March 7, 2015
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Senior Katie Johnsky went 5-for-8 with two homers to lead the Georgia Tech softball team (9-12, 2-3 ACC) past Virginia (4-16, 1-4) in a doubleheader, 4-3 and 7-5, Saturday. The Jackets and Cavaliers wrap up the series with a single game Sunday at 12 p.m.
Game 1: Georgia Tech 4, Virginia 3
Katie Johnsky led the Jackets going 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. The Jackets out-hit the Cavaliers, 10-6, and scored one run in each of the first four innings.
A leadoff single from Samantha Pierannunzi opened the first game and she swiped her fourth base of the season to put herself in scoring position. With one out, an RBI-single courtesy of Johnsky down the right field line scored Pierannunzi to give Tech a 1-0 lead.
In the second inning, Draven Sonnon drew a walk and scored from first on a double hit by Maddie Lionberger – her fourth double of the season.
The Jackets tacked on their third run in the third inning thanks to a solo home run by Katie Johnsky to right center, marking her first four-bagger of the season. Tech scored its final run in the fourth after Lionberger drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a sac bunt from Chelsie Thomas, who lead the league in that category, and scored on a blooper single by Johnsky.
Georgia Tech pitcher Kylie Kleinschmidt took a no-hitter into the fourth inning until a single through the middle scored pinch runner Iyana Hughes to put the Cavaliers on the board.
Virginia cut Tech’s lead in half, 4-2, with a two-out solo shot to center in the sixth inning and pulled within one, 4-3, with another home run in the seventh frame, but Kleinschmidt fanned the final batter to end the game.
Kleinschmidt (2-6) earned the win, pitching a complete-game with 12 strikeouts. Andie Formby (4-8) was pinned with the loss, sacrificing four runs on 10 hits.
Game 2: Georgia Tech 7, Virginia 5
With Pierannunzi and Thomas on the corners, Tech executed a double steal to score its first run. Johnsky smacked her first triple of the year and Courtney Ziese roped her fourth double on the season to plate a pair of runs, giving Tech a quick 3-0 lead.
Ziese scored on a Virginia miscue and Karly Fullem’s fourth double on the year brought in Jessica Kowalewicz to give Tech a 5-0 lead in the opening frame.
Virginia scored its first run in the bottom of the same frame thanks to a leadoff triple by Allison Davis and an RBI single thanks to Danni Ingraham.
Tech plated an additional run in the second to take a five-run lead, 6-1. Johnsky’s bat stayed hot with her second home run of the day, stretching Tech’s lead to 7-1.
The Cavaliers mounted a come-back with three runs on three hits in the sixth inning and one run in the seventh, but the Jackets fielded a double play to end the seventh for the 7-5 win.
Biggerstaff (4-2) earned the win, pitching 6.0 innings with 10 strikeouts. Emily Anderson earned her first career save, pitching the last inning. Virginia’s Allison Davis (0-3) suffered the loss, allowing five runs on four hits.
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