THE FLATS – Georgia Tech softball (1-1) split day one of the annual Buzz Classic after a walk off single defeated Belmont (1-1) before the Jackets dropped game two against Eastern Kentucky (2-0). The Yellow Jackets utilized four pitchers throughout the day, holding the visiting teams to just seven hits across 14 innings of play.
QUICK HITS
- Senior RHP Sophia Voyles made her first start of the season and 28thof her career in the first game against Belmont.
- Voyles controlled the game through all 7.0 innings, surrendering no runs and only three hits, which was enough to not only earn her first win of the season but also her first complete game of the season, third of her career.
- Transfer Eliana Gottlieb made her first start in White and Gold as the Jackets’ right fielder while freshman Emma Simon made her first collegiate start as Tech’s shortstop.
- Gottlieb recorded not only her first hit of the season with a bunt, but also got away with her first robbery as she stole second immediately after.
- Left field junior, Paige Vukadinovich also recorded her first hit of the season which would be a walk off single up the middle.
- Freshman Alyssa Willer pinch ran and scored her first career run off Vukadinovich’s single to down Belmont 1-0.
- Senior RHP Kinsey Norton made her first start of the season and 11th of her career in game two against Eastern Kentucky.
- After Kinsey Norton pitched 4.0 innings against EKU, Jaiydn Studebaker made her 17th career appearance relieving Norton.
- Studebaker was relieved by Makayla Coffield who pitched 2.1 innings in her 14th career appearance in the circle.
- In her 2.1 innings pitched, Coffield surrendered no runs and allowed only one hit, good for a 0.00 ERA, along with a pair of strikeouts.
- Gottlieb scored her first run as a Yellow Jacket in game two against EKU while infield returners Grace Connelly and Jayden Gailey tallied their first runs of the season in game two.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1 vs. Belmont
- Sophia Voyles made her 2025 season debut in the circle pitching 7.0 innings of scoreless softball, allowing only three hits and leaving three runners left on base through game one. The senior begins the 2025 season with three strikeouts after facing 24 batters.
- After 6.5 innings with Tech and Belmont deadlocked 0-0, Grace Connelly reached second where Alyssa Willer would take over to pinch run with Paige Vukadinovich up to bat. Off the first pitch, Vukadinovich beamed one up the center giving Willer enough time to reach home and take the 1-0 win for Tech.
Game 2 vs. EKU
- Kinsey Norton made her first start of the 2025 season in the circle and held the Colonels scoreless through three complete innings, going three up, three down through all three innings.
- While Norton held it down in the circle, Tech’s offense got started early with two runs in the second, one of which was scored off of freshman Emma Simon’s first career sacrificed fly.
- Back-to-back walks from Norton showed a breakdown in Tech’s defense, resulting in four runs for Eastern Kentucky. The Yellow Jackets were able to get out of the inning and had Jayden Studebaker relieve Norton in the top of the fifth, but after two more runs scored for EKU, turned to sophomore pitcher Makayla Coffield to get the game back under control.
- Coffield finished the remainder of the game in the circle for Tech, surrendering only one hit and striking out two Colonels.
- With two outs on the board in the bottom of the seventh, Gracyn Tucker stepped up and sent a double deep into right center and reached third on the throw while Gottlieb came home for her first run of the season. Tucker was left on third as the game came to a close.
UP NEXT
Tech is back in action for day two of the Buzz Classic starting with Western Kentucky at 4 pm and finishing with Eastern Kentucky at 6:30 pm. Both games will be streamed live on ACCNX.
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech softball team, follow us on Twitter (@GaTechSoftball), Facebook, Instagram (@GaTechsoftball) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.
