March 5, 2004
TUCSON, Ariz. – Junior Jessica Sallinger (10-2) threw four shutout innings and struck out nine batters as No. 24 Georgia Tech (17-4) defeated UTEP (3-8), 7-0, in the Hillenbrand Invitational this afternoon at Hillenbrand Stadium. Senior All-American shortstop Tara Knudsen broke the Atlantic Coast Conference and Tech record with her 40th career home run in the game as the Yellow Jackets tallied five runs in the second and two in the fourth for the win.
Sophomore catcher Lauren Schlechte got the Yellow Jackets started in the second inning with a walk. Junior second baseman Katie Donovan followed with a single to left field and senior outfielder Sara Wissmann drew a walk to load the bases. Freshman first baseman Kristina Hull drove in the first run of the inning on a bloop single just over the first baseman’s head. Junior third baseman Kirin Kumar then reached on a fielder’s choice and senior outfielder Soraya Reddick drove in the third run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to center field. Sophomore Amy Hosier doubled into the right center gap to plate two more runs as Tech led 5-0 after two innings of play.
UTEP’s Denise Emmons singled in the bottom of the second inning and teammate Jawauna Davis doubled down the left field line to give the Miners runners at second and third with one out. Sallinger then recorded the next two outs for the Jackets with two big strikeouts.
The Rambling Wreck chased Miner starting pitcher Malia Simmons out of the game in the top of the third inning as junior Liz Bartle and Donovan reached base on walks. Renee DiPuccio entered the circle for UTEP and registered two quick outs with a strikeout and a fly out.
Knudsen hit a two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning, sixth of the season, to increase the Jackets’ lead to seven.
Donovan led off the fifth inning with a base hit to right field. Hull reached base on an error by the shortstop and Tech had runners at the corners with one out. Kumar lined to third base and Hull was thrown out at first base for an inning ending double play. Senior Erin Voeltz entered the game for Tech on the mound in the bottom of the fifth inning. Voeltz tallied three outs on three pitches to end the fifth.
The Yellow Jackets stranded runners at first and second with not outs as the game moved to the bottom half of the sixth inning. Freshman Sarah Wood came into the game for Tech on the mound. Wood induced three straight ground balls in the sixth as the game advanced to the seventh with Tech leading 7-0.
The Jackets did not pose a threat in the top half of the seventh as UTEP rolled over a double play 6-4-3 as the Miners came to bat in the final inning. After allowing a leadoff base hit, Wood closed the door on the Miners with a ground out to second base, a strikeout and fly out to end the game.
Donovan led the Yellow Jackets offensively, going 2-for-2, with two walks and one run scored. Knudsen finished 1-for-2, with a home run and two runs batted in.
Tech scored seven runs, on seven hits and two errors, while UTEP had no runs, on three hits and one error.
Georgia Tech will take on No. 2 Arizona (21-0) on Saturday, March 6, at 7 p.m. and Northern Iowa (3-6) at 9 p.m. ET. All the Tech games can be followed on GameTracker on www.ramblinwreck.com.
