April 20, 2014
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Georgia Tech softball team sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six runs in the top of the seventh inning to defeat the Pittsburgh Panthers, 7-1, in the series finale Sunday at Vartabedian Field. The Yellow Jackets used 12 hits to improve to 22-20 on the season and 11-14 in ACC play, while the Panthers fell to 15-25 overall and 6-15 in conference action.
“We didn’t give up and that was key to our success today,” head coach Shelly Hoerner said. “Kylie Kleinschmidt pitched a great game and kept us in the game. Our bats finally came alive and it was contagious. We had a great seventh inning. It was about fight and we didn’t give up.”
Ashley Thomas was 3-for-5 with two RBI and a double, while Samantha Pierannunzi was 2-for-4 with a two-run home run to lead Georgia Tech.
Pitt got on the board first in the bottom of the fifth inning, 1-0, and the Jackets countered in the top of the sixth. An RBI triple off the bat of Katie Johnsky, her third triple of the season, scored Chelsie Thomas from first and knotted the game 1-1.
The Jackets’ bats heated up in the seventh inning as Tech rung up six runs. Hayley Downs slapped a single through the middle to open the inning. She moved to second on a textbook sacrifice bunt from Alysha Rudnik and scored from second on Kanani Cabrales’ single to centerfield, giving Georgia Tech the one-run advantage, 2-1.
Pierannunzi stepped to the plate and rocked a two-run bomb, her third homer of the year, over the centerfield wall to put Tech up 4-1.
The rally didn’t end there as Maddie Lionberger singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Chelsie Thomas and scored on a Morgan Taylor pinch-hit blooper over the first baseman’s head.
With runners on second and third and two outs, Ashley Thomas doubled to left scoring both runners and giving Tech the 7-1 win to avoid the series sweep.
Kylie Kleinschmidt (14-11) earned the win, scattering five hits with one run in a complete-game effort.
Pitt’s Savannah King (8-17) suffered the loss and allowed six runs on nine hits in 3.2 innings pitched.
Georgia Tech is back in action Wednesday with its last non-conference game of the season against Kennesaw State. Action is set for 6 p.m. at Mewborn Field.
