Jackets Defeat Virginia with 3rd Straight Home Walk Off

THE FLATS – Jayden Gailey was the hero tonight as Georgia Tech softball (31-20, 12-10 ACC) secured a 6-5 walk-off victory over Virginia (30-17, 13-9 ACC) on Friday night at Mewborn Field. Gailey hit a walk-off double off the wall with one out in the bottom of the seventh to drive in Madison Dobbins for the Yellow Jackets 31^st victory of the season.

QUICK HITS: THE TEAM

• The Yellow Jackets have won 31 games this season, tied for the 2^nd most in a season under Coach Aileen Morales.
• The Jackets have won 12 conference games, securing a .500 conference record for the 13^th time in program history and the first since 2018.
• This win was the 22^nd home victory of the year, the second most in program history.
• Tech is one win away from tying the 2018 season for the most ACC victories in the Morales era.
• This was the 11^th walk-off victory of the season and the first off the bat of Gailey.
• Nine different Jackets have contributed a walk-off hit this season.
• The offense has now scored 333 runs this year while driving in 313 RBI, both totals are sixth most in program history.
• The Jackets kept the ball in the yard for just the second time in the month of April (14 games). Tech is 2-0 when not hitting a home run this month.

QUICK HITS: THE BATS

• Madison Dobbins delivered her fourth 3 for 3 game of the season, securing two singles, a double and a walk while also coming home to score the game-winning run.
• She drove in two runs, bringing her season total to 55 RBI. Dobbins and Black (60) become the first Yellow Jacket teammates to hit 55+ RBI in the same season since 2010.
• Jayden Gailey drove in her 20^th run of the season in the seventh inning, a walk-off double off the wall in left field.
• This is Gailey’s first 20 RBI campaign in her second season on The Flats.
• Gailey has hit five doubles in April, the second most on the team, and driven in 13 runs, the third most.
• Mallorie Black enjoyed another nearly perfect day at the plate, going 2 for 2 with a double and a pair of walks.
• Black has now hit 17 doubles this season, the 8^th most in a season in program history.
• The two walks were her 27^th and 28^th of the year, tied for her career-best for a season and bringing her career total to 99 free bases.
• Black is 5 for 5 with three doubles, a home run and three walks over her last two games.
• Sara Beth Allen was walked three times tonight, her third three walk game of the year. She has drawn 48 walks this year, the fourth most in a season in program history and the second most in Division I this year.
• The walks extended her on-base streak to 20 games, a new career long. She outperformed her previous career-long, 19, set earlier this season. Allen’s .537 on-base percentage this season is currently the sixth highest in program history.
• Ella Edgmon drove in a run by getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the fifth inning. It was her 15^th HBP of the season, the third most in program history.

QUICK HITS: THE ARMS

• Sophia Voyles made her team-leading 15^th start of the season and 9^th of conference play.
• She pitched 5.2 innings and is now up to a team-high 76.2 innings for the season, more than both of her first two seasons at Tech combined.
• Voyles retired the side in order in the 1^st, 3^rd and 4^th
• Kinsey Norton got the final four outs of the game without allowing a base runner.
• She earned her team-leading ninth win of the season, bringing her record to 9-5.
• Norton set a program record by finishing her 19^th game of the year. No other Yellow Jacket pitcher has finished more games than Norton in 2024.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Yellow Jackets were quick to get on the board in the bottom of the first. Allen led things off with a walk, followed by a single from Black. Allen advanced to third thanks to a fielding error by the center fielder and came home just five pitches later when Tiffany Domingue grounded a ball deep into the middle of the infield for a fielders’ choice. Dobbins made it a two-score inning one batter later when she laced a double into the gap in right center, scoring Domingue.

Virginia clapped back in the top of the second, getting on the board with a solo homer. After Voyles retired the Cavaliers in order in the 3^rd and 4^th, another solo shot tied the score, 2-2 in the fifth inning. With the score now tied, the Jackets showed tremendous poise at the plate to take the lead back with a three-run bottom of the fifth. Sileo got the inning started with a bunt single, her 12^th of the season. Virginia walked Allen and Black to load the bases and, after an infield pop out, Sileo trotted home thanks to a hit-by-pitch from Edgmon. The next batter, Dobbins, also drew a walk before Gailey hit a sacrifice fly as Tech scored three runs in the inning with one hit, four walks and a HBP.

The Cavaliers hit two more home runs in the top of the sixth, tying the game yet again, 5-5. Virginia recorded five hits in the game, three solo home runs and one two-run HR after their only single of the game. Norton entered the game with two outs in the sixth, inducing a ground ball out to keep the game tied. She would retire the side in order in the top of the seventh, two more groundouts and a lineout. With the chance to walk off the game in the bottom of the seventh, Tech stepped up. Dobbins reached base with a one-out single and showed off her speed, scoring from first on the double from Gailey off the wall in left, giving the Jackets their third-straight walk-off victory at Mewborn Field.

UP NEXT

The Jackets celebrate their nine seniors tomorrow at Senior Day. The series with Virginia continues at 3 pm. Fans are encouraged to stay after the game for our senior celebration. The game will be streamed on ACCNX.

Alexander-Tharpe Fund

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