April 18, 2013
THE FLATS – Juniors Hayley Downs and Alysha Rudnik combined for four runs on seven hits on the day to lead the Georgia Tech softball team (21-24) in a doubleheader sweep against Southern Miss (11-35) by scores of 4-0 and 7-1 Thursday night at Mewborn Field. Downs went 4-for-6 (.667) with two runs and Rudnik was 3-for-5 at the plate (.600) with two runs, two doubles and three RBI.
Fellow junior Ashley Thomas chipped in three runs on three hits and an RBI, while sophomore Katie Johnsky posted three RBI on three hits and a triple.
The Jackets are back in action Sunday with a doubleheader at No. 25 North Carolina beginning at 1 p.m. The series finale is set for Monday at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPNU with Adam Amin and Amanda Scarborough on the call.
Game 1 – Georgia Tech 4, Southern Miss 0
Senior Hope Rush (11-12) pitched seven solid innings and scattered four hits in the 4-0 shutout. The defense was also solid behind her, in particular Ashley Thomas who managed seven assists and two putouts without error.
Georgia Tech’s offense stepped up in the third inning with three runs on four hits. With two outs, Ashley Thomas, Downs and Rudnik laced together singles. Rush stepped to the plate and reached base as the Southern Miss second baseman bobbled and dropped a popup, allowing Thomas to score.
Morgan Taylor drove a Beth Dietrich offering through the left side to plate both Downs and Rudnik, and give Tech a 3-0 lead.
The Jackets tacked on another run in the fourth as Rudnik led off the inning with a double. She scored on a single to right courtesy of Katie Johnsky.
The Golden Eagles couldn’t string anything together against Rush and the defense did not allow a base runner to pass second. The Eagles threatened to advance to third base in the third inning, but Tech put out the threat on its 22nd double play of the season.
Dietrich (1-13) suffered the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits in six innings pitched.
Game 2 – Georgia Tech 7, Southern Miss 1
The Jackets wasted little time getting on the board in the night cap with one run in the first scored by Ashley Thomas, who singled then moved to second on a textbook bunt from Downs. She scored on a sacrifice fly by Rudnik.
The Jackets added four runs in the third inning as Southern Miss starter Emily Wood walked in a run, a groundout on Hope Rush plated another and Katie Johnsky’s second triple of the year brought in Downs and Taylor.
The Jackets added two more runs over the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth, pinch runner Kaitlin Kates ran for Karly Fullem, stole second, reached third on a groundout and scored on a fielder’s choice to Ashley Thomas. Johnsky capped off Tech’s scoring in the fifth inning. She roped a two-out single to get on base and scored on a single off the bat of Fullem.
The Eagles again did not make it past second base until the seventh inning. Trailing 7-0, Southern Miss avoided the shutout as the Eagles drew three walks to load the bases with two outs.
Mackenzie Sher took advantage of the situation and roped a single to score Morgan McKeever, but the Eagles couldn’t add any more as Sara Evans was thrown out at the plate.
Kleinschmidt (5-4) tossed the complete game with just three hits and one run.
Wood (0-5) absorbed the loss with five runs on five hits in three innings pitched.
