March 4, 2005
MARIETTA, Ga. – Freshman second baseman Aileen Morales knocked in the tying run and sophomore right fielder Caitlin Lever drove in the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to rally No. 19 Georgia Tech (16-4) past Purdue (10-7), 2-1, at the Buzz Classic on Friday night at Al Bishop Softball Complex. Freshman pitcher Whitney Humphreys (4-1) tossed a complete-game shutout in the opener versus Winthrop (10-9) as Tech defeated the Eagles 2-0.
Senior pitcher Jessica Sallinger (10-2) threw a complete-game two-hitter against the Boilermakers, striking out 11 and walking none. Junior Amy Hosier led the offensive attack with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate.
In game one versus Winthrop, senior Kirin Kumar put the Jackets in front in the top of the third inning with a base hit up the middle to score senior Katie Donovan who reached on a leadoff walk and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Kacey Ivey. Tech tallied a second run on a two-out error by the Winthrop right fielder as the Jackets led 2-0 after three innings of play.
That was all Humphreys would need, scattering two hits on the afternoon and recording her second complete-game shutout of the season.
In the nightcap against Purdue, Ivey made a home run saving grab as she crashed threw the fence to keep the game scoreless in the top of the fifth inning. After a fly out, Shelli Messer broke up Sallinger’s perfect game with a single up the middle to give the Boilermakers their first runner of the game. Sallinger recorded a foul out to third base to end the inning for Purdue.
Hosier led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a base hit to break up Purdue’s Brooke Baker’s no-hit bid. Donovan then flied out to the right field and the Boilermakers threw Hosier out at first base for a double play. Ivey then singled to third base, but Baker retired the next batter with a strikeout as the game moved to the sixth inning scoreless.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, junior Christine Sheridan singled to right field and sophomore Sarah Wood doubled down the left field line to put runners at second and third. Baker then recorded a strikeout to wiggle out of the jam and advance the game to the seventh inning scoreless.
The Boilermakers’ DaQueta Johnson broke the scoreless tie in the seventh inning with a two-out home run that barley cleared the fence to give Purdue a 1-0 lead.
Hosier led off the seventh inning for the Jackets with a base hit to right-center field and Donovan drew a walk to put runners at first and second with no outs. Baker retired the next Yellow Jacket via the strikeout and induced a fielder’s choice for the second out of the inning. Morales the delivered with a base hit up the middle to tie the game and place runners at second and third with two outs. Lever fouled off eight pitches before hitting a hard shot to the Purdue first baseman who made a throwing error to first base to allow Tech to win the game, 2-1.
The Yellow Jackets will conclude pool play at the Buzz Classic with Saint Louis and Mercer on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
-GT SOFTBALL-
