THE FLATS – Georgia Tech softball (12-7) opened ACC play in an exciting way after handing No. 18 Stanford (12-3) its third loss of the season with a 5-4 comeback victory at Mewborn. The Jackets’ Friday night victory is the first ranked victory of the season and the seventh victory over a ranked opponent under the direction of head coach Aileen Morales.
QUICK HITS
- Georgia Tech is the only non-ranked team to defeat Stanford so far this season, with the Cardinal’s other two losses coming at the hands of No. 13 Arizona (4-1, 10-2).
- Coach Morales is now one victory away from 200 wins as Georgia Tech softball’s head coach.
- The Yellow Jackets most recent ranked victory was during the 2024 ACC Tournament semifinals where Georgia Tech defeated No. 15 Virginia Tech 6-2 for coach Morales’ 300th career victory. Tech’s most recent ranked victory at Mewborn Field was a 2-1 victory against No. 18 ranked Auburn back in the 2023 season.
- Sophia Voyles made her seventh start of the season in the circle while Makayla Coffield and Kinsey Norton made their ninth appearances respectively.
- Coffield pitched 2.2 innings and secured her fourth win of the season before Norton finished the remaining 1.2 innings and earned her second save of the season.
- Addison Leschber extended her reached base streak to a team-high nine games. Gracyn Tucker is just behind Leschber with an eight-game reached base streak.
- Tucker also currently leads the team with a five-game hitting streak, the third longest hitting streak a Jacket has held this season.
- Paige Vukadinovich sits with a five-game hitting streak, her longest of the season after getting Tech on the board with her double in the fifth inning.
- Tech’s last win over Stanford was back in the 2003 season after a 2-1 finish in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
- Tech’s five runs on Friday are the second most the program has scored against Stanford with the most being seven runs, set in the 2024 season.
- This is Tech’s third straight season beginning conference play with a win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Voyles began in the circle for Tech and remained there for the first 2.2 innings of the game. The senior started strong, catching two batters swinging in the first before catching two batters looking in the second.
- After two scoreless innings for both teams, Stanford stacked three runs in the third which began with two-run home run and finished with one run off a double to right center.
- Coffield took over in the circle for Voyles to help the Jackets get the final out of the third inning. The sophomore held Stanford at three runs through the fourth inning, recording one strikeout as she caught one Cardinal swinging.
- Stanford recorded its last run of the game in the top of the fifth off a solo home run over right center.
- Back-to-back walks for Tech in the bottom of the fifth put the Yellow Jackets in scoring position just before Vukadinovich slammed a double to right center to advance pinch runner Ella Edgmon home from second.
- With three runners on base for Tech, Jayden Gailey was walked to first, advancing all runners, including Vukadinovich who occupied third.
- Tucker tied the game 4-4 as she hit a single to left field advancing Grace Connelly to second, Gailey to third, and Eliana Gottlieb home safely.
- Addison Leschber showed patience at the plate that paid off for the Jackets as she ran up a full count and was walked to first, sending Gailey home for what would end up being the game winning run.
- Coffield and the Tech defense got the first out of the sixth inning before Norton relieved the sophomore pitcher in the sixth inning. The Jackets held the Cardinal scoreless through the remaining 1.2 innings to pick up their first ACC win of the season.
UP NEXT
Tech remains home at Mewborn Field to host Stanford Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. Both of the remaining games in the series are set to be streamed on ACCNX.
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech softball team, follow us on Twitter (@GaTechSoftball), Facebook, Instagram (@GaTechsoftball) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.
