Feb. 21, 2009
Oregon Box Score | Cal Poly Box Score | Updated Stats
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – The Georgia Tech softball team (7-5) received two solid pitching performances by freshman Jessica Coan and sophomore Kristen Adkins, but the offense could not give them any run support in a pair of shutout losses Saturday afternoon at the Cathedral City Classic. The Yellow Jackets lost to Oregon (6-8), 3-0, and Cal Poly (3-4) by a 2-0 score. Tech had just eight hits in the two games.
Coan gave up an unearned run in the first inning to Oregon and turns out that would be all Sam Skillingstad would need. Sari-Jane Jenkins led off with a single, stole second base and came around to score when Tech catcher Jessica Weaver threw the ball away. Jenkins, who was 3-for-3 with two runs scored, came around to plate the first run of the game on a RBI ground out by Neena Bryant later in the inning.
Oregon made it a 2-0 game in the third when Jenkins scored on a wild pitch by Coan.
The Jackets stranded five runners in scoring position through the first four innings, but their best chance to score was in the top of the fourth inning. With one out, Whitney Haller walked and then Kate Kuzma beat out an infield single putting two on with one out. They each moved up on a wild pitch, but could not get any further.
Skillingstad (6-3) got stronger as the game moved on and by the time the Ducks added a third insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, she had the game well in hand. She limited the Yellow Jackets to just four hits and walked one while striking out seven.
Coan (0-2) pitched well, but took the loss. She gave up three runs, one earned, on five hits and two walks in just her second career start. The freshman fanned six.
The night cap was not any better from the offensive stand-point as Cal Poly pitcher Helen Pena had the Jackets off balance all night and held them to four hits as well.
Cal Poly had a great chance to break the scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning putting runners at first and third with no outs. Adkins, however, was able to get out of the jam as she got a pop up and two ground ball outs on just three pitches.
Then in the top of the fourth, it was Georgia Tech’s turn to threaten. Jen Yee led off the inning with a single and two batters later, Haller singled up the middle putting two on with one out. This time, it was Pena who was able to get out of the jam. She retired Kelsi Weseman on a ground ball and then struck out Kate Kuzma ending the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Mustangs scored two runs and that was all Pena needed. Anna Cahn led off the frame with a solo home run to right field, the first round-tripper allowed by Adkins this season. Later in the inning, Stephanie Tam delivered a big insurance run with a two-out, RBI single.
Pena shut the Jackets down the rest of the way and sent them to 1-3 on the weekend thus far. Adkins (4-2) suffered her second loss of the season as she gave up two earned runs on eight hits. She walked four and struck out one. Pena scattered just the four hits and walked two while racking up six strikeouts.
Georgia Tech will conclude the weekend trip to the California desert taking on the host Oregon State Beavers Sunday at Noon ET. Live audio and stats of all Georgia Tech games is available free of charge at www.ramblinwreck.com.
