Open mobile menu

Tech Splits DH; Beat Iowa in Walk-Off Fashion

Feb. 18, 2017

Box Score |  GT Photo Gallery 

PSU Box Score  | Iowa Box Score 

THE FLATS – The Georgia Tech softball team (2-7) split a doubleheader on Saturday on day two of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Jackets fell to Penn State (4-4) , 8-3, before beating Iowa (2-6) in walk-off fashion, 3-2. Tied 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh with the winning run on third, Kelsey Chisholm roped the walk-off single to give Tech the win.

Saturday was Lace Up 4 Pediatric Cancer, where the team honored Hayden Hudgens, a little girl battling Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, by wearing gold shoe laces to raise awareness for pediatric cancer.

Quote
“I thought we hit the ball very well today,” head coach Shelly Hoerner said. “The last inning to get a walk-off was huge. We did the little things, moving runners, twice, if we don’t move Karissa Arnold over, we don’t score. I told the team we’ve got to fight. This is about fighting and this weekend is about fighting, especially for Hayden [Hudgens]. We fought until the end. I was happy with the way we played. I thought Brooke [Barfield] did a good job pitching, she got out of jams and the team got out of jams. Overall it was a good team victory.”

How It Happened
Penn State 8, Georgia Tech 3
The Jackets were fast out of the gate thanks to a lead-off single by Samantha Pierannunzi and a two-run bomb off the bat of Malea Bell.

Penn State erased Georgia Tech’s 2-0 lead with five runs in the third inning and three runs in the fourth inning to take an 8 -2 lead.  In the seventh, the Jackets blasted three hits, including two doubles, to score a run, but it wasn’t enough.

Jenna Goodrich (1-2) pitched the first 3.1 innings and was tagged with the loss. Brooke Barfield threw the remaining 2.2 innings and held Penn State scoreless through those frames.

Marlaina Laubach (2-1) earned the win in a complete game effort.

Georgia Tech 3, Iowa 2
The Jackets scored first against the Hawkeyes in the second inning. Kendall Chadwick drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on a single by Karissa Arnold. Chadwick scored on a sacrifice fly to left from Crosby Huckabay.

Iowa countered with a two-run third inning, but the Jackets recovered in the third thanks to an RBI-double from Jessica Kowalewicz that scored Pierannunzi.

In the seventh, Arnold smacked a leadoff single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Draven Sonnon. She got to third on a groundout by Drew Puckett and scored on Chisholm’s shot through the left side.

Barfield (1-3) earned her first collegiate win throwing a complete game. Iowa’s Shayla Starkenburg (1-2) threw 6.2 innings and allowed three runs on six hits in the loss.

Quick Hits
– On the day, Pierannunzi went 4-for-7 with two runs to hit .571
– Through both games, Kowalewicz went 3-for-5 to hit .600 with a run, two doubles, an RBI and two sacrifice bunts
– On the day, Arnold hit .500 (3-for-6) with a run
– Bell went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a home run against Penn State
– Chisholm drew two walks against Penn State to go along with her walk-off hit against Iowa

Up Next
The Jackets wrap up the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Sunday with a rematch against Iowa at 12: 30 p.m.

For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on Twitter (@GaTechSoftball), Instagram (@GaTechSoftball), Facebook (Georgia Tech Softball) or by visiting www.ramblinwreck.com.  

RELATED HEADLINES

Softball Softball Prepares to Begin Fall Competition

Tech will play two games tomorrow in Oxford, Ala. this weekend

Softball Prepares to Begin Fall Competition
Softball Softball Hires Mya Knuteson

Knuteson joins the staff as the director of operations

Softball Hires Mya Knuteson
Softball Tech Softball Hires Megan Hill

Hill joins the staff as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator

Tech Softball Hires Megan Hill
Partner of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Legends Partner of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Partner of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Partner of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets