April 28, 2002
ATLANTA – Sophomore shortstop Tara Knudsen’s 16th home run of the season propelled the Georgia Tech softball team (46-16, 6-2 ACC) to a 2-1 victory over Georgia in front of a record crowd of 679 at Glenn Field Sunday. The win salvaged a split of the doubleheader, as the 25th-ranked Bulldogs took the first game, 1-0.
Knudsen’s third-inning homer, which was belted off the scoreboard in left center, tied the Yellow Jackets single-season home run record set by Anne Knobbe in 2000. She is now batting .394 on the season with 50 runs batted in.
The two runs were enough for Tech starter Jessica Sallinger, who improved to 22-7 with the win. She allowed just four hits and two walks, while giving up one earned run. She struck out six in seven innings and now has 258 on the season, which ties her for second on the career strikeout list at Tech.
Georgia made things interesting in the top of the seventh, cutting the lead to 2-1, but Sallinger got UGA center fielder Nicole Barber to foul out to third baseman Jamie Frost to end the game. Lacey Gardner took the loss for Georgia, falling to 19-8 on the season.
The win was the Jackets’ second over a team ranked among the NFCA top 25. Tech defeated then-No. 17 Iowa on March 8.
Game one was a pitchers’ dual from the start, as the teams combined for only eight hits. The lone run of the game came on a sacrifice fly to deep center by Georgia catcher Shannon McKeon. First baseman Kim Wendland, who led off the inning with a walk, came home on the play.
That would be enough for Bulldog starter Michelle Green, who allowed no runs on five hits and two walks. She also fanned four, improving her record to 18-3 on the season.
Tech starter Erin Voeltz was the tough-luck loser, as she gave up just three hits and two walks in seven innings. With the loss, she falls to 17-7 this year.
Offensively, Knudsen went 2-for-2 with a walk to lead the Jackets in game one.
Tech returns to action on May 10 at the 2002 ACC Tournament in Tallahassee, Fla. The Jackets have wrapped up conference play with a 6-2 record and are assured of at least the second seed in the event.
-GT-
