Panthers Set for Road Series at Notre Dame

Pitt Panthers (14-14, 0-6 ACC)
at Notre Dame Fighting Irish (19-8-1, 4-4-1 ACC)
March 31 – April 2, 2023 | Melissa Cook Stadium | South Bend, Ind.
ACCNX

LEADING OFF

Pitt softball begins an eight-game road stint, starting with a three-game series at Notre Dame, March 31-April 2. All three games against the Panthers and Fighting Irish will be broadcasted on ACC Network Extra. The Panthers will continue their road stretch at Robert Morris (April 4), North Carolina (April 7-9) and at Saint Francis (April 11).
Pitt began its season with six-straight trips on the road (25 games). The Panthers have traveled to Clearwater, Fla., Miami, Fla., Houston, Texas, Memphis, Tenn., and Louisville, Ky.
The trip to South Bend, Ind. marks the 43^rd meeting between Pitt and Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish lead the all-time series 39-3 and have won the last seven meetings with the Panthers.
Pitt will play at Melissa Cook Stadium for the first time since 2016, playing a single game April 10
where Notre Dame came out with a 13-1 victory.
This series marks just the eighth time the Panthers will make the trip to South Bend in their extensive history, as the Panthers have hosted 15 of the last 17 meetings against the Fighting Irish.
A win for the Panthers would mark the first victory over the Fighting Irish since Pitt stunned Notre Dame, 8-1, in the quarterfinals of the 2015 ACC Softball Championship in Blacksburg, Va.
Seven of the Panthers' wins have come by four or more runs, including three wins by eight or more runs. 11 of their 14 losses have been decided by three or fewer runs with four loses being decided by one run.

NOTES

After hitting 35 doubles through 41 games in 2022, Pitt has already hit 45 doubles in 28 games this season. The Panthers rank fourth in the ACC and 33rd in NCAA in doubles (45) and are third in the ACC and 20th in the NCAA in doubles per game (1.61).
Yvonne Whaley is the toughest batter to strikeout in the ACC and 8th batter overall in the NCAA. Whaley is batting .447 on the season and has recorded just two strikeouts in 76 at-bats this season.
Whaley extended her hitting streak to nine games and on-base streak to 14 games after batting .455 (5-for-11) with a double, a home run and four RBI in a three-game series against Virginia.
Whaley and Cami Compson are both batting over .400 in Pitt's six conference games.
Whaley is batting .476 (10-for-21) with seven runs scored, two doubles, a home run and four RBI while Compson is batting .438 (7-for-16) with two doubles and three RBI.
Whaley and Sarah Seamans each rank in the top 10 of the ACC in batting average. Whaley is fourth overall (.447) while Seamans is ranked 10th (.386).
Kayla Lane leads the team and ranks eighth in the ACC with 11 stolen bases, going 11-for-11 on attempts. Lane has recorded four games with two swiped bags.
Haylie Brunson has started for the Panthers in the last 12 games, seeing time as the designated player and in right field. In six conference games, Brunson is batting .353 (6-for-17) with a .588 slugging percentage, .421 on-base percentage, three runs scored a double, and a home run. Brunson hit a go-ahead home run against Louisville (3/19) to put the Panthers up 5-4 in the fifth inning.