Colonels play Wednesday, Mar. 30 at 3 PM and face the Orange starting Friday, April 1 at 3 PM.