March 2, 2012
WOODSTOCK, Ga. – Highlighted by a 2-for-2 effort from Alysha Rudnik, the Georgia Tech softball team began its time at the Buzz Classic with a 5-0 shutout over Winthrop Friday night at the Twin Creeks Softball Complex.
Hope Rush earned her fifth win of the year pitching five full innings, allowing just three hits and striking out three. Kylie Kleinschmidt took over in relief for Rush, pitching two innings of shut out softball while striking out three.
Rudnik’s perfect day consisted of a triple and a double as well as a walk. Rudnik tallied three RBIs and a run on the day.
Tech notched its first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth. Kate Kuzma started things off getting hit by a pitch and moving over to second on a passed ball. After a walk to Rudnik, Rush hit a bloop single into centerfield that scored Kuzma from second for the 1-0 lead.
The Jackets added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth. Chelsie Thomas started things off with an infield single that got between the short stop and third baseman. She immediately stole second and moved over to third on a bunt single that died in front of the plate by Ashley Thomas. The second Thomas wasted no time either on the base paths advancing to second when Kuzma was hit by a pitch for the second time to load the bases.
On the first pitch of the next at bat, Rudnik roped a bases clearing double that rolled all the way to the left centerfield wall to give Tech a 4-0 lead. Rudnik then moved over to third on a passed ball and crossed the plate on a wild pitch for the 5-0 advantage and the shut out victory.
Tech returns to action on Saturday for day two of the Buzz Classic with games against Western Kentucky and UT-Martin at 1 and 4 p.m.
Keep up to date with the Georgia Tech Softball team all season long at www.RamblinWreck.com as well as twitter.com/GaTechSoftball and facebook.com/GTSoftball
