Pitt
FIU
Pitt Heads to Miami for Midweek Matchup with FIU
3/11/2024 5:23:00 PM | Softball
Pitt Panthers (8-14, 0-3 ACC) at FIU Panthers (12-14, 1-2 CUSA)
March 12, 2024
Felsberg Field at FIU Softball Stadium
Miami, Fla.
ESPN+ - 2 p.m.
INSIDE THE SERIES
All-Time Series: Pitt leads, 7-5
in Miami: Pitt leads, 6-4
First Meeting: Pitt L, 3-0 (3/5/00)
Last Meeting: Pitt W, 12-3 (2/18/23)
Current Streak: Pitt, Won 4
QUICK HITS: The Panthers travel to Miami, Fla. for a midweek matchup against the FIU Panthers on March 12 at 2 p.m.. Pitt is currently in the middle of a nine game, 10-day road stretch that began at the FGCU Spring Break Classic. Pitt will wrap up the road stretch with an ACC series at Virginia Tech (March 15-17).
THE ROAD AHEAD: Pitt is on its sixth consecutive week on the road, and will play a total of 26 games from Feb. 9-March 17 before returning to Pittsburgh for their home-opener (Feb. 19 - vs. Penn State). Pitt faced four 2023 NCAA tournament teams in the first three weeks of the season, facing off against No. 12 LSU (Feb. 10-11), Ole Miss (Feb. 16, 18), No. 6 Washington (Feb. 23), and No. 8 Oklahoma State (Feb. 24).
BY THE NUMBERS: Kat Rodriguez leads the Panthers in batting average (.354), OPS (.988), hits (23), slugging percentage (.569), and on-base percentage (.419).
STREAKS: During Sunday's matchup against FGCU, KK Esparza (2-for-3) and Cami Compson (2-for-4) each recorded multi-hit efforts as Compson extended her hit streak to a season-high six games. Macy Hamilton (1-for-3) and Kylie Griggs (1-for-3) also recorded hits to each extend their hitting streak to three games.
DON'T RUN ON KK: Junior catcher KK Esparza leads the ACC and ranks fifth in the NCAA with eight caught stealings. Esparza has caught eight runners on 22 stolen base attempts.
HOME RUN PARTY: Cami Compson blasted three home runs in three-straight at bats and drove in seven runs against Purdue to lead the Panthers to a 9-1 victory over the Boilermakers at the FGCU Spring Break Classic. Compson hit a grand slam in the first inning, a solo homer in the third, and finished with a two-run homer in the fifth inning. Compson became the first Pitt player to record three home runs in a game since Shelby Pickett accomplished the feat in 2016. Compson has recorded a hit in six straight games as she finished the weekend batting .500 (8-for-16) with eight RBI, a double, three home runs, and four runs scored.
In game one against the Boilermakers on Friday, Kat Rodriguez hit two home runs against Purdue for first career multi-home run game.
OUTSTANDING AGAINST OK STATE: Pitt was anchored by strong defense and pitching despite falling to No. 7/8 Oklahoma State, 1-0, at the South Florida Showdown. The Panthers held the Cowgirls scoreless until the sixth inning. The Panthers held the Cowgirls to just one run scored for the second time this season. The Cowgirls entered the game outscoring their opponents 23-2 over three games prior to facing the Panthers at the South Florida Showdown.
AGAINST TOP OPPONENTS: The Panthers played three opponents ranked in the top 15 of the ESPN.com/USA Softball preseason poll in the first three weekends of the season. Pitt played No. 12 LSU (Feb. 10-11), No. 4 Washington (Feb. 23), and No. 8 Oklahoma State (Feb. 24). The Panthers hold a 13-81 all-time record against top 25 opponents.
THE ALLARD ERA: Director of Athletics Heather Lyke announced NFCA Hall of Famer Jenny Allard as the fourth head coach in Pitt softball history in June 2023. Allard comes to Pitt after spending the past 28 seasons at the helm of the Harvard softball program where she was the Ivy League's longest tenured and winningest softball coach. Allard, who was named to the NFCA Hall of Fame Class of 2022, owns a 696-529-4 (.570) overall record, including a 342-130-1 Ivy League mark. Coach Allard is four wins away from reaching the 700-career victory milestone and is currently ranks 42 among active DI Coaches in wins.
COACHING STAFF: Coach Allard added a talented group of coaches to her staff — Lacy Schurr (Associate Head Coach), Jordan Dail (Assistant Coach) and 2018 Pitt softball alum Giorgiana Zeremenko (Assistant Coach). Coach Schurr comes to Pittsburgh after leading the Ball State program and reunites with Coach Allard after being a member of her Harvard coaching staff from 2016-19.
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK: Pitt enters the 2024 season with 11 newcomers on their roster of 22 players. The Panthers added six transfer students with five freshman to the roster for the season. Key transfers include KK Esparza (catcher - Ole Miss), Kyra Pittman (Pitcher - Maryland), and Olivia Stefanoni (Pitcher - Akron).
