March 25, 2008
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score | Updated Stats
ATLANTA – Junior Blair Shimandle went 5-for-5 with five stolen bases and three runs scored and senior Whitney Humphreys and freshman Emily Schreck each tossed a shutout as the Georgia Tech Softball Team (15-21) ran its season-high winning streak to five with a pair of shutouts over Furman (11-15) Tuesday afternoon at Glenn Field. Humphreys tossed a three-hit shutout, her third of the season, with seven strikeouts in game one as the Jackets scored all seven runs in the last three innings of what was a scoreless game in the fourth. In the night cap, Schreck won her third game in as many starts as she pitched a two-hitter for her first career shutout.
Game one was shaping up to be a pitcher’s duel as it was scoreless through the first three innings. Tech senior Whitney Humphrey’s had allowed just one first-inning double in the first three frames, while Furman pitcher Lana Mackey gave up two hits.
After another 1-2-3 inning by Humphreys in the top of the fourth, the Yellow Jackets scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Junior Whitney Haller led off with a single up the middle and was then sacrificed to second base by senior Brittany Barnes. After freshman Jessica Weaver worked a walk, senior Becky McCraw lined a single into right-centerfield driving home sophomore pinch runner Kelly Eppinger with the game’s first run.
With runners at second and third and just one out, freshman Christy Jones laid down a perfect suicide squeeze and Furman pitcher Lana Mackey had no play on it. Weaver scored to make it 2-0 Georgia Tech and then a RBI ground out by senior Stephanie Butler later in the inning gave the Yellow Jackets a 3-0 lead heading to the fifth inning.
Tech added another run in the bottom of he fifth inning. Junior Blair Shimandle led off with a single to centerfield, stole second and third bases, and scored on a ground out by Haller.
In the top of the sixth inning, three straight singled by Furman loaded the bases with one out, but Humphreys was able to strike out both Morgan Hughey and Lana Mackey preserving the shutout.
The Yellow Jackets blew the game wide open with three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Senior Aileen Morales drove in two runs with a single, while Shimandle also picked up a RBI single.
Humphreys (7-11) pitched another perfect inning in the seventh to record her third shutout of the season. She scattered four hits, walked one and struck out seven. Mackey (7-10) allowed three earned runs on five hits and two walks in four innings. Bethany Ullrich pitched the final two innings and was charged with four earned runs on four hits and two walks. She struck out three batters.
In game two, the Jackets got going right away with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Morales led off with a single and then stole second base. An infield single by Shimandle gave the Jackets runners at first and third with nobody out when she took off for second base. Shimandle easily slid in safely with her 22nd stolen base of the season, but the throw by Furman catcher Colleen Harrison went into centerfield allowing Morales to score the first run and Shimandle to take third base. A wild pitch by Furman starting pitcher Lana Mackey then allowed Shimandle to score and give the Yellow Jackets and freshman starting pitcher Emily Schreck a 2-0 lead.
Tech then blew the game open with a five-run third inning. Morales led off with a single and then went to second base when Shimandle was hit by a pitch. The two then successfully pulled off a double steal, but the third baseman Abby Robertson was unable to handle the throw allowing Morales to score. After a Brown RBI ground out, Tech loaded the bases when Haller was hit by a pitch, Barnes doubled and then freshman Amanda Crow walked. A passed ball by the catcher Harrisson allowed one run to score, but when Harrisson’s throw back to the pitcher Mackey covering the plate got away, Barnes was able to score as well making the score 6-0. A weaver sacrifice fly capped the scoring for the Yellow Jackets.
After another perfect inning by Schreck that included two more strikeouts in the top of the fifth inning, Barnes ended the game with a two-run home run to dead centerfield in the bottom half of the frame. It was her fifth home run of the season.
Schreck (3-0) picked up her third win in three starts this year and recorded her first career shutout. She allowed just two hits, did not walk a batter and recorded three strikeouts.
The Yellow Jackets will now head up to Chapel Hill, N.C., to take on the University of North Carolina in a three-game series this weekend. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, March 29 at 1:00 p.m. and then a single game on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Both of Saturday’s games will be broadcast live on ACC Select while live stats of all three games will be available via Gametacker at www.ramblinwreck.com.
