Feb. 10, 2013
THE FLATS – The Georgia Tech softball team scored 11 runs on eight hits en route to an 11-3 run-rule victory against Coastal Carolina Sunday in the final game of the Georgia Tech – Kennesaw State Invitational.
The Jackets improve to 5-0 on the season and the Chanticleers fall to 2-3. Tech put up 57 runs on 54 hits with nine doubles, five home runs and 48 RBI over the five games. The Jackets were aggressive on the base paths, stealing 18 bases on 20 attempts led by Chelsie Thomas (7-for-7).
“I’m excited about our base running,” head coach Sharon Perkins said. “I think we were very aggressive on the bases and you need to put the pressure on the other team. We did a good job of that. We executed the short game well and the hit and run well. We did a good job of picking good pitches to hit so I was impressed with our offense.”
Sophomore Katie Johnsky led the Jackets going 2-for-3 with two runs, three RBI, a double and her first career home run. Alysha Rudnik added three runs, two RBI and a home run, while Ashley Thomas was 2-for-3 with one run, one RBI and a double.
“Johnsky has been killing the ball all fall,” Perkins said. “She has been mashing the ball in game play. I think she just had two off days, so today is actually how she’s been hitting this entire year so far. We’re expecting that of her. I was proud of her.”
The Jackets wasted little time before scoring two runs in the first inning. Leadoff batter A. Thomas singled to left field and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by C. Thomas. Rudnik stepped to the plate and belted her first homer of the season to give Tech a 2-0 lead.
The Chanticleers scored their first run in the second inning thanks to a home run by the leadoff batter Caciadh Pierre.
Tech responded with a five-run second inning. Freshman Morgan Taylor singled to start things off, followed by Johnsky, who stepped to the plate and blasted one over the right field wall.
Hayley Downs then drew a walk and a passed ball sent her to second. A ground-out by A. Thomas sent Downs to third. Chelsie Thomas drew a walk and stole second. The Coastal Carolina catcher Morgan Noad threw down as Thomas headed to second, but no one caught the ball and Downs scored from third.
The Jackets added two additional runs thanks to an overthrown ball by the Chanticleer pitcher Morgan Mastriania.
Up 7-1 in the third, Tech committed three errors that allowed Coastal Carolina to score, but the Jackets got that run back in the bottom of the inning when Johnsky doubled and A. Thomas hit her in.
“Sometimes you’re just going to make mistakes,” Perkins said. “Those things happen. The biggest part is for them to just forget about it and move on. They did a good job getting past that.
“Hope did a good job of staying solid when things like that were falling apart around her. She had great composure. After they made those mistakes you couldn’t really see it. I thought they did a good job pulling through.”
Noad led off the top of the fourth with a home run over the right field wall for the Chants, but the Jackets put up three runs in the bottom of the inning on two hits and a Coastal error.
The Chanticleers managed to load the bases with one out, but the next two batters hit a pop up to C. Thomas at second and a fly ball to Johnsky in right to end the game and give Tech its second run-rule victory in as many days.
Hope Rush (3-0) earned the win, allowing six hits and two earned runs. Ashley Bagwell (1-1) took the loss for Coastal Carolina, pitching one inning with four earned runs on four hits and a walk.
The Jackets are back in action Friday Feb. 15-17 when they welcome Marshall, Miami (Ohio) and Indiana to Mewborn Field for the Georgia Tech Classic.
