May 21, 2005
ATHENS, Ga. – Georgia’s Michelle Green (25-3) worked five strong innings, allowing just two hits and one earned run, and Megan McAllister drove in two runs to lead the eighth-ranked Bulldogs (53-13) past No. 17 Georgia Tech (50-13), 8-1, in the NCAA Athens Regional on Saturday at the UGA Softball Stadium. Freshman Kacey Ivey led the Yellow Jackets offensively, going 2-for-3, with a stolen base.
“Georgia played well offensively and defensively today,” said head coach Ehren Earleywine. “We did not make adjustments at the plate and that’s why we did not score early, or late.”
Senior Jessica Sallinger (28-8) lost for the first time in five starts, working five innings, allowing five hits, five earned runs and struck out four. Senior Katie Donovan went 1-for-3, with one RBI for the Yellow Jackets.
After a strikeout to start the game, Sallinger walked the next two batters in the top of the first inning to give UGA its first runner in scoring position, but Sallinger induced a 5-4-3 double play to end the threat for the Bulldogs. Freshman second baseman Aileen Morales was injured on the play and was removed from the game, never to return for the Jackets.
Junior Amy Hosier drew a one-out walk and stole second base after senior Kirin Kumar lined out to second base for the second out of the inning. UGA’s Michelle Green tallied a strikeout for the final out of the inning to end Tech’s first threat.
Ivey tallied the game’s first hit with one out in the bottom of the third inning with a single up the middle and stole her 19th base of the season to advance to second, but Green registered a fly out to center field and a strikeout to end the third inning for the Jackets.
The Bulldogs’ Megan McAllister posted the first hit for UGA in the top of fourth inning with a base hit to right-center field to move Kim Wendland over to second base after she was hit-by-a-pitch with one out. Jessica Gilmore then drove in the first run of the game with an infield single and Katie Vickers followed with an RBI single up the middle as Tech trailed 2-0. Green then came into the batting lineup to hit and singled to left field to drive in the third run for the Bulldogs with two outs. Sallinger recorded the final out of the inning with her fourth strikeout of the game.
McAllister put the Bulldogs ahead by five runs in the top of the fifth inning with a double down the left field line to plate Wendland and Courtney Knight who reached on walks as Tech trailed 5-0.
Sophomore Sarah Wood (15-4) entered the circle for the Yellow Jackets in the top of the sixth inning. The Bulldogs loaded the bases with one out, and pinch hitter Jade Jarvis doubled to right-center field to plate three more runs and push UGA’s advantage to 8-0. Freshman Whitney Humphreys entered the circle for Tech and registered the final out.
The Yellow Jackets loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth inning with no outs on three consecutive walks. The Bulldogs’ Kasi Carroll came in to the game in relief of Green and recorded two quick outs on a strikeout and force out at the plate. Donovan then drove in the game’s first run for the Jackets with a base hit through the right side to plate Sheridan and cut the deficit to seven, 8-1.
The third-seeded Jackets will play the winner of No. 2 seed Kansas and No. 4 seed Tennessee Tech later this afternoon at 5 p.m. The winner of that game will advance to the regional championship and take on UGA.
-GT SOFTBALL-
