March 2, 2003
Game One Box Score
Championship Game Box Score
ATLANTA – The Georgia Tech softball team (12-6) was able to bounce back from a heartbreaking loss to Georgia State in the final game of pool play to trounce the Panthers by a score of 11-2 Sunday in the title contest of the Georgia State Invitational at Bob Heck Field. GSU defeated the Jackets earlier in the day, 3-2.
In the tourney’s championship game, Tech took advantage of four Panther errors, as well as several timely hits, to plate a season-high 11 runs. The big blow came off the bat of sophomore first baseman Katie Donovan, who hit a grand slam in the bottom of the first to give Tech a 5-1 lead. The shot to left center was the first homer of her Tech career and scored Kirin Kumar, who reached on an error, Tara Knudsen, who walked, and Liz Bartle, who reached via fielder’s choice. Senior second baseman Felicia Coursey scored frame’s first run, when she beat the throw home on Bartle’s fielder’s choice.
The Jackets extended the lead to the 11-2 final score with six combined runs in the second and third innings. Three Georgia State errors contributed to the offensive explosion, as five of the runs were unearned. In the third, Coursey, Knudsen and Bartle each had RBI singles to break the game open.
Georgia State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a RBI bloop single to left field by Lindsey Bryant, but the Jackets quickly responded by scoring at least two runs in each of the first three innings to put the game away.
Tech starter Erin Voeltz improved to 5-2 with the victory. She allowed two runs on seven hits, while striking out a career-high nine batters. Coursey and Bartle each had two hits in the game. Bartle drove in two runs, while Donovan added four on her grand slam.
Georgia State starter Meghan McCoy allowed 11 runs (five earned) on eight hits in the loss.
In the day’s first game, Tech ace Jessica Sallinger carried a no-hitter in to the final inning before allowing a pair of Georgia State home runs for the 3-2 Panther victory.
The game was a pitchers’ dual from the start, as both Sallinger and Georgia State’s Andrea McNary kept the bases clear for much of the afternoon. Sallinger faced just one over the minimum 18 batters through six, only allowing a walk to lead off the fourth. McNary was also effective, limiting the Jackets to just four safeties through five innings.
Junior center fielder Sara Wissmann finally got Tech on the board in the bottom of the sixth when a single through the right side of the infield scored both junior Katie Donovan from third and sophomore Liz Bartle from second to give Tech a 2-0 advantage. The Panthers should have been out of the inning, but Donovan reached on an error by GSU shortstop Alisia Narodowski, and Bartle doubled to keep the rally alive before Wissmann’s hit.
Despite holding the Panthers hitless entering the seventh, the Jackets would not be able to hold on to their two-run cushion and secure a victory. Sallinger had her no-hitter broken up on a bunt single by Jennifer Hester and then surrendered back-to-back homers to McCoy and Bryant to give the Panthers a 3-2 lead. Tech threatened in the bottom half of the inning but left two runners on to end the game.
Sallinger falls to 6-5 with the loss. She went seven innings, fanned 13 GSU batters and allowed four hits and three earned runs. Bartle, Wissmann and right fielder Soraya Reddick each had two hits to lead the Jackets at the plate. McNary scattered nine hits and allowed no earned runs to pick up her first win of the season.
Tech returns to action against St. Mary’s (Calif.) Thursday before opening the National Invitational Softball Tournament Friday in Sunnyvale, Calif. The Jackets face Oregon and Missouri-Kansas City in Friday’s pool play.
-GT-
