Pitt Heads to Lewisburg to Face Bucknell Tuesday

PITTSBURGH – The Pitt softball team begins a stretch of eight-straight games on the road Tuesday as it faces non-conference opponent Bucknell for a midweek contest starting at 4 p.m. Live coverage can be found on ESPN+.

LIVE STATS | WATCH (ESPN+) | GAME NOTES

LEADING OFF

Pitt heads to Lewisburg, Pa., for a mid-week contest vs. Bucknell Tuesday, April 19 at 4 PM. Live coverage will be held on ESPN+.
This is Pitt's first trip to Lewisburg in program history. The Panthers previously played the Bison once at Longwood and twice at home.
The mid-week contest is the first of eight-straight games on the road for Pitt as it concluded its home schedule April 15 vs. Boston College. It next travels to Virginia, Robert Morris and nationally-ranked Duke.

AROUND THE DIAMOND

Senior Yvonne Whaley has made a name for herself in the leadoff role this season, batting .333 with 38 hits, 3 doubles, 2 homers, 7 walks and 16 runs. She is currently on a five-game hitting streak and has recorded a hit in 10 of her last 11 games.
Despite missing the first month of play due to injury, freshman Rachael Fuerst has showcased her power in the batter's box. She is batting .462 with 6 hits, a double, 2 home runs and 6 RBI in 13 plate appearances.
Redshirt freshman Dani Drogemuller is sixth in the ACC in strikeouts with 138. She is nearing fifth-place for a single-season at Pitt in strikeouts as Cory Berliner's 149 in 2008 ranks fifth.
Pitt pitching has 217 strikeouts on the season. Last team to reach 200+ in a year - 2015 with 221.

SCOUTING REPORT

The midweek game is the fourth of the season for the Panthers, who are 2-2 in games played Tuesday through Thursday. Bucknell is 1-5 on the season in midweek contests.
Nicole Rivait (#19) leads the Bison in batting with a .322 average. She has 38 hits, 8 doubles, a triple, 2 homers and 10 RBI while tallying 8 walks and 11 runs. She has a team-best .375 on-base percentage and .458 slugging percentage.
Kelly Toomey has four wins with 68 strikeouts in 92.2 innings pitched. She has totaled six complete games and two shutouts.
These two teams first met Feb. 17, 2008 in the Longwood Lead-Off Classic with the Bison prevailing 4-1. Pitt's lone win in the all-time series (three games) came April 6, 2016 at Vartabedian Field.

UP NEXT

The Panthers stay on the road as they head to Charlottesville, Va., for three games against Virginia Friday, April 22 through Sunday, April 24.
Game one Friday begins at 6 p.m. on the ACC Network.