April 17, 2004
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
RALEIGH, N.C. – Junior Jessica Sallinger (23-6) retired the first 11 batters of game one and struck out 13 for her 12th shutout of the season to lift No. 22 Georgia Tech (36-12, 2-4 ACC) over NC State (31-20, 3-3 ACC), 2-0, in the opener. Senior Soraya Reddick provided the game-winning run with her fourth homer of the season. Sallinger has not allowed a run in 30.0 straight innings. NC State’s Renee LaCroix hit a two-out two-run home run in the fifth inning of game two to give the Wolfpack a split, 2-0.
The Jackets threatened in the second inning as junior designated hitter Liz Bartle walked and senior first baseman Tasha Waugh doubled to left center field to put runners on second and third with one out. NC State’s Abbie Sims retired the next two batters with strikeouts as the game remained scoreless.
Reddick put the Yellow Jackets ahead in the third inning with a leadoff home run, setting a new career high for a single season with her fourth, as Tech led 1-0.
Tech placed runners on second and third with two outs in the fourth inning but could not cash in. Sophomore catcher Lauren Schlechte drew a walk and senior left fielder Sara Wissmann singled through the left side. The Jackets then pulled off a double steal before Sims induced a pop out to first base to end the inning.
Sallinger retired the first 11 batters of the game, nine via the strikeout, before the Wolfpack’s Miranda Ervin looped a single over senior shortstop Tara Knudsen’s head to break up Sallinger’s no-hit bid. Sallinger registered a pop out to end the inning for the Yellow Jackets.
Reddick led off the fifth inning with a walk. Reddick advanced to second base on a foul out by Knudsen and junior second baseman Katie Donovan drove in Reddick with a double off the center field fence to extend the lead to two, 2-0.
Schlechte drew a walk to lead off the sixth inning and Hosier tallied a bunt single which sent Schlechte over to third base as Tech had first and third with one out. Schlechte was then thrown out at home plate on a ground ball back to the pitcher and Sims tallied a foul out to first base to end the inning unscaffed.
The Pack put their first two runners on in the bottom of the seventh inning with consecutive bloop singles to left and right field. Sallinger induced a ground ball to shortstop where the Jackets picked up an out at second base for the first out. Sallinger struck out the next two batters to hold NC State off the scoreboard.
The nightcap was another pitcher’s dual between Tech’s Erin Voeltz and NC State’s Shaina Ervin as neither team managed a run in the first four innings. The Wolfpack’s Renee LaCroix broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning with a two-out home run to left field to put NC State on top, 2-0.
Tech loaded the bases in the second inning on two walks and a double by Wissmann with two outs. The Wolfpack ended the inning with a strikeout as neither team managed a run in the first two innings.
Bartle got the Rambling Wreck started in the fourth inning with a leadoff double down the left field line. Bartle advanced to third on a successful sacrifice bunt by Schlechte who reached on an error by the pitcher as Tech had runners and first and third with no outs. Bartle was thrown out at home on an attempted double steal and the Wolfpack tallied a strikeout and ground out to keep the Yellow Jackets off the scoreboard.
NC State’s Sims led off the fourth inning with a base hit to give State its second hit of the game. The Yellow Jackets then turned a double play (2), 4-6-3, to record two outs. Voeltz fanned the next batter to keep the game scoreless.
The Wolfpack threatened again in the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Jackets used a second 4-6-3 double play to end the inning and head to the seventh inning trailing by two.
Bartle led the way in game two, going 2-for-2, with a double. Voeltz (13-6) picked up the loss for the Jackets, going the distance, allowing four hits and two runs, while striking out six.
Georgia Tech will face North Carolina on Sunday, April 18, at the UNC Softball Complex. The doubleheader is slated for a 2 p.m. start.
