Tampa, Fla. – The Georgia Tech softball team was stymied by the pitching of Stanford hurler Dana Sorenson and fell to the fifth-ranked Cardinal by a 9-0 score in the Jackets’ final game at the Speedline Invitational at the Greco Softball Complex in Tampa, Fla.
Stanford jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Robin Walker and Jessica Mendoza scored on a two-RBI single by Sarah Beeson. Walker led off the inning with a walk and Mendoza followed with a single that moved Walker to third. Beeson’s hit came after Mendoza had stolen second base.
The Cardinal then upped its advantage to 4-0 in the bottom of the third inning as Beeson led off the inning by reaching on a three-base error by the Tech outfield and then scored when she was followed by an RBI single by Kira Ching. Ching moved to third on a single by Jessica Allister and scored when Cassi Brangham grounded into a double play. The Stanford lead moved to 6-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Allister drew a leadoff walk and was replaced on the base paths by Jessica Draemel, who stole second base and scored on a two-RBI single by Jenni Shideler. Cassi Brangham drew a walk and advanced on a groundout before scoring on Shideler’s single. The Cardinal ensured the final 9-0 margin in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Mendoza hit a solo home run to right field and Ching cleared the center field fence with a two-run homer that also scored Maureen LeCocq, who was running for Beeson, who had singled.
Sorenson (13-1) was perfect through the first three innings, retiring nine straight Tech hitters before Jacket junior Jamie Frost broke through with a single to center field. Sorenson then struck out the next three hitters and retired the next six batters en route to the complete-game, two-hit shutout. In the win, Sorenson finished with 11 strikeouts and did not allow a walk. Tech senior Jennifer Biggers was the only other Yellow Jacket to reach base as she singled to lead off the sixth inning.
Tech starter Erin Voeltz (5-6) took the loss for the Yellow Jackets in a complete-game outing. She allowed nine runs, eight of which were earned, on 12 hits and four walks, while striking out four.
The Yellow Jackets will return to action on Saturday, March 17, when they host Samford for a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. at Glenn Field.
