Game 1: Box Score & Play-by-Play Game 2: Box Score & Play-by-Play
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (April 1) — Ending a 10-game losing streak in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Georgia Tech (20-22, 2-2) softball team defeated Florida State (28-19, 0-2) twice on Saturday afternoon by the scores of 2-1 and 8-2. The victories marked head coach Kate Madden’s first ACC wins of her coaching career and is just the third time the Yellow Jackets have defeated FSU in 26 attempts.
In game one, Florida State led off the first inning with a base hit and Brandi Stuart followed with a two-out RBI single to center field to drive in their only run. Florida State pitcher Leslie Malerich dominated the game as she did not allow a base runner until a single to Beth Warren in the top of the fifth inning.
However, Tech’s offense would break through in their last at bat as the Yellow Jackets put together three hits and scored two runs to take the lead. After Kori Jacobson and Warren each reached base with singles to opposite fields, designated hitter Lacey Schanz hit a two run single to shallow left field. Georgia Tech would hold the Seminoles in the bottom of the seventh to capture the victory, 2-1. Tiffany Goodman (10-12) earned the victory for the Jackets as she allowed one run on five hits and struck out three. Leslie Malerich (17-10) took the loss for Florida State, allowing two runs on four hits.
Georgia Tech won the second game of the doubleheader behind eight runs on nine hits and Florida State struggled as they commited a season-high seven errors.
With the game tied at 1-1, the Yellow Jackets broke things open in the third inning with four runs off of four hits. Anne Knobbe drove in a run with a single to left field while Jacobson’s triple to right field scored two runs. Georgia Tech would add three more runs in the fifth behind a base hit from Warren and an RBI single from Ellen Styer. The Seminoles recorded two errors in the inning, allowing two runs to score for Tech.
FSU scored one more run in the sixth ining as pitcher Leslie Malerich, who relieved Robyn Gauger in the fifth, drove in Kelly Miller, who had reached on a walk.
Jamie Smith evened her record at 10-10 pitching all seven innings for the Jackets while White-Stokes got the loss and goes to 10-8 on the year.
The Yellow Jackets will return to Atlanta to host Georgia Southern in a doubleheader at 3 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon at Glenn Field.
