THE FLATS – A ninth inning walk-off home run from Mallorie Black gave Georgia Tech softball (28-17, 11-7 ACC) a 5-3 victory over Louisville (24-18, 5-10 ACC) Sunday afternoon at Mewborn Field. The Yellow Jackets struck out a season-best 13 batters before Black sent a fly ball over the wall in center field to secure a crucial series victory.
QUICK HITS: THE TEAM
- The Jackets have now won three ACC series at home this season for the third time under Coach Aileen Morales.
- This was the 20th win at Mewborn Field this year, the 7th 20+ home win season in program history and the first since 2022.
- Chandler Dennis, Sophia Voyles and Kinsey Norton combined for 13 strikeouts today, tied for the seventh most in a game in program history.
- Tech pitching struck out Louisville 24 times this weekend, the most strikeouts in a three-game ACC series since 2015 (27 vs. Boston College).
- Mallorie Black’s walk-off homer brings the season total to 78, the fourth most home runs in program history.
- This was the ninth walk-off victory of the year and the seventh walk off home run.
- The Yellow Jackets have now won three of their last four games against teams receiving votes in the USA Softball Top 25 rankings (twice vs. Louisville and at Auburn).
QUICK HITS: THE BATS
- Black’s home run was her 18th of the season, the most in the ACC, fourth most in Division I and the 2nd most among Power 5 hitters.
- She now owns 57 RBI, the most in the ACC.
- Her 18 home runs is the 7th most in a single season in program history while her 57 RBI is 10th
- Madison Dobbins drove in all three of Tech’s other runs in the first inning, connecting for a bases loaded double into the gap in right center.
- That double gives Dobbins 52 RBI, her first-career 50+ RBI season.
- The Jackets have two hitters with over 50 RBI (Black and Dobbins) for just the third time in program history and the first since 2010.
- Jin Sileo recorded two hits, her 11th multi-hit game of the season. Her hits came in the 7th and 9th
- Sileo showcased her athleticism with an incredible slide into second base for a steal. She has stolen 12 bases this season without getting caught.
- Sileo has tied a program record for the most stolen bases in a season without being caught, tying Whitney Haller (2006).
QUICK HITS: THE ARMS
- Chandler Dennis made her ninth start of the season, pitching the first four innings, allowing just two hits and one run while striking out five.
- Dennis now has 50 strike outs this season, her third-consecutive 50 K season.
- Sophia Voyles took over for the next three innings, striking out half the batters she faced and finishing with 3.0 IP, two hits, two runs and six strikeouts.
- Kinsey Norton kept Louisville scoreless in extra innings, pitching the eighth and ninth innings and allowing only one hit along with a pair of strikeouts.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Chandler Dennis worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Cardinals scoreless after the opening frame. The Jackets took advantage of their opportunity in the bottom half of the inning. Sara Beth Allen led off with a single before Black worked a walk and Jayden Gailey was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Dobbins, who smashed a drive into the gap in right center to clear the bases and put GT in front, 3-0, after one inning. Both teams were retired in order in the second but Louisville would get on the board in the top of the third, working a bases loaded walk, before Dennis struck out the next two batters to escape the jam with a 3-1 lead.
Voyles entered the game in the fifth inning, striking out the side in order in her first inning of work. Sileo got herself into scoring position in the fifth, working a walk and pulling off an incredible slide to steal second. Sileo was beat by the throw but pulled her left arm back at the perfect time to avoid the tag before slapping it back down to grab ahold of the base. The Jackets couldn’t manage to get her any further and the game entered the sixth, still 3-1.
Louisville cut the lead to 3-2 with a leadoff home run in the sixth inning, only for Voyles to settle in and strike out two more Cardinals in the frame. Tech was two strikes away from victory in the seventh until Louisville connected for a two-out solo home run to tie the game, 3-3. Voyles struck the next batter out for her sixth of the game. The Jackets came inches away from winning in the bottom of the seventh as Sileo smashed a ball off the very top of the wall in left center, eventually scrambling around the bases for a one-out triple. She would be stranded on third and the game went to extra innings.
Norton established herself right away in the eighth inning, striking out the first two batters she faced on her way to a scoreless frame. Tech drew two walks to put the tying run in scoring position but the game would go to the ninth, still tied at three. Norton once more kept the Cardinals off the board in the top of the ninth, inducing an inning ending flyout with runners at the corners. Sileo put herself on base yet again in the bottom of the inning, looping a single into the outfield. She was able to trot home after Black ended the game with her 18th home run of the year. Sending the fans and the dogs home happy with a 5-3 victory.
UP NEXT
The Jackets are back in action on Tuesday evening for a midweek contest against cross-town rivals Georgia State. The game will be April 16 at 6 pm from Bob Heck Softball Complex.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of the development of Yellow Jackets that thrive academically at the Institute and compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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