Feb. 27, 2016
UCSB Box Score | SUU Box Score 1 | SUU Box Score 2
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Head coach Shelly Hoerner garnered her 500th career head coaching win against Southern Utah as the Georgia Tech softball team (2-8) went 2-1 on the second day of the Gaucho Classic. The Yellow Jackets fell 4-0 to UCSB, before defeating Southern Utah 5-1 in a continuation of the game that was halted last night, and beating the Thunderbirds again 2-0 in five innings due to darkness.
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“I liked our resiliency today,” Hoerner said. “When you lose games, it’s always easy to blame or give excuses and even stop fighting. We kept fighting and played well to win these two games. I’m proud of the pace and passion we played with today.
“I would like to say thank you to all the players and assistant coaches who have helped get me to this milestone. They are the deserving ones. I’m just blessed that I could be a part of 500 fun wins.”
How It Happened
UCSB 4, Georgia Tech 0
The Gauchos pushed a run across in the top of the first and added an additional run in the top of the second. UCSB tacked on a pair of runs in the top of the fourth to go ahead 4-0.
Georgia Tech 5, Southern Utah 1
Picking up in the middle of the fifth with the score tied 1-1 – Kelsey Chisholm hit a leadoff double in the bottom of the sixth and scored on a UCSB miscue to give Tech the winning run 2-1. Colleen Darragh walked and the Jackets had runners on the corners with one out thanks to a sacrifice bunt by Courtney Ziese.
Draven Sonnon stepped to the plate and rocked a triple to right to score both pinch runner Sydney Stavro and Darragh to give Tech a 4-1 lead. Jessica Kowalewicz laid down a sacrifice bunt with one out to score Sonnon and to give Georgia Tech the 5-1 advantage.
Georgia Tech 2, Southern Utah 0 (5)
In the top of the second with one out Kowalewicz singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Darragh. With two outs, Maddie Lionberger tripled to right field to score Kowalewicz and give Tech a 1-0 lead.
Tech added an additional run in the bottom of the fifth as Lionberger and Chisholm singled. Jenna Goodrich reached base to load the bags, and with one out Ziese’s sacrifice fly to right brought in Lionberger for the 2-0 lead. The game was called after the fifth inning due to darkness.
Emily Anderson (2-4) earned both wins against the Thunderbirds. She pitched 7.1 innings and allowed no runs on three hits with four strikeouts. Jenna Goodrich (0-4) suffered the loss against the Gauchos, and pitched the first 4.2 innings against Southern Utah on Friday.
Quick hits
– Maddie Lionberger hit .400, and went 2-for-5 with a run, RBI and triple in the three games
– Kelsey Chisholm hit .375, and was 3-for-8 with a run and double across the three games
– Kaylee Ellebracht was 2-for-7 in the three games
– Draven Sonnon was 1-for-7 with a run, triple, two RBI and two walks
– Seven different Yellow Jackets crossed the plate for Georgia Tech
Up Next
The Yellow Jackets wrap up the Gaucho Classic on Sunday with a game against South Carolina at 12 p.m. ET.
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