STARKVILLE, Miss. β Georgia Tech softball (6-1) split its first doubleheader of the Bulldog Kickoff Classic, dropping its first game of the season to Central Arkansas, 7-4, before downing Southern Illinois, 5-2. Despite bringing the tying run to the plate with no outs in the bottom of the seventh, the Yellow Jackets succumbed to a strong fifth inning by the Bears made up of five unearned runs. The White and Gold rallied back against the Salukis, taking the lead in the first inning and never trailing throughout.
Techβs one-two punch at the top of the order in graduate senior first baseman Tricia Awald and junior catcher Emma Kauf led the way at the plate on the day with nearly identical stat lines, both going 4-for-7 with a pair of runs scored. Awald knocked her second homerun of the season and picked up a double while Kauf torched two doubles through the day.
Game One: Central Arkansas (2-4) got on the board first in the top of the first frame, but Georgia Tech quickly answered with three runs of its own in the bottom half. Following a leadoff double by Kauf and a subsequent single by sophomore third baseman Mallorie Black, sophomore designated player Sara Beth Allen cranked a three-run shot for her first career homerun. With the Jackets leading 3-1, a stalemate ensued for the next three innings. The Bears struck again in the fifth, first loading the bases and driving in a run on a walk before a grand slam put Central Arkansas on top for the first time on the day, 6-3. Georgia Tech trimmed the lead to two in the bottom of the frame by scoring on a wild pitch, but the Bears got the run back on a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth. With their backs against the wall in the bottom of the seventh, the Yellow Jackets rallied with a single from pinch hitting senior Kennedy Cowden and a following double by Kauf as both reached scoring position with no outs. Tech was unable to capitalize on the opportunity in the end, falling 7-4.
Game Two: Awald got the Yellow Jackets going early, blasting a solo shot over the right-field wall in the bottom of the first. Tech kept rolling in the third out to a 3-0 advantage, adding a pair to its lead thanks to a two-RBI single by freshman second baseman Grace Connelly. Southern Illinois (2-3) shaved down the Jacket lead in the top of the fourth with an RBI double, but the White and Gold responded with two more scores off the bat of Allen in the bottom half. The Salukis kept battling, drawing near with an RBI single in the top of the fifth, but Tech would maintain its distance, cruising through the final two innings behind the steady presence of junior pitcher Chandler Dennis from the circle for a 5-2 win.
Game Notes
- Allenβs three-run dinger marked her first collegiate homerun.
- Awald picked up her second homerun of the season. The slugger has maintained consistency throughout the season at the plate with a hit in every game this season.
- Kauf was a perfect 4-for-4 against Central Arkansas, a career high.
- Dennis tallied six strikeouts as she tossed her second complete game win of the season over Southern Illinois, previously controlling the game from the circle against Villanova for the same achievement
- On the season, Dennis owns a 1.65 ERA through 17 innings of work with 17 strikeouts.
Up Next
Georgia Tech will return to action facing Southern Illinois at 10 a.m. CT and Mississippi State at 12:30 p.m. CT on Saturday for day two of the Bulldog Kickoff Classic at Nusz Park. The Jacketsβ matchup with the Bulldogs will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
Multimedia
π πππΈβπκͺκ«α§κͺα¦#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/cu7sRzYVF6
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
Letβs play βοΈ today#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/NoxUTJOT9s
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
Leadoff double and fifth straight game with a hit for this girlπ₯#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/3hP6B75Rk1
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
π‘π’. ππ’π¨ππ§.π³@sballen99 ππ§πͺπ¨πππ¨ a 3β£-run shot for her first career homerun π£π£π£
Tech leads 3β£-1β£ after the first#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/kGIrRWwoUu
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
So @blakeneleman is πΏππΌπππππ₯ (as usual)
Our ace has tallied 6β£ K's in 3β£ innings π₯΅#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/DEYqlktviL
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
She thought π¬@EmmaKauf guns down a runner attempting to steal second to end the top of the fourth πͺ#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/UuzIkl39Mb
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
Another one on the board π@mgdobbins7 steals third and makes her way home as a pinch runner πββοΈπ¨#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/eAixEw3ZCL
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
Runner π@Kennedy_Cowden steps in to pinch hit in the bottom of the seventh and shoots a gapper to right center for her first hit of the season π#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/O5VGyRJy1E
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
.@EmmaKauf hammers her second double of the day and sixth of the season to bring the tying run to the plateβ
Oh, and she's a perfect 4β£-for-4β£ on the day π₯#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/9lhF2bvljp
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
Bouncing back for our second game of the day against Southern Illinois shortly.#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/AGP76HSURU
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
Aaand we're back!#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/2Dz5r6KdHv
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
Too cold, Kennedy π₯Ά@Kennedy_Cowden comes up with a diving, snow cone grab in leftβπ€#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/iuVmpzG2DY
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
π₯π§ππ§ππ₯π₯@TriciaAwald22 ππΌππππ clears the right-field wall for a solo shot π£π₯ That marks her second dinger of the seasonβ#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/1mg9AiVQ0q
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
Stand-up double for a standout performer so far today πͺ #BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/qd6YbxKE38
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
Go off, Graceβ
With a pair in scoring position, @grace_connelly3 singles to shallow right to push both runners home ππ#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/0GXjAUC6ky
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
Whatever works π€·ββοΈ@sballen99 grounds one down the third-base line and off the bag with the bases loaded to score βοΈ moreβ#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/mjLm0WOHrG
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
Just another @TriciaAwald22 double, it's casual π
Jackets lead 5β£-2β£#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/7vsCaCnvWh
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
Right back in the π column πͺ@TriciaAwald22 leads the way going 3β£-for-3β£ with a solo shot π₯#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/ndq7mMEQNr
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
π: A quick byte from @chandlerdenniss after her second complete game win of the season#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/W5z6NQD5j2
— Georgia Tech Softball π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯ (@GaTechSoftball) February 18, 2022
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