THE FLATS – Georgia Tech softball (7-13) earned a hard-fought, 11-10 victory over Pitt (6-10) on Friday. The Yellow Jackets scored seven runs in their final two at-bats to hold off the Panthers’ late rally.
Pitt struck first in the opening frame, scoring three runs on a misplay and an RBI groundout. The Panthers added one more score in the top of the third on an RBI double, but Tech responded by evening the tally in the bottom half. Senior utility player Breanna Roper and sophomore utility player Emma Kauf both launched two-run bombs to knot things up at four apiece.
Once again, Pitt inched ahead in the fourth with an RBI double and a sacrifice fly. The Panthers increased their lead by another score in the fifth on an RBI single, but another four-run inning for the Yellow Jackets in the bottom of the frame gave Tech the lead. With the bases full, Roper was walked to push home the first score. Senior outfielder Cameron Stanford then stepped in and cracked a gapper into left center to clear the basepath for a three-RBI double and an 8-7 Georgia Tech lead. The Jackets built on their lead in the sixth, driving in three more scores on RBI singles from junior infielder Bailee Zeitler and freshman infielder Jin Sileo along with an RBI groundout by sophomore infielder Meghan Cassidy.
The Panthers had one last gasp in the top of the seventh, knocking back-to-back homeruns to come within one, but Georgia Tech finished off the remaining two batters to hang onto the 11-10 win.
Game Notes
- Six total batters batted .500 or better on the day for the Yellow Jackets.
- Roper carried over her momentum from the NC State series, lacing her fourth homerun of the season and the past two weeks. The Woodstock, Ga. native went 2-for-4 on the day with a pair of RBI and runs scored.
- Kauf went yard for the third time this season, also finishing 2-for-4 with a couple of RBI and runs scored.
- Zeitler tallied the most hits for the Jackets, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
- Stanford’s clutch double gave her a team-leading three RBI in the game as she finished 2-for-4.
- Sileo was perfect at the plate, going 2-for 2 with an RBI as well as two walks and runs scored.
- Senior lefty Madison McPherson got the start in the circle, and senior right hander Morgan Bruce closed out the game for her first save of the season.
Up Next
Georgia Tech will continue its home series against Pitt with a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The games will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.
NOTE: ACC Network Extra (ACCNX) programming is available online via the ESPN app or WatchESPN.com. Viewers must subscribe to a cable/satellite/digital provider that carries the ACC Network to view ACCNX programming.
Multimedia
OPPO 🌮🌮@b_rope__ picks up where she left off last weekend, smashing a ✌️-run dinger to cut into the Pitt lead 💥
📺: https://t.co/rZjEqQLzEm pic.twitter.com/5J9lgDsfKa
— GT Softball 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇 (@GaTechSoftball) March 12, 2021
🚨DEAD CENTER DINGER🚨@EmmaKauf follows @b_rope__ with ANOTHER ✌️-run 💣💣 to tie things up💪
📺: https://t.co/rZjEqQLzEm pic.twitter.com/WEWqJ426oT
— GT Softball 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇 (@GaTechSoftball) March 12, 2021
B5 | Jackets take the lead❕ @CamStanford1 slaps a gapper into left center to clear the bases 👏👏👏
📺: https://t.co/Tl75YU3i4I pic.twitter.com/EWytSRsEI9
— GT Softball 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇 (@GaTechSoftball) March 12, 2021
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