April 25, 2015
THE FLATS — The Georgia Tech softball team (16-33, 6-17 ACC) dropped two one-run games, 2-1 (8) and 3-2, to the No. 10 Florida State Seminoles (39-12, 19-3) Saturday on Senior Day. Samantha Pierannunzi went 4-for-6 on the day with a home run, two RBI and two walks to lead Georgia Tech.
“I thought we did a great job and we competed very well until the very last pitch,” head coach Shelly Hoerner said. “We never gave up and I thought we hit their pitchers fairly well. We just have to finish and we have to execute. We have to score runners when they’re in scoring position. They came up with some key plays defensively, throwing two runners out at the plate. I give credit to their centerfielder who has a great arm.”
Game 1: Florida State 2, Georgia Tech 1 (8)
Samantha Pierannunzi kicked things off with a bang, roping a leadoff home run, her fourth on the season, over the centerfield wall to give Tech a 1-0 lead.
From there, Kylie Kleinschmidt pitched 5.2 innings of hitless, scoreless softball before Florida State got its first hit in the sixth inning off the bat of Victoria East.
In the top of the seventh and down 1-0, the Seminoles put runners on the corners. Florida State was able to tie it 1-1 on a Georgia Tech wild pitch to force extra innings.
Florida State plated the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth after Alex Powers walked. Her pinch runner, Bella D-Errico, moved to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on an infield single to give Florida State the final 2-1 lead.
Kleinschmidt (6-21) absorbed the loss and pitched 8.0 innings, yielding just two runs on three hits with nine strikeouts. Florida State’s Lacey Waldrop (25-6) earned the win, giving up one run on five hits.
Game 2: Florida State 3, Georgia Tech 2
Florida State wasted little time in game two thanks to a solo home run by Maddie O’Brien in the top of the first. The Seminoles added to their lead in the fourth inning courtesy of a two-run home run to right by Korina Rosario.
The Jackets got on the board in the fourth inning. Maddie Lionberger and Samantha Pierannunzi drew back-to-back bases loaded walks to bring in two runs for the Jackets, narrowing the Seminoles’ lead to one, 3-2.
Tech put runners on the corners again in the bottom of the seventh, threatening to tie, but Florida State held on for the 3-2 victory.
Christina Biggerstaff (7-7) was pinned with the loss, throwing seven innings with three runs on six hits and six strikeouts.
Florida State’s Bailey Schinella (1-1) earned the win after Jessica Burroughs (3.1 IP, 4 hits, 2 runs) was pulled before pitching the required amount of innings to earn a win. Waldrop got the save, throwing effectively for the final two innings.
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