April 21, 2003
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
STATESBORO, GA. – Georgia Tech sophomore Jessica Sallinger fired a two-hit, 11-strikeout gem and established a school record with her 46th career victory, as the Jackets (33-17, 3-2 ACC) swept a softball doubleheader from Georgia Southern (23-21) Monday at Eagle Field. Tech took game one, 4-2, before taking the second, 6-1, behind Sallinger. The Jackets have now won seven of their last eight games and eight in a row against the Eagles.
Sallinger (18-11) is now 46-20 in her young career, eclipsing Erin Ryan’s 45 total wins in just 62 starts. With Wednesday’s game two victory, Sallinger now owns the top two single-season victory totals in school history. She already has career marks for strikeouts and complete games.
In the two games, the Jackets pounded out 17 hits, including five from right fielder Soraya Reddick, who also drove in four runs. Despite stranding a combined 19 runners on base in the two games, Tech improved to 21-0 this season when scoring at least four runs.
In game one, the Eagles got on the board in their half of the first on an infield single from pitcher Janice Savage that scored second baseman Lindsay Jones from third to give GSU a 1-0 lead.
Tech evened the score in the top of the second on a run-scoring single to left by left fielder Tara Neff. The base hit plated catcher Lindsay Wood, who singled to left to lead off the frame, from third. Reddick, who also singled to left, tried to score from second on Neff’s hit but was gunned down at the plate by Eagle left fielder Erica Weaver.
The game remained tied until the top of the fifth when Yellow Jacket first baseman Katie Donovan singled through the middle to score second baseman Felicia Coursey, who started the scoring rally with a single to right. Coursey took second when Neff reached on an error by Eagle shortstop Kim Griffin before coming home to give Tech a 2-1 lead.
Coursey extended the lead to 3-1 in the sixth on a run-scoring infield single, but the Jackets left the bases loaded for the second consecutive inning and squandered a chance to put game one away.
Georgia Southern trimmed to lead to 3-2 in the sixth on a RBI double to left by Griffin, her second hit of the day. Catcher Sam Steiner tripled to left to open the scoring threat for the Eagles.
The Jackets picked up an insurance run their half of the seventh on Reddick’s third hit of the game, a single to center that drove in center fielder Sara Wissmann, who led off the inning with an infield single.
Junior Erin Voeltz earned the game one victory to improve to 12-4 on the season. She scattered seven hits and one walk over seven innings, while allowing just one earned run. She fanned six Eagle batters. GSU starter Janice Savage (9-7) took the loss after allowing two runs in 4.2 innings.
Reddick, who was 3-for-4 in game one, picked up where she left off in the second game with a base-clearing triple to right field in the top of the first. Coursey led off the game with a single down the left field line, and both shortstop Tara Knudsen and Wissmann walked before Reddick’s fourth hit of the day. Reddick later scored on a double to right by Wood, as the Jackets sent eight batters to the plate in game two’s opening frame.
Tech also scratched for two runs in the top of the second on a run-scoring single by Knudsen and a sacrifice fly to center by Donovan, which increased the lead to 6-1.
The Eagles picked up a run in the bottom of the first on a RBI double by Steiner.
Sallinger, who retired 15 batters in a row from the first through sixth innings, worked seven innings, allowed no earned runs on just two hits and no walks. She fanned 11 batters for her 12th double-digit strikeout game of the season. Reddick went 2-for-4 with a run and 3 RBI to lead the Jackets at the plate.
GSU starter Tiffany Urena took the loss in the second game.
Next up for the Jackets is a single game at Auburn Wednesday at 7 p.m.
-GT-
