GAINESVILLE, FLA. – No. 3 seed Georgia Tech softball (31-27, 10-14 ACC) was able to extend its season by historic measures after dropping game one of the day, 8-0, to No. 1 seed Florida (50-10, 17-7 SEC), before rebounding to defeat No. 2 seed Texas State (39-22, 16-8 SBC) for the second time to advance through to the Regional Final on Sunday.
With their 4-1 win in the rematch against Texas State, the Yellow Jackets advance to the NCAA Regional Finals for the first time since 2010 and the very first time while under the direction of head coach Aileen Morales.
QUICK HITS
- Sydnie Watts made her 17th start, 26th appearance, in the circle on Saturday to kick things off in the circle against the Gators. She finished her time against Florida on Saturday facing 17 batters across 2.2 innings pitched.
- Makayla Coffield made her 17th relief appearance, 20th appearance of the season, pitching for the Yellow Jackets on Saturday morning. Coffield relieved Watts in the top of the third with two outs to help Tech’s defense to get the final out of the inning.
- She finished the day recording two strikeouts against seven batters faced across 1.1 innings of work.
- Kenley Hilleary made her first NCAA Regional appearance as Tech called on her for the top of the fifth. Her Saturday appearance was the senior’s 28th relief appearance, 30th appearance of the season.
- Hilleary finished the game facing seven batters across 1.0 innings pitched.
- Emma Simon led Tech’s offensive efforts in game one of the day as she recorded her seventh multi-hit game of the season with two.
- Both Madi Duffel and Paige Vukadinovich contributed one hit each to help make up Tech’s four against Florida.
- In Tech’s second game of the day, Madalyn Johnson made her 31st start, 38th appearance. The Yellow Jackets rematch with the Bobcats saw Johnson record two strikeouts against 28 batters faced across 7.0 innings pitched.
- The 7.0 innings pitched on Saturday brought Johnson to 14 complete games this season. Her 14 complete games this season are the most since Emily Anderson’s 2018 season (27).
- Alyssa Willer and Reese Hunter had an exceptional game two as they recorded three hits respectively. For Willer, that was her 20th multi-hit game of the season; for Hunter, her 17th.
- Makayla Coffield and Abby McKinnis saw action in round two against the Bobcats as both Yellow Jackets were called on to pinch run.
- Jayden Gailey was also called upon, but instead to step in the batter’s box in place of Duffel. Gailey stepped up and launched her seventh home run of the season.
- In Tech’s 2010 Regional Final appearance, the No. 1 seed Jackets fell 4-3 in eight innings to the No. 2 seed Oregon.
- The most recent season that Tech was able to advance through to Super Regionals was 2009 when the Yellow Jackets were No. 14 nationally and advanced through the Atlanta Regional without surrendering more than four runs. Tech went on to fall in the 2009 Atlanta Super Regionals.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game One
- After two scoreless innings, Florida got on the board first with a three-run homer over right center. The hosting Gators extended their lead in the top half of the inning with a triple to the center field wall that brought one additional run across.
- Florida added another three runs to the board in the top of the fourth, starting with a double hit deep to the left corner of the field, followed by back-to-back singles up the middle. A wild pitch combined with a double to deep left field was enough to give Florida its final run of the fourth.
- The Gators extended their lead by one run in the top of the fifth as the batter walked with the bases loaded.
Game Two
- After two scoreless innings, Tech scored first with a home run sent over center field by Willer off a full count in the bottom of the third.
- Texas State responded with one run on three hits in the top of the fourth.
- Despite a scoreless fifth inning for both teams, Tech was able to stack three runs on one walk, two hits, and a wild pitch. Hunter ultimately provided the Yellow Jackets with the winning run as her single to right field was enough to send pinch runner McKinnis running home from second. Gailey capped Tech’s scoring in its rematch against Texas State as she slammed a home run over left center to give the Jackets enough space to walk away with the 4-1 win.
UP NEXT
The Yellow Jackets will conclude NCAA Regional play in Gainesville against Florida on Sunday at 12 p.m. Should Tech emerge victorious, the Jackets will see the Gators in one final, winner advances game at 2:30 p.m. The final game of the Regional will be streamed on SECN.
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech softball team, follow us on Twitter (@GaTechSoftball), Facebook, Instagram (@GaTechsoftball) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.
