April 8, 2014
THE FLATS – The Georgia Tech softball team (19-16) fell to in-state rival Georgia State (20-20) Tuesday at Mewborn Field. The Panthers hit four homers off three Yellow Jacket pitchers en route to the 10-5 victory.
Alysha Rudnik led the Yellow Jackets going 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and a three-run home run; her ninth round-tripper of the season. Ashley Thomas was 1-for-3 with two runs and Maddie Lionberger went 2-for-3 with a run.
Georgia Tech got on the board first in the opening frame after Ashley Thomas scored on Rudnik’s sacrifice fly to right field, but Georgia State countered with two runs in the top of the second and never looked back putting up three spots in both the third and fourth innings.
The Yellow Jackets generated three runs in the third inning to cut the Panthers’ lead to one, 5-4. Lionberger and Ashley Thomas strung together back-to-back singles, setting the stage for Rudnik, who stepped to the plate and rocker her team-leading ninth homer.
Down 9-4, Georgia Tech pushed an additional run across the plate in the fifth frame as Downs tripled to right for her second three-bagger on the season and scored on an overthrow by Georgia State on the same play.
It wasn’t enough as the Panthers continued to tack on runs with a solo shot by Taylor Anderson in the top of the seventh, her second home run of the day, giving Georgia State it’s final 10-5 lead.
The Jackets used three pitchers in the loss and starter Kylie Kleinschmidt (12-9) was the pitcher of record. Kleinschmidt allowed five runs on four hits in 2.1 innings pitched. Kanani Cabrales entered the game in relief and threw 2.0 innings with four runs on three hits. Ashley Clifton pitched the remaining 2.2 innings, allowing one run and scattering three hits.
Georgia State reliever Kaitlyn Medlam (5-5) absorbed the win. She pitched 4.0 innings with one run on four hits.
The Jackets are back in action with a three-game series against North Carolina at Mewborn Field this weekend. Action begins Saturday with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Senior Day. The series finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday and all three games can be seen live on ESPN3.
