March 24, 2009
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score | Updated Stats
ATLANTA – Kristen Adkins was 4-for-7 with a home run and two RBI, while Jen Yee had two home runs and three RBI as the Georgia Tech softball team (22-8) split a doubleheader against Georgia Southern (15-15) Tuesday afternoon at Mewborn Field. The Yellow Jackets won game one, 9-1 in six innings, but lost a 4-0 lead and eventually fell in the night cap 6-5.
Blair Shimandle was 2-for-4, scored three runs and stole four bases for the Yellow Jackets as well. She stole all four bases in game one setting a new Georgia Tech single-game record. Adkins (11-4) picked up the win in game one as she allowed one run on nine hits. On “Strikeout For The Cure Day”, Yellow Jacket pitchers combined to strike out 18 Georgia Southern batters and donations will be made for each of those to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
In game one, the Jackets got on the board with a run in the first inning without the benefit of a hit. Shimandle walked, stole second and third base and then scored on a RBI ground out by Kelsi Weseman. Tech then made it 4-0 in the third inning as Yee hit a two-run home run and Whitney Haller hit a solo shot. It was Yee’s fourth home run of the season and number seven for Haller, who was celebrating her 22nd birthday today.
It stayed 4-0 until the fifth inning. Georgia Southern had squandered several chances to cut into their deficit all game, but broke through against Adkins in the top of the fifth. Three straight singles loaded the bases with nobody out. The Eagles had a similar situation in the second inning, but Adkins got out of the jam. This time, they plated a run, but it could have been a lot worse against Adkins.
Amanda Hall singled to center field driving home one run, but Shimandle was able to throw out the second runner at the plate. Adkins then got a four out and strikeout so it was still a 4-1 game going to the bottom of the fifth inning.
In the bottom half of the frame, it was the Yellow Jackets turn with the bases loaded. With Yee (walk), Weseman (single) and Haller (walk) aboard, Tiffany Johnson hit her first career grand slam over the fence in left field breaking open the game and gave Tech an 8-1 lead.
The Jackets then ended the game in the sixth on a Weseman RBI single which brought on the run-rule. Adkins scattered nine hits for her 11th victory of the season. She gave up just the one run, walked one and struck out five.
In game two, the Yellow Jackets built a 4-0 lead after two innings, but were shut down by GSU pitcher Megen Smith to just one run afterwards. With two on and two outs, Johnson hit a line drive to left field that was dropped by Marie Fogle for a two-run error. A RBI single by Adkins later in the inning made it a 3-0 game for the Jackets.
In the second, Yee hit a solo home run to dead center field giving Tech a 4-0 lead, but that would just about be the end of the offense in the game. It was Yee’s second round-tripper of the day and fifth of the season.
Georgia Southern began to chip away against Tech freshman pitcher Jessica Coan in the third. A two-run home run off the bat of Hall made cut the Jackets lead in half and made it a 4-2 game, but the big inning came in the fourth.
With a runner on and two outs, Nina Iduate made it a 4-3 game with a RBI single and then after another single, Robyne Siliga came through with the big blow. She crushed a Coan pitch over the fence in left-center field for a three-run home run and gave the Eagles a 6-4 lead.
A solo home run by Adkins made it a 6-5 game in the bottom of the fifth, but that would be the end of the scoring for the Yellow Jackets.
Tiffany Johnson relieved Coan after that four-run fourth inning and shut the Eagles down, but the offense could not scratch across the tying run.
They had plenty of chances, however. In the sixth, the Jackets had first and second with one out. Weseman ht a ball that was headed for right field, but GSU second baseman Hanna Ennis made a diving play and was able to throw her out. Then with runners at second and third and two outs, Haller made a bid for a three-run home run, but center fielder Amanda Hall made the catch at the wall.
After two straight hit batsman and a wild pitch, the Jackets had runners at second and third with two outs in the seventh inning. Danielle Dike came in as a pinch hitter, but Smithy was able to get her to ground out and end the game.
Coan (3-3) took the loss as she gave up six earned runs on seven hits and one walk. She did tie a career-high with nine strikeouts in the four innings. Johnson gave up just one hit and fanned four in her three innings of relief.
Georgia Tech continues its seven-game homestand Thursday against Georgia State. Game one of the doubleheader will begin at 5 p.m., while the night cap at 7 p.m. marks the first night game in the history of Mewborn Field.
This weekend, the Yellow Jackets will host Florida State in a big ACC series. Saturday is Stadium Celebration Day and the first 200 fans will receive a commemorative Mewborn Field t-shirt. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. and first pitch of game one is set for 1 p.m. There will be free popcorn for all fans and free pizza for students. Beyond the right field fence, there will be games for the kids and special promotions and give-a-ways throughout the day for all fans. Make sure to arrive early and bring the whole family for a fun-filled day this Saturday. The Yellow Jackets and Seminoles will then wrap up the series with a single game Sunday at 1 p.m.
Live audio and stats of all Georgia Tech softball games this season are available at www.ramblinwreck.com. The three-game series this weekend will also be available on ACC Select for a small fee.
