Pitt Softball Hosts Saint Francis (Pa.) Wednesday

PITTSBURGH – University of Pittsburgh softball team will play host to Saint Francis (PA) in a midweek doubleheader on Wednesday, April 13 at Vartabedian Field with first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

MULTIMEDIA

· Live stats and a live video stream ($) will be available for all games and can be found at PittsburghPanthers.com.

GAME DAY PROMOTIONS

· Wednesday marks Oakland Zoo and Panther Pitt day at Vartabedian Field. The first 200 students, who are wearing an Oakland Zoo or Panther Pitt t-shirt, will receive a free coozy.

· A free ‘#H2P Softball’ t-shirt will be given to the first 200 fans.

· Get a hot dog and soda at the concession stand for $2.

SERIES HISTORY

· Pitt holds a 19-10 all-time record against the Red Flash.

· Last season, the Panthers swept SFU in a doubleheader at Vartabedian Field in Pittsburgh.

LAST TIME OUT

· Inclement weather interfered with Pitt’s weekend series at Notre Dame, resulting in the cancellation of two of three scheduled contests. The Panthers fell to the No. 20 Fighting Irish 13-1 (five innings) in the lone game that was played.

· Senior Shelby Pickett reached base three times against Notre Dame, going 2-for-2 with a home run and a double in the loss.

OUTSTANDING OFFENSE

· In the past eight games, Pickett has posted 14 hits in 29 at-bats to hit .483 overall. She has an on base percentage of .484 and a 1.000 slugging percentage during the stretch. The senior has also just struck out twice in the 29 at-bats, walking once.

· Pickett pushed across 11 runs for Pitt during this stretch. The high point came when she drove in six in game two against St. Bonaventure, hitting three home runs in four at-bats.

SOPHOMORE STANDOUT

· Sophomore Giorgiana Zeremenko has been on a tear this season. She leads Pitt in nearly every offensive category, including batting average (.430), home runs (12), RBIs (42), total bases (82), slugging percentage (.953) and on base percentage (.528).

· Her .953 slugging percentage leads the ACC and is good for sixth in the nation.

IN THE RANKINGS

· Pitt currently ranks sixth in the nation in slugging percentage (.571), seventh in home runs per game (1.39), 14th in on base percentage (.426), and 16th in doubles per game (1.71) and runs per game (6.76).

REPRESENTING THE WPIAL

· Local products Zeremenko (Canon McMillian), freshman Olivia Gray (Trinity) and sophomore Erin Hershman (Mars) currently comprise the Panthers’ outfield.

SCOUTING SAINT FRANCIS

· Saint Francis enters Wednesday’s games with a 22-15 overall record and 3-1 mark in the NEC. The Red Flash have won four of their last five contests, most recently splitting a doubleheader with Big Ten opponent Maryland last Tuesday.

· Offensively, Saint Francis is led by freshman standout Hayley Norton, who is hitting .350 with ten home runs and 40 RBIs in 37 games this season.

· On the mound, Ketarah DeVries has been impressive for the Red Flash, tossing her way to an 8-2 record with a 2.51 ERA. She holds a team-best five complete games in 67 innings.

LOOKING FORWARD

· Pitt will remain at home for a weekend series against ACC opponent Georgia Tech. The two teams will play a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 16 before completing the series on Sunday at noon.