May 22, 2010
ATLANTA – Jessica Coan and Jen Yee helped lead the Georgia Tech Softball team (51-10) to a 4-1 win over Auburn (31-26) in the second elimination game of the 2010 NCAA Tournament Saturday at Shirley Mewborn Field.
“I think the defense did a great job being in the right spots,” Georgia Tech head coach Sharon Perkins said. “It’s all about us doing what we know we can do. If we can hang in there and take advantage of opportunities we’ll come out on top tomorrow.”
Coan pitched four scoreless innings in relief for the Yellow Jackets and recorded seven strikeouts to earn the win.
“It was great to get some innings in yesterday to be ready for this game,” Coan said. “My defense was absolutely incredible. It’s a lot easier to make your pitches when you have that defense backing you up.”
The Jackets got on the board first as Hope Rush led off the second inning with a walk. Kelly Eppinger replaced Rush at first base and quickly moved to second base on an illegal pitch by Angel Bunner. Danielle Dike then laced a double into the right-center gap to plate Eppinger.
Rush once again helped Tech score a run when she chased Bunner in the third inning with a single into left field to drive in Yee for her 60th RBI of the season.
Kyndall White cut the Jackets lead to 2-1 when she launched her 14th homerun of the season in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The Tigers Jenee Loree cruised threw her first three and a third innings of relief work before opening the top of the seventh by walking Christy Jones. That brought up Yee, who connected on her school-record 28th homerun of the season to take a 4-1 lead.
“I felt that we left it all on the field,” Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. “We came down after an emotional loss last night and did what we had to do to put ourselves in a position to advance. We got the bats warmed up this afternoon and I thought we gave a great effort against Georgia Tech. We gave it all we could give but Georgia Tech just did a little more.”
Coan set down the Tigers in the bottom of the seventh to lead the Jackets in to the regional championship game Sunday against Oregon beginning at 1 p.m. An if necessary game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
– NCAA Softball Regional Game Five –
