THE FLATS – Georgia Tech softball (24-24, 6-15 ACC) will return home for its final ACC series, hosting North Carolina (23-26, 11-9 ACC) to conclude the regular season. The Yellow Jackets and Tar Heels will begin the weekend series on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Bailey Park in Kennesaw, Ga. The remaining two contests will be back on The Flats with a Saturday matchup at noon and the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m., both at Mewborn Field.
Series Information
Friday, April 28 @ 6:30 p.m. vs. North Carolina
Saturday, April 29 @ Noon vs. North Carolina
Sunday, April 30 @ 1 p.m. vs. North Carolina
TV
Game two on Saturday will be broadcast live on ACC Network, while game three on Sunday will appear on ACC Network Extra.
Tickets
Admission will be free at Bailey Park. Normal ticketing operations will resume at Mewborn Field.
Parking
Free parking will be available while at Bailey Park and in the McCamish lot, along Fowler Street and in the Family Housing deck when at Mewborn Field through the weekend.
Promotions
Senior Weekend will begin with Junior Jacket Day on Friday, featuring a visor and lunchbox giveaway while supplies last as well as a bingo raffle.
Festivities will be held for Senior Weekend on Saturday, including senior recognitions following the game.
Sunday will represent this season’s second Bark in the Park, including opportunities for DIY posters and dog bowls. Fans who bring their own dog must sign a waiver prior to entry and will receive a wristband for in and out privileges. A map detailing locations for dogs inside the park is also available here.
Storylines
- In Georgia Tech’s most recent ACC series, the Yellow Jackets score seven of their eight runs against No. 10 Duke on home runs with five dingers.
- Most notably, sophomore second baseman Grace Connelly laced a go-ahead solo shot in the top of the seventh in game two.
- The Yellow Jackets have faced one of the toughest slates in the country this season with their schedule ranked the 23rd most difficult in the nation.
- Coach Aileen Morales has surpassed 150 wins as a head coach at Georgia Tech (153) and 250 victories in her career (266) this season, remaining the fourth-winningest coach in softball history on The Flats.
- Senior catcher Emma Kauf has moved up to a team-high 12 doubles on the year, taking sole possession of third in program history in career doubles with 48 to date.
- The Yellow Jackets have reached double-digit triples on the season for the first time since 2014, improving 10 total on the year.
- Senior hurler Blake Neleman has improved to second all-time in career strikeouts, also becoming the second Yellow Jacket ever to surpass 500 career strikeouts with 542 to date.
- On top of marching through Tech’s record books in strikeouts, Neleman has picked up a pair of saves this season, moving up to six in her career as she’s now in an eight-way tie for third in program history in career saves.
- Neleman owns seven complete games this year and two shutouts this season.
- On the season, Neleman (134) and fellow senior right hander Chandler Dennis (104) have combined for 238 strikeouts.
- Defense has gone hand-in-hand with work from the circle this season as the Jackets are second in the ACC and 15th in the NCAA in fielding percentage (.978).
- Tech has displayed strong plate discipline throughout the season, ranking third in the ACC in walks (166).
- The Yellow Jackets have been aggressive as a unit on the base path, ranking fourth in the conference in triples per game (.21).
- Amongst the conference this season, Neleman is third in the ACC in strikeouts as she’s surpassed the century mark with 134 punchouts.
- Complementing her renowned defensive acumen, junior shortstop Jin Sileo is the most proficient in the league in sacrifice bunts, averaging 0.19 per contest.
- Opponents have pitched around slugger Sara Beth Allen, resulting in her ranking fourth in the conference in walks per game (0.65).
Series Notes
- Georgia Tech trails North Carolina, 38-42, in the all-time series.
- The Yellow Jackets claimed the most recent series over the Tar Heels, winning the last two games on the road in 2019.
- Tech also took its last home series against UNC, claiming both games of a doubleheader in 2018.
- The White and Gold currently own an 18-16 advantage on The Flats, also leading 8-7 in neutral contests.
- From 2009-11, the Jackets won nine of the series’ 10 matchups.
2023 Softball Tickets
Georgia Tech softball 2023 single-game tickets remain on sale and can be purchased HERE.
Single-Game Pricing:
Reserved Chairback: $5
Adult GA Bench: $3
Youth/Senior GA Bench: $2
Group (10+) GA Bench: $2
Standing room only tickets will be sold for $2 each if all other sections are sold out. Georgia Tech students and faculty/staff can receive free admission to regular season home games while seats remain available by showing a valid BuzzCard at the entrance.
More ticketing information, including the steps to become a member of the Mew Crew and the benefits of joining, can be found on the official Georgia Tech Softball Tickets page.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on Instagram (@GaTechSoftball), Twitter (@GaTechSoftball), Facebook (Georgia Tech Softball) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.
