April 13, 2003
ATLANTA – The Georgia Tech softball team (29-16, 3-1 ACC) returns home for the first time in over two weeks Monday when it hosts Mississippi State (29-20, 9-13 SEC) in an 11 a.m. doubleheader at Glenn Field. The early start is a change from the original 3 p.m. first pitch. Both games will be broadcast on radio by WREK (91.1 FM).
The Jackets went 5-3 away from home and had their most recent doubleheader, a trip to Georgia Southern last Wednesday, postponed due to rain. Last time out in Atlanta, Tech swept Harvard to improve to 8-1 at Glenn Field this season. Mississippi State has played six games over the last five games and had dropped four in a row against Mississippi and Alabama entering Sunday’s game with the Tide.
A year ago, the Bulldogs contributed to the Jackets season-long, four-game losing streak with a doubleheader sweep in Starkville. Tech is 0-6 all-time versus MSU.
Junior outfielder Iyhia McMichael leads a powerful Mississippi State offense with a .442 average, 17 home runs and 58 runs batted in. She is also slugging .918 and is a perfect 27-for-27 on stolen bases. McMichael is one of six Bulldog batters hitting over .300 as the team owns a .315 mark. As a pitching staff, Mississippi State sports a 3.62 earned run average. Melissa Massey leads the way with a 19-8 record and a 3.17 ERA.
Tech ace Jessica Sallinger enters Monday’s action needing just one win to tie the Tech career record. This season she is 16-10 with a 1.15 ERA. Her 243 strikeouts this season are 113 more than Mississippi State owns as a team.
At the plate, junior Tara Knudsen continues to lead the Jackets with a .310 average, nine homers and 30 RBI. Sophomore Katie Donovan is second on the team with a .263 average, while senior Felicia Coursey bats .260 to rank third.
Tech returns to action Thursday when it hosts North Carolina in an ACC doubleheader at 3 p.m. WREK will broadcast both games.
-GT-
