March 22, 2002
MARIETTA, Ga. – With a pair of wins on the opening day of the Buzz Classic, the Georgia Tech softball team (24-8, 0-0 ACC) equaled its win total of a year ago with 24 victories. The Jackets defeated Tennessee Tech, 8-2, and Harvard, 5-2.
Against the Golden Eagles, Tech used a season-high 11 hits and another stellar pitching performance from freshman Jessica Sallinger to earn the win.
The Jackets got on the board early against Tennessee Tech, posting back-to-back home runs in the first. After a walk to first baseman Katie Donovan, shortstop Tara Knudsen went deep for the eighth time this season, sending a ball over the wall in left field. Catcher Lindsay Wood followed with a shot of her own to left center, giving Tech a 3-0 lead after one. Knudsen and Wood have now hit back-to-back homers twice this season.
Tech added two runs in the second, as Donovan had an RBI double, and Knudsen drove in her third run of the game with a single to right field, which extended the lead to 5-0.
After a pair of unearned runs by Tennessee Tech, the Jackets added three more runs in the fourth. Center fielder Sara Wissmann drove in two with a double and later scored on a passed ball to give the Jackets a 8-2 lead.
Sallinger (11-3) allowed no earned runs on three hits and four walks, to earn her 11th win of the season. With 11 strikeouts on the evening, Sallinger now has 134 for the season, bettering the former Yellow Jacket single-season record of 128 set by Nikki Johnson in 1994.
At the plate, Knudsen led Tech, going 3-for-3 with a homer and three RBI. Wood and left fielder Kirin Kumar added two hits apiece.
In the second game, Harvard got on the board early, scoring a run in the second and third innings to take a 2-0 lead.
Tech cut the lead in half in its half of the fourth. Knudsen and Wood walked to lead off the inning. A hard grounder by right fielder Soraya Reddick was good for and infield single, scoring Knudsen and making the count 2-1.
The Jackets took over the lead in the top of the fifth. Kumar got the rally started with a single. Second baseman Felicia Coursey then walked and both scored on a triple by Donovan. Knudsen then singled to bring home Donovan and increase the lead to 4-2.
Tech added an insurance run in the sixth. Wissmann singled and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by third baseman Jamie Frost. She scored on an RBI single by Kumar, making the score 5-2.
Sophomore starter Erin Voeltz (7-4) allowed just one earned run on four hits to pick up the win. She fanned five and walked four.
Kumar and Reddick led the Jackets with two hits each in the second game.
Due to anticipated cold temperatures, Saturday’s games will be moved back one hour, with action beginning at 10 a.m. Bracket play will still begin at 8 p.m. The Jackets will face Illinois at 3 p.m. and Charleston Southern at 5 p.m.
FRIDAY'S RESULTSFlorida State 8, Campbell 0 (5 inn.)Mercer 5, Charleston Southern 3Troy State 9, Belmont 4North Carolina 9, Western Kentucky 0 (5 inn.)
Ohio State 12, Campbell 1 (5 inn.) Florida State 3, UNC Greensboro 1 Georgia State 1, Western Kentucky 0 Nicholls State 8, Belmont 2 Harvard 5, Mercer 2
Troy State 1, Middle Tennessee State 0 Maryland 4, Michigan State 1 Illinois 19, Charleston Southern 3 (5 inn.) Ohio State 5, Princeton 3 Nicholls State 5, Appalachian State 4
Georgia State 4, Maryland 3 Michigan State 3, Elon 0 Georgia Tech 8, Tennessee Tech 2 Central Florida 6, Princeton 3 Coastal Carolina 14, Appalachian State 3 (5 inn.)
Tennessee Tech 2, Illinois 1 North Carolina 11, Elon 3 Georgia Tech 5, Harvard 2 Middle Tennessee State 11, Coastal Carolina 0 (5 inn.) Central Florida 4, UNC Greensboro 2
-GT-
