April 2, 2003
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
ATHENS, Ga. – Despite a three-hitter from sophomore ace Jessica Sallinger, the Georgia Tech softball team (26-15) dropped a 1-0 decision to eighth-ranked Georgia (38-5) Wednesday in the second game of a doubleheader at the Bulldogs’ Women’s Athletics Complex. Georgia won the first game, 6-0.
Sallinger (14-10) blanked the Bulldogs through five, but second baseman Katie Lewis’ reached on a run-scoring fielder’s choice in the sixth, allowing UGA to score the game’s only run. Georgia third baseman Jade Jarvis beat the throw at home on the play to give her team the 1-0 lead. Sallinger, who lost to then-No. 8 Cal on March 9, has now been on the wrong end of two 1-0 games to top-10 opponents. Against the Bulldogs, she went six innings, allowed just the three hits and one run, while striking out nine.
Hits were hard to come by throughout the second game, as Sallinger and Georgia’s Michelle Green were both dominant from the start. Sallinger fanned seven batters the first time through the order, while Green struck out six of the first nine Jackets she faced. After allowing a first inning single to Lewis, Sallinger retired nine consecutive batters before first baseman Kim Wendland posted the game’s second single in the fourth. Both pitchers had eight strikeouts through four.
Green (27-2) allowed just one hit, a sixth inning single to left center by Tech designated player Lauren Schlechte, while striking out 11 Jackets.
In game one, Georgia jumped out early with five runs, four unearned, in the first inning. Center fielder Nicole Barber led off the game with a walk, stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice before coming home on a single up the middle by Wendland. After an error by Tara Knudsen loaded the bases, shortstop Ashley Godfrey and Jarvis both had two-run doubles to give UGA a 5-0 cushion. With the lead, Georgia pulled Green after the second inning to rest for game two.
After the rocky first, Tech starter Erin Voeltz settled down to retire the next six batters in order, but Georgia added a run in the fourth on a RBI single from Barber. After allowing six runs (two earned) on four hits and four walks, Voeltz (9-4) was replaced in the bottom of the fifth by senior Tiffany Goodman, who tossed two hitless innings. The six runs allowed by Tech are the most since a 6-3 loss at St. Mary’s (Calif.) on March 6.
Green and Lacey Gardner, who entered in the third, held the Jackets without a hit until right fielder Soraya Reddick singled through the right side in the top of the fifth. Knudsen had Tech’s only other hit in the game, as she singled up the middle in the seventh to extend her hitting streak to 10 games. Knudsen went hitless in game two to snap the streak.
Gardner (10-2) earned the win for Georgia after allowing two hits and no runs in five innings.
Next up for the Jackets is the opening of Atlantic Coast Conference play, as Tech travels to Virginia and Maryland this weekend. The Yellow Jackets and Cavaliers are set for a doubleheader Saturday at Noon, while Tech will play two with the Terps Sunday at Noon.
-GT-
