Pitt softball finishes quiet season, stays optimistic for future

Although school let out for Pitt at the end of April, many spring sports have continued past the end of the academic year. For Pitt softball, this included games against Ohio and Robert Morris. The Panthers also took on an ACC series matchup against NC State. 

With their series loss to NC State, the Panthers ended the 2024 season with a 17-32 overall record and a 6-18 record in ACC play.

Though the Panthers fell short of a spot in the ACC tournament this season, they feel they’ve come a long way since the beginning of the year. 

With a new head coach, returning players and new transfers, the team is still looking to build up its chemistry, but feels very optimistic about the future. Head coach Jenny Allard spoke about the progress the team has made on their game this year. 

“I think, offensively, we’ve come a long way,” Allard said. “One of our goals has been to score in multiple innings, which we’ve really improved upon, so that’s great.”

Junior outfielder Kylie Griggs also agreed that the team made strides this year. She acknowledged the effort the pitching staff has been putting in this season. 

“I definitely think our pitching staff is working super hard to continue to get better,” Griggs said. “We’ve faced a lot of hard opponents, and I feel like they’ve really been stepping up.”

Although Pitt softball had a lot of new faces this year, it worked to build up its team chemistry. Junior catcher Amanda “Tuta” Ramirez spoke of how close the team has become and how it has benefited them in all aspects of their game. 

“We’re friends on and off the field. It helps us trust each other on the field, it’s great,” Ramirez said. 

Griggs agreed, stating how despite the melting pot of players, the team has become a tight-knit group. 

“It’s growing for sure, we have a lot of new people,” Griggs said. “We have transfers, returners [and] first-years, but I feel like we’re really coming together.”

Coach Allard weighed in on how she has seen the chemistry develop in her first season. 

“It’s really building,” Allard said. “They’ve got good rapport and create a very supportive environment and are looking out for each other. Obviously as a new head coach, we are really trying to build a culture.”

“We’ve brought in six transfers, we have 11 returners, five first-years and a new coaching staff,” Allard said. “We want a supportive environment where people really feel valued, and I think we’re really working to achieve that.”

With Pitt softball putting in a lot of work, there’s a lot to look forward to for next season. 

Both Ramirez and Griggs spoke about what they feel separates Pitt softball from other programs. 

“I think we have grit — we show up every day and we work hard,” Ramirez said. “Sometimes the outcome isn’t always the one we want, but we still show up the next day fighting.” 

“We really get after it every single game,” Griggs said. “We don’t give up, no matter how many runs we’re down or how many games we’re down. We really put up a fight, no matter what.”