Feb. 9, 2012
ATLANTA – The Georgia Tech softball team will kick start its 2012 campaign at the Kajikawa Classic hosted by the reigning National Champions, Arizona State, in Tempe, Ariz. from February 10-12.
The Yellow Jackets will face off against top-25 teams in No. 8/8 Arizona and No. 20/21 Nebraska as well as San Diego State who is currently receiving votes, Cal Poly and Oregon State. The Jackets will kick off their 2012 season with a 10:30 a.m. (ET) game against the Beavers on Friday followed by a 4 p.m. (ET) game against Arizona.
Saturday, the Jackets will take on Cal Poly and San Diego State and they will round their weekend off on Sunday against Nebraska at 1 p.m.
The Competition
Oregon State
Last Time against the Beavers: Tech is 1-1 all time and 1-0 under head coach Sharon Perkins against Oregon State. The last time the two teams met was on Feb. 22, 2009 at the Cathedral City Classic in Cathedral City, Calif, a 6-0 thrashing by the Jackets. Jen Yee was 2-for-2 on the day with a home run while Tiffany Johnson also went yard with a three run homer in the seventh to seal the victory.
University of Arizona
Last Time against the Wildcats: The Jackets are 0-2 all time against the Mike Candrea coached Arizona Wildcats. Perkins has yet to go head-to-head with Candrea as a Yellow Jacket. The last time that these two teams met was at the Hillenbrand Invitational on March 6, 2004 in Tucson, Ariz. where the Wildcats defeated Tech 2-0. Arizona’s Wendy Allen threw a two-hitter in the shutout striking out six. Jessica Sallinger allowed just five hits for the Jackets and sat down 10 by way of the K but an early two run homer by the aformentioned Allen in the first inning was the difference maker.
Cal Poly
Las time against the Mustangs: Tech is 0-1 all time against the Mustangs, and 0-1 during Perkins’ tenure. Last time the two teams met was a 2-0 for Tech at the same Cathedral City Classic that the Jackets saw Oregon State at. A home run by Anna Kahn in the fourth inning was the difference maker in the loss.
San Diego State
Last time against the Aztecs: Tech is 0-2 all time and 0-2 under Perkins against the Aztecs. The last time the two teams met was at on the road in San Diego on March 21, 2007 where the Aztecs just slipped by Tech in both games of the doubleheader. Tech put together a four run top of the fourth inning in game one to give themselves a 4-0 advantage but the Aztecs responded in the bottom half of the frame putting three up on the board. They tacked on the game tying run in the sixth and won it on a walk off-fielders choice that scored Brittany Knudsen. In game two, it was an un earned run in the third inning that was the demise of the Jackets in a 1-0 pitcher’s duel.
Nebraska
Last time against the Cornhuskers: Tech is 1-2 all time against Nebraska and 0-1 under Perkins. The last time the two teams met was on Feb. 26, 2010 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. where the Huskers earned a 2-0 vcitory. Nebraska put up two seventh inning runs and the Jackets could not respond in the bottom half of the frame.
The Notes
ACC Regular Season Champs?
…the ACC coaches think so. The softball team is predicted to win its fourth-straight Atlantic Coast Conference regular season title, as predicted by the league’s head coaches. The Yellow Jackets received five first-place votes and 46 total points. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.
The Jackets are coming off of a 45-12 season where they won the ACC regular season title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 10th straight season. Tech heads into 2012 with the return of All-Americans Hope Rush and Kelsi Weseman and All-ACC performer Alysha Rudnik. Tech begins the season ranked 23rd in the USA Softball/ESPN poll and are receiving votes in the NFCA/USA today poll.
USA Softball Watch List
Georgia Tech senior shortstop Kelsi Weseman has been selected to the “Watch List” for the 2012 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) announced Wednesday.
Weseman, who is coming off the most productive season of her career, returns to the Tech lineup after batting .424 last spring with 67 hits, 17 doubles, 21 homeruns and a slugging percentage of .968, which ranked second nationally.
The Hutto, Texas native earned her first career All-American nod last season, becoming the eighth Tech player to earn the honor and the fifth under the tutelage of head coach Sharon Perkins. Weseman was also named the 2011 ACC Player of the Year, earned All-ACC (first team) accolades for the third-straight season and has been a part of an ACC Championship in each of her three years here on the Flats.
In 2010, former Tech softball player Jen Yee was a finalist for the award while current junior Hope Rush made it to the semi-final round of voting.
Television Stars
The softball team will make at least four appearances on television in 2012. Tech’s home game against Maryland on April 8 as well as a Monday night game at Florida State on April 16 will be featured on national tv (ESPNU) while the Yellow Jacket’s doubleheader against FSU on April 15 will take part on ESPN3.com
