March 11, 2003
ATLANTA – The Georgia Tech softball team (14-11) returns to action for the first time since its spring break trip Wednesday as the Jackets play at Georgia State (6-12). The doubleheader at Bob Heck Field is slated to begin at 4 p.m.
The Jackets and Panthers have already met twice this season, with each team winning once. In the title game of the Georgia State Invitational, Tech pounded the Panthers, 11-2, behind a grand slam by sophomore first baseman Katie Donovan and two hits apiece from senior second baseman Felicia Coursey and sophomore designated player Liz Bartle. In pool play of the tournament, GSU defeated Tech, 3-2, with a pair of homers in the top of the seventh. Jackets’ ace Jessica Sallinger took a no-hitter into the seventh before taking the loss. Tech leads the all-time series, 20-18.
Last time out, the Jackets defeated Virginia Tech, 6-0, to close out the National Invitational Softball Tournament in Sunnyvale, Calif., with a 2-3 record. Tech defeated the Hokies and Missouri-Kansas City, but lost to No. 8 California, No. 17 Oregon State and No. 23 Oregon.
Coursey leads Tech at the plate with a .297 average. She has a team-best 22 hits, 14 runs scored and two triples. Coursey is also tied for the team lead with five doubles. Top run-producers for the Jackets include senior catcher Lindsay Wood (3 HR, 15 RBI), junior shortstop Tara Knudsen (3 HR, 9 RBI) and Donovan (2 HR, 13 RBI).
Sallinger, who has a 7-7 record on the season, leads the team with a 1.49 earned run average and 125 strikeouts in 84.2 innings. Junior Erin Voeltz is 6-3 on the season.
After Wednesday’s doubleheader, Tech hosts Princeton March 16 and Arkansas March 18 at Glenn Field. The 2003 Buzz Classic at Marietta’s Al Bishop Softball Complex is scheduled for March 21-23.
-GT-
