March 12, 2005
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech (22-6, 1-1) softball opened Atlantic Coast Conference play by splitting a doubleheader with North Carolina (16-9, 2-3). Savannah Brown hit a grand slam in the first inning to power the Jackets to a 12-2 victory in five innings in the first game of the doubleheader. In the second game, Carolina used an RBI double in the eighth inning to upset Georgia Tech, 6-4.
In game one, Savannah Brown hit a grand slam to power the Jackets, as Tech jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning. Georgia Tech used 11 hits to score 12 runs as the Jackets rolled over the Tar Heels, 12-2. Christine Sheridan went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and one run batted in to extend her team leading hitting streak to eight games. Senior Katie Donovan was 2-for-2, with two runs scored, three RBI.
Jessica Sallinger started for the Yellow Jackets, pitching two innings, surrendering just one hit. Whitney Humphreys picked up the win for Tech, pitching three innings allowing just two runs.
The second game of the day saw the Yellow Jackets falling to the Tar Heels 6-4 in eight innings.
Georgia Tech scored the first run of the game in the second inning. Brown hit a double to left center and advanced to third on a throwing error by the North Carolina left fielder. Brown came in to score as Kacey Ivey reached on a fielding error by the Tar Heel third baseman.
In the third inning, the Jackets added three runs as Sheridan doubled to left field with two outs, Sarah Wood and Donovan walked. A wild pitch advanced the runners, scoring Sheridan. Amy Hosier drew a base on balls and Brown singled to score two runs.
With Georgia Tech holding on to a 4-0 lead after the first three innings, a two run homerun by UNC’s Casey Testa cut the lead in half. The Heels would add two more runs to tie the game 4-4 after four innings.
With the game tied 4-4 after seven innings, North Carolina started the top of the eighth inning with a pair of singles. A sacrifice bunt advanced the runners, and Whitney Gelin hit a RBI double to plate the two Tar Heel runners.
In the bottom of the inning, Georgia Tech loaded the bases but was unable to score giving North Carolina the 6-4 victory.
Sallinger took the loss for the Jackets, pitching a complete game, giving up six runs on eight hits while striking out 12.
The Yellow Jackets and Tar Heels will play a single game on Sunday, March 13, to finish out the three game series. First pitch is set for noon and live stats will be available on ramblinwreck.com.
-GT SOFTBALL-
