April 13, 2013
THE FLATS – The Georgia Tech softball team (19-23, 6-5 ACC) split a doubleheader against Maryland (22-22, 6-5) Saturday afternoon at Mewborn Field. The Yellow Jackets and Terrapins exchanged the lead four times in each game, as the Jackets fell 8-6 in series opener and won game two, 5-4.
The Jackets saw a 20-game winning streak against the Terps come to an end in game one as Maryland scored five runs over the last two innings to win 8-6.
The rubber match is slated for Sunday at 1 p.m.
Game 1 – Maryland 8, Georgia Tech 6
Tech got on the board first in the opening stanza as Ashley Thomas drew a walk, stole second and reached third on a passed ball. Morgan Taylor’s RBI-single through the left side scored Ashley Thomas.
The Terps retaliated with two runs in the third. Leadoff batter Sara Acosta singled to start things off. Amanda McCann followed with a grounder to Hope Rush in the circle and the throw to first was off target, allowing the Acosta to move to third and McCann to second.
With runners in scoring position and no outs, Juli Strange singled to right to plate both runners and give the Terps a 2-1 lead.
Maryland added another run in the fifth to go up 3-1, before Tech plated three in the bottom of the frame to regain control, 4-3.
Ashley Thomas opened the inning with a walk and moved to second on an infield single from Alysha Rudnik. Rush laid down a bunt and no one covered first as Tech loaded the bases with nobody out.
A wild pitch from Maryland starter Kaitlyn Schmeiser sent Ashley Thomas home. A pair of RBI-singles from Taylor and Katie Johnsky put Tech in the lead, 4-3.
The Jackets couldn’t close the door on the Terps, as Maryland managed three runs in the sixth and two in the seventh.
Down 6-5 in the sixth, Tech had the opportunity to tie with Ashley Thomas on third and no outs, but the Jackets couldn’t string anything together and stranded her along with nine additional runners on base during the contest.
Rush (10-12) suffered the loss with seven runs, three of them earned, on 10 hits in 6.2 innings pitched.
Schmeiser (9-10) picked up the win, allowing six runs on nine hits in a complete-game effort.
Game 2 – Georgia Tech 5, Maryland 4
In another back-and-forth battle, Tech scored first as Taylor crushed an RBI-double to score Ashley Thomas, who reached on a walk and stole second. Thomas was 3-for-4 on stolen bases for the day.
The Jackets added one more in the third, before Maryland knotted the contest 2-2 with a double from Candice Beards and a sacrifice fly courtesy of Lexi Carroll in the fourth.
Georgia Tech and Maryland exchanged the lead again in the fifth with Maryland ending up in control, 4-3.
Tech plated two runs in the bottom of the sixth and held Maryland in the seventh to shut the door and pick up the 5-4 victory.
Chelsie Thomas reached on a fielder’s choice and moved to second on a fielding error on a Hayley Downs ground ball. With two on and no outs, Ashley Thomas slapped a Lexi Carroll offering over the infield to load the bases.
Rudnik was hit by a pitch to bring in Chelsie Thomas and a Taylor ground out to short scored Downs.
Kylie Kleinschmidt (4-3) earned the win and pitched a complete game with four runs on four hits.
Carroll (2-2) suffered the loss, pitching 2.0 innings of relief for Maddie Martin and sacrificing two runs on one hit.
