April 13, 2002
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Looking for the first 8-0 conference mark in ACC history, the Georgia Tech softball team (39-13, 6-2 ACC) dropped a pair of games at No. 21 Florida State (38-13, 2-0 ACC) Saturday at the Seminole Softball Complex. FSU took game one, 7-3, and won the second, 4-2. With a 6-2 league mark, the Jackets still wrap up the ACC slate with their best mark in school history.
Tech squandered an opportunity to take an early lead in game one, leaving the bases loaded in the top of the first.
The Seminoles then jumped on the chance to take an early advantage, as right fielder Shundra Colzie led off the game with her fourth home run of the season to left center. Florida State used its speed to score two more runs, as center fielder Jessica van der Linden came home on a throwing error and second baseman Brandi Stuart later scored on the throw to first on a ground out by catcher Kimmy Carter.
The Jackets got on the board in their half of the third, as a double to center by catcher Lindsay Wood scored shortstop Tara Knudsen from first and trimmed the score to 3-1. The hit was Wood’s 16th two-bagger of the season, adding to her single-season school record. Knudsen reached first via a walk.
FSU responded with a pair in the bottom of the third, as a single down the third base line by first baseman Beth Wade drove in van der Linden and Stuart to extend the lead to 5-1.
The Seminoles added two more in the fourth as Carter legged out an infield single, driving in Sundra Colzie and allowing Stuart to come home on the throw.
Knudsen kept Tech within striking distance as she lined her 14th homer of the season to down the left field line in the top of the fifth, cutting the score to 7-3. Second baseman Felicia Coursey, who singled earlier in the frame, also scored on the blast.
The four-run margin proved to be enough, as Seminole starter Leslie Malerich improved to 22-9 with the complete game victory. She allowed four hits and three earned runs, while fanning five.
Tech starter Erin Voeltz went just three innings, falling to 14-5 with the loss. She allowed four earned runs on seven hits and two walks. Junior Tiffany Goodman tossed the final three innings, giving up two runs on two hits and a walk.
Offensively, Knudsen went 2-for-2 with a homer and two runs batted in to lead Tech.
Florida State also struck first in the game two, posting a 1-0 lead after the first inning. Shundra Colzie scored from second, as Stuart laid down a sacrifice bunt and collided with Coursey, who was covering at first. Coursey remained down after the collision and Colzie came in to score on the play. Coursey left the game following the play.
The Seminoles added two more in the bottom of the third on a two-run homer by Stuart to left field. The home run was her 10th of the season, tying the single-season mark for FSU.
Florida State extended the lead to 4-0 on a RBI single by Shundra Colzie off of Goodman, who entered in relief in the fourth.
The Jackets finally scratched in the top of the sixth as Wood drove in Knudsen on her second run-scoring double of the afternoon, cutting the Seminole lead to 4-1. She now has 17 doubles this season.
Tech loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the seventh. With one out, pinch hitter Kirin Kumar reached on a fielder’s choice, allowing first baseman Mimi Utt to score and cut the lead to 4-2. Malerich then entered and got third baseman Jamie Frost to pop into the game-ending double play.
Van der Linden fanned 11 in the win, 13th of the season. She allowed four hits and two walks in 6.1 innings. Malerich picked up her third save.
Tech starter Jessica Sallinger allowed three runs on two hits in three innings. Goodman gave up just one run on three hits and two walks in the final three innings.
Tech returns to action Thursday, April 18, for a 3 p.m. doubleheader at Mississippi State.
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