April 4, 2003
ATLANTA – After dropping a pair at No. 8 Georgia last time out, the Georgia Tech softball team (26-15, 0-0 ACC) turns its focus to Atlantic Coast Conference play this weekend. The Jackets travel to Virginia (25-16, 0-0 ACC) for a Noon doubleheader Saturday before heading to Maryland (11-11, 0-2 ACC) for Sunday’s Noon twinbill.
After winning 13 of its last 15, Tech lost to Georgia, 6-1 and 1-0, in Athens Wednesday. Tech pitchers Jessica Sallinger and Erin Voeltz limited the Bulldogs to seven hits over 12 innings pitched, but the Jackets’ offense could only manage three base hits of its own in the doubleheader. Tech was shutout in back-to-back games for the first time since February 8-9, the opening weekend of the season. Virginia is coming off a doubleheader sweep of East Carolina, while Maryland took two from George Mason Wednesday.
Tech opened ACC play against these two teams a year ago and posted a 4-0 record en route to the conference title. The Jackets defeated the Terps, 3-0 and 4-0, and Cavaliers, 5-1 and 3-1, at Glenn Field.
Tech and Virginia met five times a year ago, with the Cavaliers taking three of the five, and the Jackets winning the two league games. UVA beat Tech, 6-4, at the National Invitational Softball Tournament in Pleasanton, Calif., and topped the Jackets 1-0 and 10-5 at the Tar Heel Invitational in Chapel Hill, N.C. Virginia leads the all-time series, 27-9.
This season, Virginia is led by three batters hitting over .350. Senior Ruby Rojas leads the way with a .387 average, three home runs and 24 runs batted in. Heather Field is batting .357, while Sara Larquier checks in at .351 with 10 homers and 39 RBI. The Cavaliers top pitcher is freshman Erin Horn, who is 12-7 with a 2.24 earned run average. UVA owns a 3.00 team ERA.
Despite a 10-15 all-time mark against Maryland, Tech has won five in a row over the Terps since the 2001 ACC Tournament. Earlier this season, the Jackets defeated Maryland, 1-0 in nine innings, at Buzz Classic. Sallinger went all nine and tied her own school record with 17 strikeouts. Five of the last seven meetings have been decided by one run, with Tech winning four of these games. Three of the last five have reached extra innings.
All-ACC junior Samantha Sweeney leads Maryland regulars with a .324 average and 11 steals in 14 attempts. Monica Cyphert leads the team with four homers and 13 RBI. Sophomore Jessica Aditays (5-4, 1.74 ERA) leads the pitching staff. She allowed just one run and two hits in Tech’s first meeting with Maryland.
Tech is led by junior All-American Tara Knudsen, who had a 10-game hitting streak snapped in Wednesday’s second game against Georgia. She leads the team with a .325 average, nine homers and 29 RBI. Sallinger (14-10) leads the pitchers with a 1.24 earned run average, 221 strikeouts and six shutouts. She ranks near the top of the league in each category.
Following this weekend’s action, Tech travels to Georgia Southern Wednesday, April 9 to close out its 10-game road swing.
-GT-
