May 13, 2011
ATLANTA – Melanie Mitchell tossed a four-hit shutout as Virginia (24-30) upset No. 19/16 Georgia Tech (44-10), 6-0, Friday evening at Mewborn Field in the first round of the ACC Tournament. It’s the first time a No. 8 seed has beaten the No. 1 seed since the league expanded in 2006.
It also marked the first time the Yellow Jackets have been shut out since Feb. 26, 2010 when they fell to Nebraska 2-0. Tech will learn its postseason fate on Sunday night when the NCAA selection show is televised live on ESPNU-HD at 10 p.m. The Jackets were ranked 14th in the RPI heading into the tournament.
Mitchell (17-16) scattered four hits while walking two and fanning three. Senior Kristen Adkins (20-6) took the loss for the Yellow Jackets as she allowed two earned runs on six hits in 2.2 innings. She walked two and struck out three. Freshman Lindsey Anderson was charged with four earned runs on five hits in 4.1 innings of relief work. She walked four and fanned five.
Virginia took an early 2-0 lead after the Yellow Jackets loaded the bases with one out in the first inning and failed to score. A single by Alex Skinkis and an error resulted in the first run and then a RBI single off the bat of Taylor Williams later in the inning made it a 2-0 game after an inning and a half.
With Mitchell mowing down the Yellow Jackets, the Cavaliers added an insurance run in the top of the fifth inning. A RBI single by Stephanie Harris made it a 3-0 game. It could have been worse, but Anderson got out of a first and third, one out jam.
In the seventh inning, Virginia added three insurance runs to open up s 6-0 lead and that was more than enough for Mitchell.
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