March 31, 2017
BLACKSBURG, Va. – Georgia Tech softball (10-24, 3-7 ACC) fell 6-5 in eight innings to Virginia Tech (14-18, 4-9) in a game that featured 23 hits and 11 runs combined. The Jackets continue the series with the Hokies on Saturday at 1 p.m.
How It Happened
The Hokies took advantage of two hits in the opening inning to take a 1-0 lead. The Jackets knotted the game 1-1 in the second inning thanks to a single by Kelsey Chisholm, sacrifice bunt by Draven Sonnon and two Virginia Tech wild pitches to plate Chisholm.
Georgia Tech took the lead in the third as Samantha Pierannunzi and Jessica Kowalewicz smacked back-to-back singles. Both of those runners scored thanks to a single off the bat of Malea Bell and a sacrifice fly from Chisholm.
The Hokies strung together three runs on five hits in the fourth to retake the lead, 4-3, but Georgia Tech wouldn’t be thwarted for long, tying the game at four with a double from Kowalewicz, a Virginia Tech error and a sac fly from Bell.
Knotted 4-4 headed to the seventh, Kowalewicz continued to have a day and blasted a leadoff bomb to left to put the Jackets on top 5-4. It was the seventh home run on the season for Kowalewicz, making her one of three Yellow Jackets to have seven home runs on the season.
Virginia Tech rallied and with two outs got the RBI-double to plate the tying run to force extra innings. In the bottom of the eighth, the Hokies loaded the bases with two outs and capitalized on a Yellow Jacket fielding error to push the winning run across the plate, 6-5.
The Jackets used three pitchers in the loss and Jenna Goodrich (5-8) was pinned with the loss. She threw 1.2 innings of relief and allowed one run on one hit. Taylor Barnes (4-5) earned the win for Virginia Tech and pitched four innings with one run on three hits.
Quote
“It was a tough game battling back and forth, but we have to find a way to finish,” head coach Shelly Hoerner said.
Quick Hits
– Kowalewicz went 4-for-4 with three runs, a double and a home run. The four hits and three runs are career-highs for the senior.
– Ellebracht caught a runner stealing (14) and picked a runner off (6), leading the ACC in both categories.
– Bell went 2-for-3 with two runs and Pierannunzi added two hits and a run.
– The Jackets tallied two sacrifice bunts and two sacrifice flies – heading into the game, the Jackets were top five in the ACC in each category.
Jersey Auction
The pink jerseys worn for the StrikeOut Cancer games on March 25 are currently up for auction on RamblinWreck.com. The jerseys come autographed by the entire team and net proceeds benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The auction ends April 1 at 12 p.m. Click here to bid.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on Twitter (@GaTechSoftball), Instagram (@GaTechSoftball), Facebook (Georgia Tech Softball) or by visiting www.ramblinwreck.com.
