The difference one year makes.

 

After failing to make the ACC tournament last year, Pitt’s softball team is headed to this year’s tournament championship game. With a 4-0 win over the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill,No. 6 seed Pitt will play No. 1 seed and No. 8 overall Florida State in the championship game at 1 p.m. Saturday.

 

Pitt took an early lead that it never gave up, scoring three in the first and one in the second inning, as the Panthers (34-19) shut out the Tar Heels (35-14) offense.

 

Pitt senior starting pitcher Savannah King threw a complete game for the win, her second of the tournament, after defeating No. 3 seed and No. 21 overall Notre Dame 8-1 on Thursday.King allowed only 4 hits while walking none against UNC, lowering her tournament ERA to 0.64.

 

Pitt junior Shelby Pickett started the game with a single and came around to score the first run on a single by senior outfielder Carly Thea. Pickett finished the game 2-4 with a home run in the second for another run and a RBI.

 

The tournament win marks the program’s first chance at a conference title since Pitt softball’s inception in 1998, including both ACC and Big East play.

 

ESPN will televise the championship game.