March 30, 2005
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Despite out-hitting Chattanooga 5-3 in the opener, No. 19 Georgia Tech dropped a 1-0 decision to the Lady Mocs to snap a six-game winning streak as UTC’s Lacey Swarthout tossed a complete-game shutout to lead the Lady Mocs to their 15th straight win. The Yellow Jackets (33-9) earned a split in the nightcap over UTC (29-12), 7-1, as sophomore Sarah Wood (9-1) worked seven strong innings and freshman Aileen Morales and senior Katie Donovan homered to lead Tech on Wednesday night.
Senior Jessica Sallinger (17-6) was the hard-luck pitcher in game one, working six strong innings, allowing one run and fanned nine. Morales finished the night 3-for-7, with a stolen base (29) and a home run, while junior Amy Hosier extended her hitting streak to eight games with a base hit in each game. The Jackets were shut out for just the third time this season in game one.
After holding Tech off the scoreboard in the first inning with a runner at third and one out, the Lady Mocs put a base runner at third base with one out in the bottom the second inning for their first threat of the game. Sallinger then retired the next batter on a short fly ball to right field to keep the runner at third with two outs. After a walk, Sallinger recorded her third strikeout of the game to end the inning.
The Lady Mocs took the first lead of the game in the bottom of the third inning, taking advantage of two walks by Sallinger and a RBI base hit by UTC’s Leslie Barron. The run snapped a 31 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings pitched by Sallinger.
Senior Katie Donovan led off the top of the fifth inning with a base hit to left field. Senior Kirin Kumar then reached on a fielder’s choice and UTC recorded an out at second base. Junior Lauren Schlechte then earned a walk to put Jackets at first and second with one out. UTC’s Swarthout then registered back-to-back strikeouts to end Tech’s scoring chance in the fifth.
After Tech went down in order in the sixth inning, Sallinger struck out the side for UTC’s sixth to advance the game to the seventh inning. With two outs in the last at bat for the Jackets, Kumar doubled down the right field line to give Tech a runner in scoring position. Swarthout then induced a pop out to first base to end the game.
In game two, the Lady Mocs put runners at second and third with one out in the bottom of the first inning, courtesy of a Tech error by Schlechte. Wood got out of the jam for the Yellow Jackets with a ground out to first base and a fly out to center field.
After a second error by the Yellow Jackets, UTC’s Rob Johnson singled up the middle to plate a run for the Lady Mocs in the bottom of the second inning as Tech trailed early, 1-0.
Schlechte and freshman Stephanie Butler earned consecutive walks with one out in the top of the third inning for the Jackets. With two outs, sophomore Caitlin Lever doubled to left field to plate Schlechte and Butler and give Tech its first lead of the night, 2-1.
The Jackets used the long ball to extend their lead to six runs in the top of the fifth inning, 7-1. Morales smacked her second home run of the season to left field with a runner on first base. After consecutive hits by Hosier and Wood, UTC brought in Swarthout in the circle. Donovan welcomed her with a three-run blast to center field.
Neither team managed to produce any more runs over the final two innings as the Jackets held on to a 7-1 victory. Tech will travel to Virginia for a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series with the Cavaliers on Saturday and Sunday. GT and UVa will play a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday, both days will start at Noon.
-GT SOFTBALL-
