April 20, 2002
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Led by a school-record 14 strikeouts from freshman pitcher Jessica Sallinger and a pair of home runs by designated player Tasha Waugh, the Georgia Tech softball team (41-15, 6-2 ACC) defeated Jacksonville State (32-12), 8-3, in eight innings to sweep a doubleheader at the Gamecock’s University Field. The Jackets won game one, 4-2.
Tech now has 41 wins on the season, which gives the Jackets the first 40-victory season in school history.
Tech took an early 2-0 lead in game one, as shortstop Tara Knudsen and right fielder Soraya Reddick had run-scoring hits in the first inning. Second baseman Felicia Coursey was hit by a pitch to lead off the game and advanced to second on a single by left fielder Tara Neff. Knudsen then singled to score Coursey from second. Later in the inning, Reddick doubled off the center field wall, plating Neff.
The Gamecocks got one back in their half of the first as third baseman Allie Simons laid down a bunt single on a bases-loaded squeeze play, which scored second baseman Renee Hasan and cut the margin to 2-1.
JSU threatened again in the bottom of the second, as the first two batters singled off Tech starter Tiffany Goodman, chasing her from the game with no outs. Sophomore Erin Voeltz entered and got out of the inning without surrendering a run.
Junior catcher Lindsay Wood extended the Tech lead to 3-1 in the top of the third, sending her sixth home run of the season to right center.
Jacksonville State inched closer in the fourth on a solo homer down the right field line by catcher Melinda McDonald, which cut the lead to 3-2.
The Jackets added an insurance run in the top of the fifth on a RBI single to center by center fielder Sara Wissmann. The hit scored Knudsen, who led off the inning with her second hit of the game.
Voeltz picked up the win with six solid innings of relief. She allowed just one earned run on two hits, while fanning six. She is now 15-6 on the season.
Tera Ross took the loss for the Gamecocks, as she gave up four earned runs on nine hits and one walk in seven innings.
Knudsen was 2-for-4 with one runs scored and one RBI to lead Tech offensively.
In the second game, Yellow Jacket starter Jessica Sallinger opened strong, as she struck out five of the first batters she faced, including all three in the second inning.
Designated player Tasha Waugh got Tech on the board first with her second home run of the season, leading off the third inning. The blast to left field gave the Jackets a 1-0 lead.
The Gamecocks threatened in their half of the fourth, loading the bases without a hit, but Sallinger struck out JSU shortstop Rachel Countryman to get out of the inning.
Tech added two runs in the top of the sixth on a RBI single by third baseman Jamie Frost. Reddick and Wissmann started the rally with back-to-back singles before pulling of a double steal to move to second and third. Frost then singled up the middle to score both and extend the lead to 3-0.
JSU answered in the bottom of the inning, as Countryman knotted the score on a three-run homer to left field. Sallinger had held the Gamecocks hitless through five, but allowed two safeties, including the home run, in the sixth.
With no runs across in the seventh, the game moved into extra innings. Tech exploded for five hits and five runs in the top of the eighth. Wissmann’s third hit of the day scored pinch runner Kirin Kumar from third to give the Jackets a one-run advantage. Waugh then put the game away with her second homer of the day, this one a shot to deep center that scored Wissmann and extended the lead to 6-3. Neff then added an RBI single and Tech tacked on an unearned run to make the final count 8-3.
Sallinger then closed the door with a solid eighth inning to earn her 19th win of the season. She allowed just three hits and three earned runs, while fanning 14. She broke her own single-game record set twice earlier this season.
Coursey, Wissmann and Waugh all had multi-hit games in the second contest.
The Jackets return to action Wednesday, April 24, in a 4 p.m. doubleheader at Samford.
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