April 22, 2003
ATLANTA – Winners of seven of its last eight outings, the Georgia Tech softball team (33-17, 3-2 ACC) heads to Auburn (25-25, 13-13 SEC) Wednesday for a 7 p.m. Eastern game at Jane B. Moore Field.
The Jackets are fresh off a Monday doubleheader sweep at Georgia Southern, while the Tigers are riding a five-game winning streak, including a three-game sweep of Kentucky over the weekend.
Tech leads the all-time series with Auburn, 3-2. The two teams split a pair of games at Auburn a year ago. The Tigers took the first game 9-1, while the Jackets won game two, 2-1, behind a four-hitter from ace Jessica Sallinger. Wednesday’s action is the first of two meetings between the two teams, as Auburn visits Glenn Field for a single game May 2.
Sallinger once again leads the Tech pitching staff with an 18-11 mark, a 1.16 earned run average and 266 strikeouts in 181 innings. Her game two victory over Georgia Southern Monday was the 46th of her career, a school record. Junior Erin Voeltz has also been effective of late winning her last three decisions en route to a 12-4 record.
Junior shortstop Tara Knudsen paces the Tech offense with a .317 average, 11 home runs and 33 runs batted in. Junior right fielder Soraya Reddick had five hits and four RBI in Monday’s doubleheader to increase her season average to .260.
Auburn is led at the plate by freshman Ashley Griffin, who owns a .327 average and is one of three Tigers with a team-best 17 RBI. Four batters share the team lead with four home runs. Junior Kristin Keyes is 11-11 with a 2.86 ERA to anchor the pitching staff.
Following Wednesday’s game, Tech heads to Tuscaloosa Saturday for a 1 p.m. Eastern doubleheader at No. 17 Alabama.
-GT-
