Jackets Slam Chanticleers

CONWAY, S.C. – Georgia Tech softball (21-10, 7-2 ACC) utilized a complete game from Blake Neleman and a grand slam from Madison Dobbins to power past Coastal Carolina (18-11, 1-2 Sun Belt), 9-2 on Wednesday night at St. John Stadium. The Yellow Jackets smashed three home runs, headlined by Dobbins’ program-record tying third grand slam of the season, as Tech cruised to its 21^st victory of the campaign.

QUICK HITS: THE TEAM

• Georgia Tech has won five of its first six true road games this season for the first time since 2018, tied for the best road start to a season in program history.
• The Jacket bats hit three home runs today, bringing the season total to 58, already the second-most in the Morales era and just three away from matching the 2019 season (current Morales era high).
• This was the 12^th game of the year with three or more home runs, the most in a single season since 2011 (16).
• Tech scored four in the top of the fourth inning, the 21^st 4+ run inning of the season.

QUICK HITS: THE BATS

• Dobbins launched her team-leading 12^th home run of the year in the fourth inning, a grand slam down the left field line.
• She ties a program record for the most grand slams in a single season by a Yellow Jacket, three, tied with Kristine Priebe (2011).
• The Dobbins grand slam came after she opened the scoring with an RBI triple in the top of the first, her second of the year and fourth of her career. Dobbins finished the game with five RBI, bringing her season total to an ACC-best 43.
• Dobbins becomes the fourth player in Division I to eclipse 40 RBI so far this season.
• The Dacula native’s 43 RBI this year is tied for the second-most by a Jacket in a single season over the last 10 years.
• Reese Hunter launched her sixth HR of the season in the third inning, sending the ball over the left field wall. It was her ninth-career HR and second in her last four games.
• Jayden Gailey added two more insurance runs with a pinch-hit home run in the top of the seventh. It was her second home run of her career after securing her first earlier this season against UNCG.
• Jin Sileo stole third base in the fourth inning, it was her 10^th steal of the season as she becomes the first Yellow Jacket in the Morales era to record 10+ stolen bases in all four seasons played at Tech.
• Sileo becomes the first player to accomplish four consecutive double-digit steal seasons since Chelsie Thomas in 2015.
• Ella Edgmon reached base with a base hit in the first inning. She extends her career-best on-base streak to 22 games.
• Edgmon came around to score twice, growing her season total to 36, the most on the team.

QUICK HITS: THE ARMS

• Blake Neleman was the only pitcher needed tonight, tossing a complete game and notching the victory.
• It was her second complete game victory of the year in her 10^th
• Neleman now owns 53 wins, putting her in sole possession of fifth-place in the program record book.
• It was her 37^th career complete game, the most by any GT pitcher since 2018.
• The Marietta product is two appearances away from tying Hope Rush and Whitney Humphreys for the second most in program history.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Jacket bats were all over the Coastal starter, beginning, as usual, with an infield single from Edgmon. The speedy leadoff hitter zoomed around the diamond to score after Dobbins ripped a triple down the line in left to give Tech a 1-0 lead before recording an out. Domingue added another run when she drove home Dobbins with a single through the infield. Tech kept the momentum into the bottom of the first, as Neleman induced a tailor-made double play, 4-6-3, to end the inning.

The offense flexed its muscles again in the bottom of the third, when Reese Hunter launched a solo shot to left field to put the Jackets in front, 3-0. Neleman responded in turn with a 1-2-3 bottom of the inning before Dobbins scorched a grand slam in the top of the fourth to put Tech in front, 7-0. All three Jackets on base reached via walks or hit by pitches before Dobbins brought them all home with one swing of the bat.

Neleman got her strikeout stuff working next, punching out a pair of Chanticleers in the fourth and sixth innings while maintaining the shutout. The Jackets emptied the bench in the top of the seventh leading to a pinch-hit two-run homer from Gailey to make it a 9-0 lead. CCU would break up the shutout in the bottom of the seventh, getting two runs across the plate before Neleman finished the game with a lazy fly ball to Gracie Hillman in left for the final out of a seven-run victory.

UP NEXT­­
The Yellow Jackets return to ACC play this weekend with a three-game series at North Carolina (20-7, 2-4 ACC) starting Friday, March 22 at 5 p.m. All games over the weekend will be live streamed on ACC Network Extra.

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