March 8, 2003
California Box Score
Oregon State Box Score
SUNNYVALE, Calif. – Despite sophomore Jessica Sallinger’s fourth one-hitter of the season, the Georgia Tech softball team (13-11) only managed one hit of its own fell 1-0 in eight innings to No. 8 California Saturday in the National Invitational Softball Tournament at the Twin Creeks Sports Complex. In the day’s second game, the Jackets lost 4-1 to 17th-ranked Oregon State.
Sallinger (6-7) was the tough luck loser and did not allow an earned run in eight innings pitched. Despite 10 walks on the afternoon, Sallinger kept the defending national champions off the board until the eighth. Cal’s Eryn Manahan, who was placed on second due to the international tie breaker rule, scored the game-winner when Jessica Pamanian bunted toward third, and Tech third baseman Tara Neff threw wildly to first, ending the game, 1-0.
Cal’s Kelly Anderson (8-3) gave up a lead off single to Tech second baseman Felicia Coursey and cruised from that point on. She struck out 11 and walked three in eight innings.
The Golden Bears had two great opportunities to break the game open in regulation, as Sallinger walked the bases loaded in both the third and the fifth innings. But each time she was able to work out the jam and stranded 11 Cal runners through seven.
In the day’s second game, Oregon State scored first against the Jackets, tallying a pair of runs in the bottom of the first off Tech starter Erin Voeltz. Kelly Petersen and Steph Adams both had RBI singles for the Beavers.
Adams struck again in the third with another run-scoring hit, this one a double. Center fielder Cara Maxey then drove in a run with a double of her own to increase the Beaver lead to 4-0. Voeltz finished the inning but was replaced by senior Tiffany Goodman to open the fourth.
Junior catcher Tasha Waugh got the Jackets on the board in the top of the fifth with a homer to straightaway center that cut the lead to 4-1. Third baseman Lauren Schlechte followed the homer with her second double of the game to chase Oregon State starter Dena DuBois from the contest.
OSU reliever Monica Hoffman got out of the inning and kept Tech off the scoreboard the rest of the way to pick up a save. She allowed just one hit in 2.2 innings. DuBois earned the win after allowing four hits and one run in 4.1 innings.
Goodman was effective in relief for Tech, holding the Beavers without a hit over the game’s final three innings. Voeltz (6-3) took the loss for the Jackets. She gave up four earned runs on six hits and three walks in three innings. Schlechte and Waugh each had two hits to lead the Jackets at the plate.
Tech is now 1-3 in the NIST with all three losses coming to nationally-ranked Pac-10 opponents. The Jackets fell to No. 23 Oregon, 2-1, on Friday.
Tech returns to action in the NIST in round-robin play at 10 a.m. Sunday.
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