March 23, 2003
MARIETTA, Ga. – Despite 15 strikeouts and seven no-hit innings from sophomore Jessica Sallinger, the Georgia Tech softball team (22-13) could not hold off an eighth-inning rally from Troy State (16-13) and fell to the Lady Trojans, 3-2, at the Buzz Classic Sunday at the Al Bishop Complex. The Jackets closed out their 11th annual tournament with a 3-1 mark.
No. 17 Florida State, a 4-3 winner over Georgia State Sunday, captured the tournament title with a 4-0 record in pool play. North Carolina also finished 4-0, but the Seminoles allowed just five runs in the tourney to the Tar Heels’ seven and claimed the victory via tiebreaking rules. Bracket play was not contested due to Friday’s rainout.
Against Troy State, the Jackets took a 2-0 lead in the top of the eighth on a double to left center from junior All-American Tara Knudsen, but could not preserve the victory. Sallinger, who held the Lady Trojans without a hit through the game’s first seven innings, allowed three runs on two hits in the final frame. TSU second baseman Molly Homer had the game-winning double, which scored left fielder Jessie Buehler, who drove in the first run of the inning, and shortstop Erin Flater, who was intentionally walked.
Sallinger, who only dropped nine games all of last season, falls to 12-9 with the loss. She allowed three runs on two hits and seven walks but struck out 15. After fanning 17 Maryland batters Saturday, Sallinger has combined for 32 strikeouts in her last two starts. On the season, she has 194 strikeouts in 126 innings.
Troy State’s Cassie Wilkenson was just as effective, keeping Tech off the scoreboard until Knudsen’s double in the top of the eighth. The base hit, Knudsen’s second of the game, plated both Felicia Coursey and Lauren Schlechte. Wilkenson gave up two runs on six hits and one walk in eight innings.
Knudsen went 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI to lead Tech. She has now hit in five consecutive games, improving her average to a season-best .293. Knudsen is batting .375 with three home runs and 10 RBI over her last 10 games.
The Jackets return to action Wednesday for a 2 p.m. doubleheader with Harvard at Glenn Field.
SUNDAY'S RESULTSPrinceton 4, Boston University 2Troy State 3, Georgia Tech 2 (8 inn.)Western Kentucky 5, Radford 1Middle Tennessee State 4, Nicholls State 2Florida State 4, Georgia State 3 (8 inn.)Tennessee Tech 2, Maryland 1Mercer 6, Harvard 4North Carolina 3, Lipscomb 2
2003 Buzz Classic Champion: Florida State 2003 Buzz Classic Runner-up: North Carolina
-GT-
