Feb. 12, 2012
TEMPE, Ariz. – Chelsie Thomas scored the game-winning run on a throwing error to cap a wild finish in No. 23 Georgia Tech’s 6-5 win over No. 20 Nebraska here Sunday afternoon in the final game of the Kajikawa Classic.
With the win, the Yellow Jackets improve to 4-1, while the loss dropped the Cornhuskers to 3-3. Thomas was able to capitalize on a throwing error by shortstop Gabby Banda and come around from first base to score the game winner, Hayley Downs slapped the ball at Banda and the shortstop had to react quickly to try and get the speedster out at first, instead throwing the ball away and allowing the game tying (Katie Johnsky) and game winning (Chelsie Thomas) runs to come around and score. With the victory Tech improved to 4-1 on the year and 2-2 all-time against Nebraska, 1-1 under head coach Sharon Perkins.
Lindsey Anderson earns her third victory of the year after coming into the game in the sixth inning in relief of starting pitcher Hope Rush. Anderson allowed no runs in relief while recording two strikeouts.
The Huskers got out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning scoring two on a double to centerfield, but Tech responded in the bottom half of the inning as Kelsi Wesemanblasted her second homerun of the year to cut the lead to one.
Nebraska added another one in the top of the third, but again Tech responded in the bottom half of the frame, taking advantage of some Husker miscues. After Alysha Rudnik was hit by a pitch, she advanced to second on a throwing error by the Nebraska catcher and in turn was replaced on the basepaths by the speedy Kaitlin Kates. After a Rush walk, Kates moved over to third on a fly ball to right field by Katie Johnskyand scored one batter later on a wild pitch to make it 3-2 Huskers.
Nebraska added another run in the top of the fourth and the fifth to extend their lead to 5-2, but Tech put a rally together in the sixth inning, again because of some Nebraska miscues. Karly Fullem started the inning off with a single to first base. Chelsie Thomas followed up with a single to third and advanced all the way to third, while Fullem scored on a throwing error. Ashley Thomas drove in Chelsie Thomason a groundout to third and that cut the Nebraska lead to just one heading into the final inning of play.
In the seventh, Tech started things off with a single to shortstop by Rush followed by a single to third by Johnsky. Tech notched two outs and then Downs came up big for the Jackets to propel them to their fourth victory of the weekend.
The Jackets returns to action on Wednesday, February 15 when they host Furman in a home opening doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
Keep up to date with the Georgia Tech Softball team all season long at www.RamblinWreck.com as well as twitter.com/GaTechSoftball and facebook.com/GTSoftball
