Softball Announces Friday Time Change, Pitt Hosts No. 18 Florida State This Weekend

Pitt Panthers (8-18, 0-6 ACC)
vs. No. 18 Florida State (18-9, 1-2 ACC)
March 22-24, 2024
Pittsburgh, Pa. | Vartabedian Field

TIME CHANGE: Due to rain predicted in the forecast, Friday's series opener against No. 18 Florida State has been moved up to a 3 p.m. start time. The rest of the series will continue as scheduled. For questions on tickets, please reach out to the Panther Ticket Office at tickets@athletics.pitt.edu or 800-643-748

QUICK HITS: The Panthers return to Pittsburgh after spending the first six weeks of the season on the road. Pitt will face off against No. 18 Florida State, March 22-24, at Vartabedian Field. The Panthers had their midweek matchup against Penn State rescheduled to April 16 after low temperatures on Tuesday. Pitt finished up a nine game, 10-day road stretch where they traveled to FGCU, FIU, and No. 12 Virginia Tech.

BARK IN THE PARK: The Panthers will host their annual Bark in the Park game on Sunday, March 24. Fans are encouraged to bring their furry friends to Vartabedian Field. Free Pitt Bandanas will be given to the furry friends who are in attendance.

BY THE NUMBERS:

Junior catcher KK Esparza leads the ACC and ranks tied for eighth in the NCAA with nine caught stealings. Esparza has caught nine runners on 23 stolen base attempts. Esparza leads the team and holds the ninth-best conference batting average among ACC players, batting .455 (5-for-11) with a home run in six conference games.
Kat Rodriguez leads the Panthers in batting average (.329), OPS (.908), runs scored (14), hits (25), and on-base percentage (.395). Rodriguez finished the FGCU Classic batting .500 (8-for-16) with a double, a triple, and two home runs in five games. Rodriguez also recorded three multi-hit efforts, including two three-hit games, in that span.
Kylie Griggs has recorded a hit in six of the last seven games, including hitting a home run in four of those contests. Griggs became the 20th Panther to hit a grand slam when she launched a home run to left field in the top of the sixth inning, making it a one-run game against No. 12 Virginia Tech.

LAST TIME OUT: Pitt and FSU meet for the first time since the 2022 season and the first time in Pittsburgh since 2021. During their last meeting on March 6, 2022, the Panthers bounced back from two previous losses in the series with a historical win against the then No. 3 Seminoles in the series finale. Pitt recorded eight hits, including three home runs, to defeat Florida State 7-5 and record the highest-ranked win in program history.

APPROACHING THE 700 WIN MARK: Director of Athletics Heather Lyke announced NFCA Hall of Famer Jenny Allard as the fourth head coach in Pitt softball history in June 2023. Coach Allard is four wins shy of reaching the 700-career victory milestone and is currently ranks 42 among active Division I softball coaches in career wins.

AGAINST TOP OPPONENTS: The Panthers played four opponents ranked in the top 15 of the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll in the first six weeks of the season. Pitt played No. 12 LSU (Feb. 10-11), No. 4 Washington (Feb. 23), No. 8 Oklahoma State (Feb. 24), and No. 12 Virginia Tech (March 15-17). The Panthers hold a 13-84 all-time record against top 25 opponents.

THE ROAD AHEAD: Pitt began its season with six consecutive weeks on the road, playing a total of 26 games from Feb. 9-March 17 before returning to Pittsburgh for its home-opener. The Panthers will spend the next two weeks at home, facing off against No. 18 Florida State (March 22-24), Miami-OH (March 27), and Louisville (March 29-31).

SERIES PROMOTIONS:

Saturday, March 23 - Dad's & Daughter's Day

Any dad and daughter that attends the game together will receive a discounted ticket - promotion works only at the gate.
2 hot dogs, and 2 drink combination will be offered to purchase for $10.

Sunday, March 24 - Bark in the Park

Free Pitt Bandanas to furry friends who come out to the ballpark!

SEASON-LONG PROMOTIONS:

Friday Happy Hours - Every Friday from gates open until first pitch, domestic beers are 50% off

Sundae Funday - Every Sunday $6 Dippin' Dots offered in Pitt Helmets

Double Dog Play - When Pitt has a double-play in an inning, there will be a hot dog 2-or-1 deal at the concession stand for the remainder of the game.

Double Bubble(gum) - When Pitt hits a double, bubblegum will be tossed to the crowd during the inning.