THE FLATS – Georgia Tech softball (6-7) set a program record tonight, hitting multiple home runs for the eighth and ninth consecutive games for the first time in program history, powering past UNCG, 14-7, before run-ruling Army, 13-2, in five innings on Friday at Mewborn Field. The Jackets combined for six home runs across both games to bring their 2024 season total to 26 homers after only 13 games.
QUICK HITS
- The Yellow Jackets hit six home runs today thanks to two each from junior Madison Dobbins and senior Sara Beth Allen, along with HRs from sophomore Jayden Gailey and graduate senior Tiffany Domingue.
- Tech has hit 25 home runs over its last nine games, the most in any nine-game stretch in program history.
- The Jacket bats have hit multiple home runs in nine consecutive games for the first time in program history.
- 26 home runs through the first 13 games is the most by a Georgia Tech team through 13 games since the 2010 season (30).
- The White & Gold finished with 27 runs across both games today, the most runs scored in a single day since 2015 (33 vs. Savannah State).
- Dobbins collected both of her home runs in the opening game, vs. UNCG. It is her second multi-HR game of the season and third of her career.
- Allen blasted both of her HR in game two, vs. Army. It is her first-ever game with multiple home runs.
- Gailey launched her first collegiate home run vs. UNCG. Three of her six career hits have resulted in extra bases, two doubles and today’s home run.
- Domingue’s home run came against Army, her 2nd of the year. She delivered a perfect 5 for 5 day at the plate, coming a single shy of the cycle against Army and ending the day with five RBI and four runs scored I her best offensive showing of the season.
- Her 5 RBI game vs. Army ties her career-best and is her first 5 RBI game in a Georgia Tech uniform.
- Domingue extends her hitting streak to 6 games, going 11 for 18 (.611 avg) with 12 RBI and eight runs scored during that stretch.
- Dobbins and Domingue each hit a triple vs. Army, marking just the 12th time in program history Tech has hit multiple triples in the same game, and first since Feb. 7, 2020.
- Sophomore Paige Vukadinovich continued her offensive outpouring, going 5 for 7 on the day while lacing a double vs. Army. She has now hit four doubles over her last four games.
- Junior Sophia Voyles set a new career high with seven strikeouts in the final four innings vs. UNCG, earning herself her second win of the year.
- Senior Chandler Dennis showed out in her start vs. Army, pitching 4.0 innings and allowing just one hit, one unearned run and two walks while striking out four to secure her first win of 2024.
- Junior Emma Minghini made her first appearance in the circle since 2022, collecting the final three outs vs. Army. She got the final out of the game via strikeout, her first as a pitcher.
- Freshman Gracie Hillman recorded a pair of hits in her first two collegiate at bats vs. Army, slapping a pair of singles and coming around to score her first run as a Jacket.
- Senior Sandra Beth Pritchett entered the game vs. Army as a pinch hitter, hitting a sacrifice fly to drive in Gailey for the 13th run of the day. It was her eighth career RBI and first since the 2022 season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
vs UNCG
Jaidyn Studebaker made her second-career start in the circle for the Yellow Jackets, working around a leadoff walk in the top of the first to get the next three UNCG batters in order on just six pitches, all strikes. She would run into trouble in the third inning, allowing UNCG to climb in front, 6-0, leading to Voyles taking over to start the fourth inning. Voyles halted UNCG’s momentum with a scoreless fourth inning, allowing just one run while striking out a career-best seven in four innings of work, allowing only two Spartans into scoring position through her final 3.0 innings pitched to earn the win.
The Jacket bats came alive in the fourth and fifth innings, tying their season best for runs in an inning by putting up seven in both innings to carry the team to the opening game victory.
The fourth inning got started with small ball as four of the first five Jackets reached via singles. Domingue got the party started with a single, followed by base knocks from Vukadinovich, a perfectly placed bunt from Jin Sileo and an RBI single into right from Ella Edgmon. With the bases loaded and just one out, Allen earned an RBI the hard way, brining Vukadinovich home on a hit-by-pitch, before Mallorie Black added an RBI to her season total with a four-pitch walk. Reese Hunter drove home Edgmon with a sacrifice fly, before Dobbins cleared the bases with a three-run shot to put Tech in front for the first time, 7-6.
After UNCG tied the score with a solo homer in the top of the 5th, Tech responded with another 7-run inning. There was nothing small ball about this one, as Allen drove home Vukadinovich with a double, directly followed by a double from Black off the left field wall to drive in Edgmon and Allen, putting Tech in front, 10-8. Dobbins added her second home run in as many innings to make it a 12-7 Jacket lead before Gailey’s two-run shot to right field put Tech up for good, 14-8.
vs Army
Dennis made her second start of the season, putting in her best performance of 2024, going 4.0 innings and allowing just one hit, one unearned run and two walks while striking out four. She held the Black Knights out of the hit column through the first three innings, retiring seven hitters in a row at one point, retiring Army in order in both the second and third. Minghini took over to pitch the fifth inning, with the Jackets in front, 13-1. She recorded the last out of the game with her first-career strikeout.
The Jackets offense was on it from the jump, with Edgmon enduring a leadoff hit-by-pitch, her fourth HBP in the last five games, leading to the first of two Allen home runs to put Tech ahead, 2-0, just two batters into the bottom of the first. Black kept the momentum going with a double in the very next at bat before being driven home by Domingue’s triple, giving Tech a 3-0 advantage after one. Tech added three more runs in the bottom of the third off a three-run shot from Domingue to go up 6-0.
Army added an unearned run in the top of the fourth, before Tech hung another 7-spot on the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning, its third 7-run inning of the day. Eight batters in a row reached base safely for the Jackets, starting with the first-career base hit from Hillman, who was driven in by a home run from Allen just two pitches later. Black doubled again and was driven in by Dobbins’ triple, along with Minghini who had singled in between. Domingue collected her 5th RBI of the game with a double to make the score 11-1. Gailey singled home Dobbins before Pritchett drove in Gailey with a sacrifice fly to put the Jackets at 13 runs for the day.
UP NEXT
The Jackets continue the I-75 Challenge with a pair of games against Robert Morris (2 pm) and UNCG (4:30 pm) tomorrow at Mewborn field. Both games will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra. Tickets for the weekend are available at buzz.gt/SBTickets
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