ATLANTA (Feb. 12) – Georgia Tech’s softball team staged winning rallies in both games to net its first season-opening sweep of a doubleheader since 1997 Saturday, February 12, with a pair of victories at Georgia Southern. The Yellow Jackets (2-0) won the first contest, 7-1 in nine innings, and captured the second game, 10-8.
In the opening contest, Georgia Southern (1-5) held a 1-0 until the top of the sixth inning, when center fielder Lauren Schwartz and shortstop Lindsay Wood singled back-to-back to start the frame. Catcher Anne Knobbe, a 1999 all-ACC honoree, delivered an RBI single to third base to plate Schwartz and tie the game.
In extra innings, the Yellow Jackets broke the 1-1 tie with six runs in the top of the ninth inning on six hits and two errors. Right fielder Kori Jacobson ignited the scoring with a bases-loaded single to center field that plated two runs and put Tech ahead for good. Left fielder Heather Sumrow and Schwartz then hit RBI singles, Wood added an RBI on a sacrifice fly and Knobbe smashed an RBI double off the left field fence to cap the Tech scoring.
Schwartz went 2-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored to lead the Yellow Jackets, Knobe was 2-for-5 with two RBI, and Wood and designated player Beth Warren were each 2-for-4. Senior pitcher Jamie Smith (1-0) went the distance to gain the win as she allowed 11 hits, but just one run and struck out two in the contest.
The Jackets keep up the offense in the second game, and out hit the Eagles 20-7 in rallying for a come-from-behind win in the seventh inning. Trailing 8-7 in the top of the seventh inning, Schwartz again ignited the rally by reaching on a fielding error and Wood followed with an RBI single to center field. Knobbe followed with a single to left field and Warren advanced the two runners with a groundout. Second baseman Ellen Styer put Tech ahead with an RBI fielders choice to second base and third baseman Jamie Frost added an insurance marker with an RBI single to shortstop.
Smith (2-0) earned her 30th career win at Tech in relief as she pitched the last two innings of the game. She relieved starter Tiffany Goodman in the sixth inning during an Eagle rally in which the hosts scored five runs to regain the lead. Goodman allowed just five hits in five innings worked, but yielded seven runs and surrendered 10 walks.
Wood and Knobbe both went 3-for-5 with two RBI apiece to led the Tech attack, while Jacobson was 3-for-5 and Styer was 3-for-4. Tech collected its most hits in a doubleheader (32) since setting the school record of 37 against Samford in 1997.
The Jackets are back in action Tuesday at Auburn beginning at 1 p.m.
GAME 1Georgia Tech 000 001 006 0 - 7 12 1Ga Southern 010 000 000 0 - 1 11 3
Smith and Knobbe. Littlejohn, Kammerer (9) and Pansulla.
W -Smith (1-0). L-Littlejohn (1-2).
T-2:21. A-268.
GAME 2Georgia Tech 310 201 3 - 10 20 1Ga Southern 111 005 0 - 8 7 2
Goodman, Smith (6) and Schanz. Miller, Kammerer (6) and Lowder.
W-Smith (2-0). L-Kammerer (0-2).
T-2:47. A-268.
