Tech Takes Down Villanova on Opening Day

THE FLATS – Georgia Tech softball (1-0, 0-0 ACC) got its 2024 season started with a win, taking down Villanova (0-1, 0-0 Big East) 3-2 on Thursday afternoon from Shirley Clements Mewborn Field. The Jackets capped off the win with a phenomenal defensive effort as catcher Reese Hunter tagged out the Villanova runner attempting to score the tying run in the top of the seventh off a strong relay throw from Jin Sileo to put the Jackets in the win column for the first time this year.

QUICK HITS

• Tech remains perfect against Villanova, owning a 3-0 all-time record in the series.
• Georgia Tech improves to 85-31 all-time in the Buzz Classic.
• The Jackets are now 21-17 in season openers.
• Kinsey Norton made her first career opening day start, pitching 3.0 innings and matching a career-best with four strikeouts.
• Jaidyn Studebaker recorded her first career victory, pitching a scoreless fourth inning in relief.
• Chandler Dennis secured her first save of the season and sixth of her career, pitching the final 3.0 innings.
• Her 6 career saves ties her with Blake Neleman and seven other Jackets for the 5^th most in program history.
• Sara Beth Allen reached base in all three of her at bats, registering a pair of walks along with an RBI double in the third inning.
• Three of the Jackets first four hitters in the lineup posted multi-hit days: Ella Edgmon, Madison Dobbins and Abby Hughes.
• Sileo also added multiple hits out of the nine-spot. Going 2-3 with an RBI.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Arms

The Jackets utilized three pitchers throughout the contest, all contributing to key aspects of the win. Junior Kinsey Norton made her first-career opening day start, taking care of the first three Villanova batters in order on her way to three scoreless innings. She racked up two strikeouts in both the second and third innings to finish with four, tying her career best output for a game. Sophomore Jaidyn Studebaker entered the game in the fourth inning, delivering a scoreless frame to earn her first victory as a Yellow Jacket. Senior Chandler Dennis came in for Studebaker in the fifth inning, pitching a pair of scoreless innings before battling through the seventh to collect her sixth career save.

The Bats

Senior Jin Sileo got the momentum in the top of the second, making a nifty play to get the Jackets out of a bases loaded jam. In the following half inning, Sileo came to the plate with two outs, lining the first pitch she saw into right center to drive home Sara Beth Allen, who had walked three batters before, to put Tech on the board. Allen would add an insurance marker in the third inning, sending the ball off the wall in left center with two-outs to bring in Abby Hughes. Sileo took the opportunity to flash the leather in the top of the fourth, making a highlight reel jumping catch to end the inning at shortstop and keep the momentum in Tech’s dugout. Once in the bottom of the fourth, the two-out magic struck again, Ella Edgmon would drive in what would become the game-winning run off a single up the middle.

UP NEXT
The Jackets continue the 2024 Buzz Classic tomorrow with a pair of games against No. 11 Alabama (4 p.m.) and again against Villanova (6 p.m.) Both games will be broadcast on ACCNX.

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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