May 12, 2012
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – A walkoff single by senior Kate Kuzma made the Georgia Tech softball team the 2012 ACC Champions for the third time in the last four years Saturday at Anderson Stadium. The Yellow Jackets earned the 9-1 walkoff victory over Virginia Tech for the programs fifth ever ACC Championship.
Most Valuable Player Hope Rush was as solid as ever on the mound for the Jackets allowing just one run in five complete innings, limiting the Hokies to three hits. She was also 2-for-3 on the day at the plate with an RBI.
It was fitting that Kuzma notched the game winning hit as the senior was on fire during the ACC Championships batting .700 with a slugging percentage of 1.100. Kuzma went 2-for-3 on the day scoring a run and driving in the game winner for the Jackets.
Four Yellow Jackets (36-21) earned a spot on the all-tournament team. Alongside the MVP Rush and Kuzma, 2012 ACC Player of the Year Kelsi Weseman and freshman Chelsie Thomas were named to the team.
Weseman put the Jackets on top in the third inning with a solo blast to deep centerfield. The roundtripper was the ACC leading 13th of the season for Weseman, who also tacked on her 33rd RBI of the year to give Tech a 1-0 lead.
Virginia Tech (40-19) evened things up in the fourth inning with an RBI double by Courtney Liddle to drive in Lauren Gaskill who began the inning with a double of her own.
The Jackets responded in the bottom half of the frame with a seven-spot tallying seven hits to give the Jackets a seven-run cushion. Tech batted around as 12 Jackets came to the plate during the inning.
Rush started things off in the fourth with a single up the middle and had two hits for the Jackets in the inning. After Kelly Delashmit got caught stealing, Shannon Bear singled and moved to second on a wild pitch coming around to score on an RBI single by Katie Johnsky. A double by Karly Fullem put runners on second and third for Danielle Dike who came up big once again for the Jackets with a pinch hit double to deep centerfield scoring Johnsky and pinch runner Caitlyn Coffey.
Dike was replaced on the basepaths by Chelsie Thomas who moved to third on a wild pitch. After a walk to Ashley Thomas, and a stolen base by the elder Thomas, the duo came home after a single up the middle by Weseman. Kuzma walked, Rudnik was hit by a pitch and a single up the middle by Rush brought home the seventh run of the game. Kuzma netted Tech’s eighth run of the game crossing on a wild pitch.
With two outs on the board, Ashley Thomas kept things alive legging out a bloop double down the leftfield line. Weseman drew the intentional walk and on a 1-0 pitch, Kuzma ripped the game winner to right center scoring Thomas for the victory!
Tech will wait to see where they will play as the NCAA Tournament Field is announced Sunday night at 10 p.m. The Jackets earned the automatic qualifier with their championship win.
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.
2012 ACC All-Tournament Team
Maddie O’Brien Florida State
Chelsie Thomas Georgia Tech
Hope Rush Georgia Tech
Kate Kuzma Georgia Tech
Kelsi Weseman Georgia Tech
Haleigh Dickey North Carolina
Kelli Wheeler North Carolina
Jasmin Harrell Virginia Tech
Kelsey Mericka Virginia Tech
Kylie McGoldrick Virginia Tech
Lauren Gaskill Virginia Tech
Most Valuable Player Hope Rush Georgia Tech
