April 15, 2012
TALLHASSEE, Fla. – In two close games, the Georgia Tech softball team split with No. 21 Florida State Sunday at JoAnne Graf Field. Tech used a seventh inning comeback to earn the game one win, 5-4, but fell 7-6 in game two.
Hope Rush, who picked up her 20th victory of the season in game one, helped her own cause blasting her second career grand slam on a 1-for-4 effort. Kylie Kleinschmidtearned the game two loss pitching all seven innings, allowing nine hits and seven runs, but striking out five.
Tech’s offense was centered around Ashley Thomas who was 7-for-9 on the day scoring three of Tech’s runs. Kelsi Weseman went 2-for-4 on the day drawing four walks and getting hit by a pitch once while scoring two runs. One of Weseman’s hits was the game-winner for Tech in game one to score Chelsie Thomas.
Tech took game one thanks in part to Rush’s grand slam. The Jackets loaded the bases with two outs on the board for Rush, who cranked her eighth home run of the season just over the left field wall to extend her hitting streak to seven games. Ashley Thomas started things off with a triple to right field, followed by back-to-back walks to Weseman and Alysha Rudnik. On a 3-1 count, Rush deposited the ball over the left field fence to give Tech a 4-0 lead.
In the bottom half of the inning, Florida State used three Georgia Tech miscues to put three runs on the board and cut the lead to just one. FSU erased that lead completely in the sixth inning as Courtney Senas ripped one between the legs of Rush and up the middle to plate the game-tying run.
But Tech responded in the top of the seventh with a run of its own. Chelsie Thomas led things off with a chopper to short which she easily beat out. Ashley Thomas followed with a bunt single and the duo each moved up a bag on a wild pitch. Chelsie Thomascame across one batter later on a bloop single to left field by Weseman on what would be the game winning hit and run.
FSU fought back in the bottom of the seventh, but with the bases loaded,Shannone bear made a diving stab in left field to snare the final out of the game and preserve the Tech win.
In game two, FSU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but Tech evened things out in the top of the second generating a run of its own. Karly Fullem led off with a double to left center and was replaced on the bases by Kelly Delashmit. Delashmit moved to third on a single to right by Katie Johnskyand scored on a passed ball.
Tech took the lead in the next inning when Ashley Thomas came home on an RBI bases loaded walk drawn by Shannon Bear, but FSU regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning thanks to a three hit inning, going up on Tech 3-2. FSU added to its lead in the fifth inning thanks to a two-run shot by Senas, her first of the season to bring the Seminole lead to 5-2.
The Jackets rallied in the sixth inning, however, to put four runs on the board and claim the 6-5 lead. Tech scored the four runs on four hits and a costly Florida State error. The inning was highlighted by a two run single to left field by Rudnik to tie things up at five. A throwing error by the Florida State shortstop Senas allowed Weseman to score with two outs on the board to give Tech the 6-5 advantage.
Florida State climbed back on top once again in the bottom of the sixth inning after a ball got lost in the sun in right field to extend the inning and ultimately give the Seminoles the victory.
The Jackets are back in action Monday night for the rubber game of the series. The game will begin at 7 p.m. and will be aired live on ESPNU with Michele Smith and Justin Kutcher on the call.
Keep up to date with the Georgia Tech Softball team all season long at www.RamblinWreck.com as well as twitter.com/GaTechSoftball and facebook.com/GTSoftball
