March 22, 2014
Box Score | GT Photo Gallery (Game 2) | GT Photo Gallery (Game 3)
THE FLATS – The Georgia Tech softball team (19-10, 8-8 ACC) split a pair of ACC games Saturday with Syracuse (12-15, 5-4) at Mewborn Field, falling in game one, 5-4, before earning a 15-3 run-rule five-inning victory in game two.
“Things didn’t go our way in the first two games of the series,” head coach Shelly Hoerner said. “Syracuse is a very good team. We came out fired up in the first inning, but it was a rollercoaster. I thought the seniors did a great job leading in the second game. They’re a good group and a good group of leaders.”
Senior Ashley Thomas went 4-for-8 with three runs, a double, a home run and three RBI to lead Tech, while Alysha Rudnik was 3-for-7 with four runs, four RBI and a home run. Hayley Downs tallied three hits and four runs to go along with a triple.
On the day, the Jackets out-scored Syracuse 19-8 and out-hit the Orange 23-14.
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Game 1: Syracuse 5, Georgia Tech 4
The Yellow Jackets jumped on Syracuse starter Sydney O’Hara early with three runs on four hits with three doubles in the first inning.
Ashley Thomas doubled to start things off, Downs singled, and Rudnik and Kanani Cabrales smacked back-to-back doubles to plate the first three batters.
The Jackets added a run in the third inning as Karly Fullem singled, moved to third on a double down the left field line from Chelsie Thomas and scored on a wild pitch. Tech tallied eight hits through the first three innings compared to Syracuse’s one and out-hit the Orange, 10-6, for the game.
The Orange went to work and chipped away at Tech’s lead with a two-run homer in the third inning, cutting Tech’s lead in half, and tied it with another two-run bomb in the fifth inning. Syracuse scored the go ahead run, 5-4, in the fifth frame thanks to a Georgia Tech wild pitch.
Chelsie Thomas went 3-for-3 with a double in game one, while Ashley Thomas and Cabrales tallied two hits each to lead Tech.
Cabrales started the game and suffered the loss (7-5), allowing five runs on five hits in 4.1 innings pitched.
O’Hara (9-5) held on for the win giving up four runs on 10 hits in a complete-game effort.
Game 2: Georgia Tech 15, Syracuse 3 (5)
Georgia Tech started game two in similar fashion with three runs in the opening stanza, but the Orange answered in the bottom of the second with three runs of its own.
The Jackets regained the lead with four runs in the third inning and added to that with eight runs in the fourth inning.
Downs sparked the big inning with a leadoff triple and scored on a wild pitch. Rudnik followed with solo shot to center and Ashley Thomas homered later in the inning; a three-run shot to right.
The Jackets batted around, sent 12 batters to the plate and five runs crossed the plate with two outs on the board in the fourth inning.
After allowing Syracuse’s three runs in the third, Georgia Tech starter Kylie Kleinschmidt (12-5) settled in, scattering eight hits and striking out 10.
Orange starter Lindsey Larkin (1-3) suffered the loss, giving up seven runs on eight hits in 2.2 innings pitched.
