April 22, 2013
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Georgia Tech softball team (22-26, 7-8 ACC) put up five runs in the third to take a 5-3 edge, but the North Carolina Tar Heels (36-16, 12-6 ACC) regained the lead with five runs in the fifth to down the Jackets, 11-6, Monday night at Anderson Softball Stadium.
Tech tallied 11 hits in the loss with three Jackets contributing two a piece in Ashley Thomas (2-for-3), Alysha Rudnik (2-for-4) and Katie Johnsky (2-for-4).
“To get 11 hits off one of the top pitchers in the country, I’m proud of the team,” head coach Sharon Perkins said. “I think we did a great job laying off the rise ball. That was our goal going into the game. I do think we took too many pitches down in the zone. We needed to be a little more aggressive there. Overall, I’m definitely proud of the offense. We had a lot of fight there.”
North Carolina scored three runs out of the gate on a solo shot by Kristen Brown for her fourth of the series that kicked off the first inning. A two-run bomb by Constance Orr with two outs to score Aquilla Mateen put the Tar Heels up 3-0.
The Jackets sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five run on six hits in the third inning to gain a two-run advantage, 5-3, and clip UNC’s momentum.
Hayley Downs hit an RBI- single to center to kick off the scoring and plate Caitlyn Coffey. Alysha Rudnik followed that with an RBI through the left side that brought Ashley Thomas home.
Hope Rush doubled and moved Rudnik to third to put runners in scoring position with just one out. Tech was down by one with Katie Johnsky at the plate, who hit a triple in her last at bat, and Johsnky pulled through with an RBI-single to left to knot the game 3-3.
With two outs and the bases loaded, Karly Fullem smoked a Lori Spingola offering for a 2-RBI single to left that scored Johnsky and Rush, and put Tech in the lead 5-3.
North Carolina got one run back in the fourth inning. The Tar Heels pushed one across the plate on a Brown double to right center that plated Elisha Elliot on a close play at home.
UNC had the tying run on third, but Georgia Tech completed a double play to clear the bases and prevent the tying run from scoring.
The Tar Heels continued to chip away in the fifth inning, scoring five runs on three hits with two doubles. UNC capped off its scoring in the sixth on a two-run homer from Orr – her second of the game.
Georgia Tech added a run in the sixth when Coffey blasted her fourth home run on the season, but it wasn’t enough to kick start a comeback.
Hope Rush (12-13) absorbed the loss, pitching all seven innings with 11 runs on 12 hits.
Spingola (26-11) earned the victory, surrendering six runs on 11 hits in a complete-game performance.
The Jackets are back in action Wednesday when they host Kennesaw State in a single game. Action begins at 6 p.m.
