April 3, 2013
ATHENS, Ga. – The Georgia softball team exploded for 12 runs in the first inning and never looked back, defeating Georgia Tech, 20-1, in five innings Wednesday at Jack Turner Stadium. The Yellow Jackets fell to 17-19 on the season and the Bulldogs improved to 27-10.
Georgia hammered six home runs in the victory, including a three-run bomb and a grand slam in the opening stanza to help boost the Bulldogs to a 12-0 lead. The 20 runs are the most allowed by Georgia Tech in program history and the 19-run margin of defeat is the largest in school history.
The Bulldogs tacked on three additional runs in the second frame. Niaja Griffin reached first and moved to second on a Georgia Tech error. Anna Swafford stepped to the plate and hit a double to left. With two outs and the runners on second and third, Paige Wilson hit a three-run bomb to left.
Up 15-0, UGA added one run in the third as Tess Sito roped the first offering from relief pitcher Kylie Kleinschmidt to lead off the inning with a solo shot over the left-field wall.
A pair of two-run home runs from Tina Iosefa and Christine Olney in the fourth inning capped the scoring for Georgia.
Tech’s run came in the fourth frame as Ashley Thomas kicked things off with her ninth double of the season. Alysha Rudnik drew a walk and Hope Rush reached on a fielder’s choice that moved Ashley Thomas to third.
Morgan Taylor followed that with a grounder to short. Sito fumbled the catch to get the out at second, allowing Rush to be safe, Taylor to reach on a fielder’s choice and Ashley Thomas to score from third.
Ashley Thomas has hit safely in every game this season, but four, and has reached base safely in every game except three.
Fullem (3-2) absorbed the loss, going 1.2 innings pitched with 15 runs on eight hits. Kleinschmidt pitched the remaining 2.1 innings with five runs on six hits.
Morgan Montemayor (7-5) picked up the victory and surrendered one hit on one run with eight strikeouts.
The Jackets resume ACC play Saturday and Sunday with a three-game series at Virginia Tech. Saturday’s doubleheader begins at 12 p.m. Sunday’s series finale is slated for 1 p.m. and will be broadcast on the ACC Digital Network on Youtube with Mike Hogewood on the call and Barbara Jordan as the analyst.
