April 29, 2005
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Sophomore Sarah Wood (15-3) picked up the win in relief in the opener and dropped a tough 2-1 decision in the nightcap as No. 17 Georgia Tech (45-11, 11-4 ACC) split with Maryland (23-18, 5-9 ACC), 3-2 (11) and 1-2, on Friday night at the Terrapin Softball Complex. With the victory, the Yellow Jackets clinch their first regular season Atlantic Coast Conference title.
“I’m happy for everybody involved with our program,” said head coach Ehren Earleywine about winning the regular season championship. “We set a goal at the start of the season to win the regular season ACC title and we’ve accomplished that. Now, we will be the top seed at the ACC Tournament and one step closer to our second goal, winning the ACC Tournament.
“Tonight, Maryland played great and could’ve won both games. We tip our hat to the way they competed and it should make for a good third game of the series tomorrow.”
Jessica Aditays (8-3) and Abbey Welch combined for a one-hitter in the circle, allowing one run, as Welch tallied her third save of the season, to lead the Terrapins in game two.
Senior Jessica Sallinger (23-7) worked seven strong innings in the opener, scattering eight hits, allowing two runs, one earned run and struck out eight for a no decision. Freshman Aileen Morales went 3-for-6 and freshman Kacey Ivey finished 2-for-4, with two runs scored, to pace the Jackets offensively in game one. Junior Amy Hosier had the only hit for Tech in the nightcap, finishing 1-for-3, with a double.
In game one, UMD’s Lindsay Klein gave the Terrapins the first lead of the game in the bottom of the first inning on a double off the right field fence to plate Crystal Tweedy who led off the inning with a walk.
The Yellow Jackets tied the game in the top of the third inning as freshman Aileen Morales singled through the left side to score senior Katie Donovan who drew a walk and advanced two bases on an infield single by freshman Kacey Ivey and a sacrifice bunt by senior Kirin Kumar. Junior Christine Sheridan put Tech ahead 2-1 with a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Ivey.
Klein struck again for the Terrapins in the bottom of the fifth inning with a single through the left side to score Crystal Tweedy who reached on a base hit as the game was tied at 2-2. Sallinger recorded the final two outs of the inning via the strikeout as the game moved to the sixth inning tied.
The Yellow Jackets put runners in scoring position in four consecutive innings, but failed to drive in any runs as the game advanced to the 11th inning knotted at 2-2.
Freshman Savannah Brown led off the 11th inning with a single and freshman Stephanie Butler came in to pinch run for Brown. Butler was thrown out at second base on a ground ball hit by Donovan for the first out of the inning, but Ivey singled to left field to put runners at first and second with one out. Kumar singled to center field, but the Jackets got caught up with two runners at second base, which forced Donovan to try and advance home and the Terps threw her out to record the second out of the inning. Welch entered the circle for the Terps and proceeded to balk in the go ahead run for the Jackets as Tech led 3-2.
The Terps’ Cardova reached on a throwing error by Sheridan to give Maryland a runner in the bottom of the 11th inning. After Wood tallied a strikeout for the first out of the inning, Jenny Belak hit an infield single to third base to give UMD runners at first and second. Sheridan then made a nice stab in the hole in between short and third base to record a force out at third for the second out and Wood took care of the final out of the game on a come backer to the circle that she fired over to first.
In game two, the Terps jumped out in front in the bottom of the first inning as Belak tripled to left field and Klein doubled to left field as Tech trailed 1-0.
Hosier led off the fifth inning with a double to right-center field and junior Lauren Schlechte drove her in with a sacrifice fly to the warning track in right field to tie the game at 1-1.
The Terrapins regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning as Rizzuto led off with a double to left-center field and scored on an error by Lever on a fly ball to deep right field as Tech trailed 2-1.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, freshman Whitney Humphreys entered the circle for the Jackets and retired the side in order. The Yellow Jackets were turned away in the seventh inning as Maryland picked up the split with a 2-1 victory.
Tech and the Terps will play the third and final game of the ACC series on Saturday at 1 p.m.
-GT SOFTBALL-
