THE FLATS – Georgia Tech softball (18-25) cruised to a 6-2 win over Virginia (15-32) on Saturday at Mewborn Field, clinching its first ACC series win of the season. The Jackets didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning, only giving up a pair and two runs through the game thanks in large part to a nine-strikeout outing by sophomore slinger Blake Neleman for her 11th win on the year.
After a couple of perfect innings by both pitchers, the Jackets climbed aboard with three runs in the bottom of the third. Senior utility player Breanna Roper continued her successful weekend with an RBI double that sent home junior outfielder Kennedy Cowden before sophomore catcher Emma Kauf drove a two-run round tripper over straight away center. Kauf was at it again in the fifth, shooting an RBI single down the left-field line to score freshman infielder Mallorie Black. Shortly after, senior outfielder Crosby Huckabay put the Jackets up 6-0 with a grounder to third that found its way to the outfield, scoring Kauf and Roper. The Cavaliers didn’t go down without a fight as they got on the board with a sac fly in the sixth and added another run on a walk in the seventh, but senior right-hander Morgan Bruce shut the door for a 6-2 Tech win and her second save of the season.
Softball vs. Virginia
May 1, 2021 - Atlanta, Ga. (Danny Karnik)
Game Notes
- Georgia Tech has outscored Virginia 21-3 over the course of the series.
- The Yellow Jacket hurlers have collectively posted a 1.11 ERA against the Cavaliers.
- Neleman got the start in game three and tossed a no-no through four, finishing with nine punchouts and just one run allowed on two hits through six innings of work. The Marietta, Ga. native is now 2-0 through two starts with 17 strikeouts and just two runs allowed through 13 innings pitched for a 1.08 ERA in the series.
- Kauf led the Jacket bats on the day as she went 2-for-3 with one homer, three RBI and a pair of runs scored. Her longball marked her 10th of the season (16th career) to tie Awald for the team lead.
- Roper leads the squad at the plate through the series with five hits, two bombs, five RBI and five runs scored.
- Three Jackets have batted above .500 this series in senior first baseman Tricia Awald, Cowden and Black.
- Awald has the highest average for Tech through the series, batting .600 at 3-for-5 with a grand slam for four RBI, three walks and two runs scored.
- Cowden has made just as significant of an impact going 4-for-7 with a homerun, four RBI and three runs scored.
- Black’s strong series has her batting .500 at 4-for-8 with a double, two RBI and four runs scored.
Up Next
Georgia Tech will go for the series sweep on Sunday at noon in its Senior Day finale of the regular season. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.
Multimedia
Views from the Mew 🤩#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/khXv66vk39
— GT Softball 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇 (@GaTechSoftball) May 1, 2021
OK, BLAKE❕@blakeneleman is up to 4⃣ K's already as she strikes out the side 🔥🔥🔥
📺: https://t.co/SgCVOw9fev pic.twitter.com/3lsWkMp96A
— GT Softball 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇 (@GaTechSoftball) May 1, 2021
Jackets 🔛🔝@b_rope__ picking up where she left off yesterday with an RBI double to score @Kennedy_Cowden 💥
📺: https://t.co/SgCVOw9fev pic.twitter.com/6hGjd9NiNP
— GT Softball 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇 (@GaTechSoftball) May 1, 2021
Somebody should probably tell Virginia we hit dingers 😅@EmmaKauf with a ✌️-run laser into the trees in dead center❕💪
📺: https://t.co/SgCVOw9fev pic.twitter.com/SfKKQc6lea
— GT Softball 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇 (@GaTechSoftball) May 1, 2021
Doesn't have to be a 💣 every time 🤷♀️@EmmaKauf slips one down the left-field line to score @mallorieblack1 👏
📺: https://t.co/SgCVOw9fev pic.twitter.com/yGNfv1kNpX
— GT Softball 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇 (@GaTechSoftball) May 1, 2021
Too hot to handle 🔥@crosbyhuckabay sends in @EmmaKauf and @b_rope__❕
📺: https://t.co/SgCVOw9fev pic.twitter.com/ZjHdJfgL47
— GT Softball 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇 (@GaTechSoftball) May 1, 2021
JACKETS TAKE THE SERIES❕
Georgia Tech downs Virginia behind a 9⃣ strikeout performance by @blakeneleman 🔥 The Yellow Jackets will go for the sweep over the Cavaliers for Senior Day on Sunday at noon.#BeGold /// #404Institute pic.twitter.com/6tG02LX0Iv
— GT Softball 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇 (@GaTechSoftball) May 1, 2021
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the A-T Fund’s Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes, and the Support The Swarm Fund, created to give fans an opportunity to help Georgia Tech athletics maintain its recent momentum through the financial challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic! To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on Twitter (@GTAthletics), Facebook, Instagram or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.
