Feb. 24, 2010
ATLANTA – Freshman Hope Rush hit two home runs and redshirt senior Jen Yee went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run as the No. 11/8 Georgia Tech Softball team (9-1) defeated Kennesaw State (6-4), 8-3, in the home opener Wednesday night at Mewborn Field.
Jessica Coan improved to 3-0 as she pitched five-plus innings allowing three earned runs on six hits and a walk. She struck out five. Rush picked up her first career save by pitching two scoreless innings of relief and striking out five as well.
Georgia Tech took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Rush crushed a two-run home run to left-centerfield. It was her team-high fifth round-tripper of the season and scored redshirt senior Jen Yee who led off the inning with a single to extend her hitting streak to 10 games.
The Jackets then got two more runs in the second inning to take a 4-0 lead. Juniors Kristine Priebe and Kristen Adkins each singled and were sacrificed up a base by junior Jessica Weaver. Freshman Caitlin Jordan then came in as a pinch hitter and doubled over the head of Jensen Hackett in centerfield driving in two runs.
April Harper came into the game in the third inning in relief of Abey Meixel and was greeted rudely by Rush. Rush took the first pitch of the inning over the fence in right-center field for her second home run of the day and sixth on the season. The Jackets put two on with one out threatening to break the game open, but Harper was able to escape any further trouble.
The Owls got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning when Karlie Gillam hit a solo home run to left field. Kennesaw then got another run in the fifth but it could have been a lot worse. The Owls loaded the bases with nobody out, but Coan was able to get out of the jam with just one run scoring as she recorded two strikeouts in the inning.
Kennesaw State continued to chip away and after a Jessica Cross home run leading off the inning, Rush came into the game in relief of Coan with Tech clinging to a 5-3 advantage.
Rush allowed a two-out walk and single, but was able to get out of the jam and preserve the Jackets’ two-run lead. Tech then got the three runs back when Yee hit a three-run home run in the sixth. For Yee it was her third hit of the game and fifth home run of the season.
The Yellow Jackets head right back out on the road for the 2010 NFCA Leadoff Classic this weekend in Columbus, Ga. The Yellow Jackets will take on Central Florida (Friday at 1:30 p.m.), Nebraska (Friday at 6:30 p.m.), Arkansas (Saturday at 11:00 a.m.), No. 18/20 Louisiana Lafayette (Saturday at 6:30 p.m.) and Iowa (Sunday at 10:00 a.m.). Live audio and stats for every game is available at www.RamblinWreck.com.
