April 16, 2016
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Georgia Tech softball team (17-26, 4-9 ACC) split a doubleheader Saturday at Pittsburgh (27-15, 6-9). The Jackets fell 4-3 in 10 innings in game one, before using 10 hits to win game two, 9-8. The Jackets and Panthers wrap up the series with a single game Sunday scheduled for 12 p.m.
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“We continued to fight in that first game,” head coach Shelly Hoerner said. “Both teams played a great game and it came down to one run. We came back in the second game and our bats came alive. Courtney Ziese and Kelsey Chisholm had a great day at the plate. We adjusted and executed in the second game with runners in scoring position, which was key to the game.
“I’m proud of the team for the resiliency that they had today and their fight as a team.”
How it Happened
Game 1: Pitt 4, Georgia Tech 3 (10)
With two outs and two on, an RBI-single up the middle by McKayla Taylor brought in Kathryn Duran to give Pitt a 1-0 lead in the third inning.
Georgia Tech got that run back and more in the top of the fourth. Kelsey Chisholm smacked a leadoff double down the left field line. Courtney Ziese followed with a single over the centerfielder’s head, which brought in Chisholm who slid under the tag at home.
A groundout by Katie Krzus moved Ziese up and a single off the bat of Colleen Darragh scored Ziese to give Georgia Tech a 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, Maggie Sevilla tied it up 2-2 on a solo shot to right center. Georgia Tech recovered in the top of the sixth. Chisholm walked, Ziese doubled and Krzus walked to set up a bases loaded, no-out situation for Darragh, who drew a walk to bring in the go-ahead run.
With runners on the corners and two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Sevilla pulled through for Pitt with an RBI-single to tie the game 3-3.
In the 10th inning, Pitt put two aboard and Sevilla’s double to right brought in the winning run for the Panthers, 4-3.
Jenna Goodrich (6-13) suffered the loss after throwing 9.1 innings and allowing four runs. Kayla Harris (15-9) earned the win, scattering six hits with three runs in 10 innings pitched.
Game 2: Georgia Tech 9, Pitt 8
The Panthers scored a run in the first inning to take a quick 1-0 lead. Georgia Tech got that run back in the top of the second thanks to a walk by Draven Sonnon, a single from Kaylee Ellebracht and three Pitt errors to give Tech a 2-1 lead.
The Panthers plated two in the bottom of the same frame to regain the lead, 3-2. A home run by Courtney Ziese, her eighth on the year, tied the ballgame at three in the third. Pitt scored four runs on three hits in the third to pull ahead 7-3.
The Jackets didn’t give up, scoring two runs with two outs in the fourth thanks to a two-out single from Chisholm, a triple to right field off the bat of Ziese and an RBI single from Krzus. Jessica Kowalewicz’s two-run home run in the fifth knotted the game 7-7.
Pitt regained the lead 8-7 in the bottom of the fifth, but the Jackets capitalized on three hits by Sonnon, Lionberger and Kowalewicz to score two runs and take a 9-8 lead.
Morgan Taylor (1-0) earned the win, throwing four innings, while Colleen Darragh pitched two innings. Jenna Goodrich earned the save.
Jenna Modic (5-6) suffered the loss, pitching four innings while splitting pitching duties with Kayla Harris who threw two innings.
Quick Hits
– In game one, Ziese went 2-for-5 with a run and RBI; in game two she homered, tripled and scored two runs with two RBI
– Chisholm went 1-for-3 with a pair of runs and two walks in game one
– Colleen Darragh tallied a hit and two RBI with a walk in game one
– Draven Sonnon and Kaylee Ellebracht both recorded a hit in game one; Sonnon scored a pair of runs in game two
– The Jackets have gone to extra innings six times this season
– Jessica Kowalewicz hit her second home run of the season, and went 2-for-4 with four RBI in game two
– Maddie Lionberger scored three runs in game two
Keep up with Yellow Jacket softball this season by following Georgia Tech Softball on Twitter at @GaTechSoftball, Instagram at @GaTechSoftball and liking Georgia Tech Softball on Facebook.
