May 5, 2013
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – The Georgia Tech softball team (25-29, 10-10 ACC) pounded 14 hits for 12 runs in a 12-3 victory to complete the series sweep over Boston College (14-37, 2-19) Sunday afternoon at Shea Softball Field in both teams’ regular season finale.
Georgia Tech’s Ashley Thomas went 2-for-4 with three runs, while Alysha Rudnik was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI to lead the team. Katie Johnsky added four RBI and a two-run homer, and Courtney Ziese was 2-for-4 with a home run.
“It was really important to get the sweep,” head coach Sharon Perkins said. “It’s one of those things where you play hard one game at a time and we did just that. Kylie [Kleinschmidt] threw really well and Karly [Fullem] closed the game for us, but our bats were alive the whole day.”
The Jackets wasted little time getting on the board and put up three runs in the opening frame. Ashley Thomas and Rudnik drew walks and scored on a single off the bat of Hope Rush to left center. Johsnky then stepped to the plate and roped an RBI-double to score Rush.
Boston College chipped away at Tech’s 3-0 lead and plated three runs through the second, third and fourth innings. Two of the three runs were courtesy of solo home runs by Tory Speer and Chelsea Dimon.
Georgia Tech broke the 3-3 tie in the fifth inning when Ashley Thomas doubled to lead the inning and scored on a Boston College error. With two outs, Hope Rush was intentionally walked and scored off Johnsky’s sixth home run on the season and second of the series.
Ahead 6-3, the Jackets laced four hits together in the sixth inning to extend their lead to 10-3. Ziese blasted her ninth long ball on the season in the seventh inning and Karly Fullem scored on an RBI-single by Hayley Downs to cap off the scoring for Tech.
Kylie Kleinschmidt (7-7) earned the victory, and pitched the first five innings with three runs on two hits and four strikeouts. Fullem took over in the sixth inning and held the Eagles hitless through two innings.
Dimon (10-15) suffered the loss and allowed 12 runs on 14 hits with two strikeouts and six walks.
The Jackets head to the ACC Tournament in Tallahassee, Fla. May 9-11 where Georgia Tech will be the No. 5 seed and take on No. 4 seeded North Carolina. Tech, the defending ACC Champion, will take on the Tar Heels Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The game will air live on ESPN3.
