May 14, 2004
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Senior Soraya Reddick hit the game-winning home run in the fifth inning and junior Jessica Sallinger (27-7) did not allow an earned run as No. 24 Georgia Tech (42-15) downed NC State (32-26), 2-1, in first round action at the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament on Friday morning at the Seminole Softball Complex.
In the bottom of the second inning, NC State’s Heather Gelbard made a run-saving stab in the hole between first and second base with runners on first and second to keep the Yellow Jackets off the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning as the game moved to the third inning, scoreless.
The Jackets broke a scoreless tie in the third inning after senior shortstop Tara Knudsen walked with two outs and then stole second base, eventually scoring on a two-out single by junior designated hitter Liz Bartle.
Reddick connected on her fifth home run of the season in the fifth inning to put the Yellow Jackets up two, 2-0.
The Wolfpack capitalized on a Tech error in the sixth inning as Jennifer Chamberlin drove in the first run for the Pack to cut the deficit to just one, 2-1. With runners at first and second and one out, Sallinger induced a fly out and struck out the final NC State batter of the inning as the Jackets took a one-run lead to the seventh inning.
Sallinger retired the side in the final inning, tallying one strikeout. The Kennesaw, Ga., native fanned 11 Wolfpack hitters in the game, surpassing 10 K’s for the 18th time this season.
All-ACC shortstop Tara Knudsen finished the game 2-for-2 at the plate for Tech. Fellow All-ACC honoree Bartle went 1-for-2, with one RBI and a walk, while Reddick finished 1-for-3, with a home run.
Tech broke the single-season walks record this morning, pushing its season total to 200. The Jackets scored two runs, on six hits and committed two errors, while NC State tallied one run, on three hits and had one error.
No. 4 seed Georgia Tech will take on No. 1 seed Florida State (54-9) at 5 p.m. in quarterfinals action at 5 p.m. today.
