March 23, 2018
NORTHRIDGE. Calif. – Georgia Tech softball (17-10) split with Pacific and CSUN on day one of the Matador Classic on Friday afternoon, topping Pacific 8-6 with a walk-off home run before falling to CSUN 6-1 in the second game of the day.
Head coach Aileen Morales says:
“Overall today was disappointing; although we managed to overcome the hole we put ourselves in during game one. It’s always a challenge when you play unfamiliar opponents on the road, however I was expecting us to compete at a much higher level for all 14 innings. We are at a point in the season where we have to play a full game, and each inning, with focus and intent. Tomorrow is an opportunity to get back out there and try to accomplish that.”
GT 8, Pacific 6:
Designated as the home team, Georgia Tech took the field first with senior Emily Anderson in the circle. Pacific snuck one on the board in the top of the first, plating one off a double to left center.
Tech responded in the bottom of the first. Freshman Cameron Stanford drew a walk to lead off for the Jackets. With two outs on the board, senior Draven Sonnon also walked, advancing Stanford to second. Sophomore Crosby Huckabay hit a hard single up the middle to score Stanford and tie the game at 1-1.
The Tigers added three to their tally in the top of the second. Giving up two hits to put runners on first and third, Anderson gave up a home run to center field to score three and bring the score to 4-1 in favor of Pacific.
With the score still at 4-1 in favor of Pacific, sophomore Brooke Barfield came into the circle for the Jackets at the top of the third. Barfield gave up a double to lead off the inning, and the runner advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Pacific sent a sacrifice fly to center field to score the runner from third, bringing the tally to 5-1.
Trailing 5-1 in the bottom of the fifth, junior Katie Krzus led off the inning with a home run to left center, her sixth of the season, to bring the score to 5-2. Sonnon followed up with a walk to reach base signaling a pitching change for the Tigers. Sonnon advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, laid down by freshmanBreanna Roper. With two outs, sophomore Rebecca Prairie sent a double down the right field line, scoring Sonnon from second to bring the score to 5-3.
Tech took the score at 5-3 into the bottom of the sixth. Freshman Lilly Hooper drew a walk to reach base with two outs on the board. And just like that, Krzus did it again. She hit her second home run of the game over center field to score Hooper and tie the game at 5-5.
Pacific stole back the lead in the top of the seventh. After holding the Tigers scoreless for three innings, Barfield gave up a lead-off double, advancing the runner on a wild pitch. A single to left field plated the runner at third and Pacific took back the lead at 6-5.
Trailing by one in the bottom of the seventh, it was rally time for the Jackets. Roper drew a walk to reach base with one out on the board. Prairie took a pitch to the body, advancing Roper to second. Pinch hitting for the Jackets, freshman Bianca Mora singled to right field in an attempt to bring in Roper but Roper was thrown out at home on the play. With two outs and runners on first and second, senior Kelsey Chisholm took a full count and sent it over the center field fence for a three-run, walk-off home run. Barfield came away with her first win of the season.
CSUN 6, GT 1
It was a pitchers’ duel to start the game, both teams were scoreless going into the top of the fifth, and Anderson got her second start of the day.
The Jackets struck first. Junior Kaylee Ellebracht drew a walk to reach base and freshman Skye Webb entered to pinch run at first. Webb advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt laid down by Stanford. With two outs, Krzus sent an RBI single to left field, plating Webb to give Tech the lead at 1-0.
CSUN responded in the bottom half of the inning. The Matadors used an error to score two and bring the score to 2-1. A single put runners on first and second and a three-run home run plated three, putting CSUN ahead 5-1.
The Matadors added another in the bottom of the sixth, using an RBI single to score a runner from second to push their lead to 6-1 for the final tally. Anderson was seated with the loss.
Up next:
Tech continues play in the Matador Classic on Saturday, taking on Cal Poly at 3:30 p.m. ET before facing off against Santa Clara at 5:45 p.m. ET. Living scoring for both games can be found here.
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