Box Score, Game 1
Box Score, Game 2
ATLANTA – The Georgia Tech softball team broke its three-game losing skid by sweeping a doubleheader from Georgia State on Wednesday at Heck Field. Tech’s offense came alive in the first game as it took a 9-0, five-inning win over the Panthers, and in the second game, the Yellow Jackets’ defense held off a pair of Georgia State rallies to claim a 3-1 win. The Tech pitching staff of Erin Voeltz and Tiffany Goodman continued its strong performance in the two wins.
The Yellow Jackets opened the scoring in the first game in the top of the third inning with a five-run outburst. A pair of Panther errors, including one that allowed both Lindsay Wood and Jennifer Biggers to score, aided the rally. Freshman Tasha Waugh drove in Jamie Frost with an RBI single and Erin Hawley’s RBI double that plated Tara Knudsen rounded out the scoring in the inning.
In the top of the fourth, after Frost reached on a walk, and Knudsen singled, senior Ellen Styer drove Georgia State pitcher Angie Buckem’s 3-2 offering over the left-field fence for her first home run of the year to give Tech a 8-0 lead.
Biggers closed out the scoring in the contest as she singled in the fifth and stole second before crossing the plate on a Georgia State error to ensure the final 9-0 margin.
Freshman hurler Erin Voeltz (3-2) picked up the win for the Yellow Jackets as she scattered three hits and allowed only five base runners in a complete-game, shutout outing. Buckem (1-1) was saddled with her first loss of the year as she allowed six earned runs and five hits before being relieved by Andrea McNary in the top of the fifth inning.
Tech again jumped on the board first in the day’s second game in the second inning, as Hawley scored on an RBI single by Biggers, after reaching base on a single and advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by Susanne Miller.
The Jackets increased their lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning, as Frost’s double to right center scored Wood and Biggers.
Tech turned in a key defensive inning in the bottom of the frame as the Panthers loaded the bases with no outs before Melissa LeComte lined into a double play and Emily Pritchett grounded out to the allow the Jackets to escape unharmed.
Georgia State scored its first run of the day in the sixth inning as Cindy Gillies was driven home on an RBI double by Cheryl Bodziony to cut the lead to the final 3-1 margin. The Panthers left runners on second and third in the inning.
Goodman improved her record to 3-2 for Tech, as she allowed the lone run while scattering six hits and walking none in five-and-a-third innings of work. Voeltz pitched the final 2.3 innings to earn her second save of the season.
The Yellow Jackets will return to action on Saturday, February 24, when they open their home schedule with a doubleheader against Troy State beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Glenn Field.
