Yellow Jackets Stifle Badgers in Gainesville Regional Opener

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Behind another stellar performance in the circle from junior hurler Blake Neleman, Georgia Tech softball (38-16, 11-13 ACC) constrained Wisconsin (28-20, 12-11 Big Ten) for a 2-1 win in the first game of the Gainesville Regional on Friday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. The Yellow Jackets advance to the winner’s bracket for day two, facing the winner of host No. 12 Florida and Canisius on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Neleman was dominant in the circle for her second consecutive outing, following a career-high tying 13 strikeout performance in the ACC tournament opener against NC State by holding the third seeded Badgers to just one run on three hits. The second seeded Jackets’ ace fired her 11^th complete game of the season, racking up nine strikeouts to eclipse 400 career punchouts.

At the dish, the White and Gold attacked by committee as graduate first baseman Tricia Awald and sophomore shortstop Jin Sileo drove in both of Tech’s runs while freshman designated player Emma Minghini led the way overall, going 2-for-3.

Georgia Tech got on the board first with a crucial run in the bottom of the second. Senior right fielder Kennedy Cowden got the Jackets started with a single and swiped second, setting up an RBI single by Sileo. Awald later added an insurance run in the bottom of the third, knocking a sacrifice fly that would score senior second baseman Bailee Zeitler. Wisconsin drew near in the top of the fourth with an RBI single, but Neleman shut down the Badgers from there, securing Tech’s 2-1 win to open the Gainesville Regional.

Game Notes

• Georgia Tech earned its 20^th overall Regional victory and first since defeating fourth-seeded UT Martin, 9-1, on May 19, 2012.
• The Yellow Jackets are now 6-3 as a two seed in Regional play all time.
• Tech picked up its third victory in a Gainesville Regional all time.
• The White and Gold defeated Wisconsin for the first time in program history.
• The Jackets have held opponents to one run or less in 22 of their 38 wins.
• Georgia Tech has now won 22 of its last 29 games.
• Tech continues its best start since 2011 at 38-16 overall.
• After surpassing 200 strikeouts on the season in the ACC tournament opener, Neleman added nine more to move up to 401 career punchouts.
• Neleman is currently fifth in program history in sit downs through a season and second in the ACC, ringing up 213 to date.
• Neleman moved to 15-8 on the year after tossing her 11^th complete game of the season.

Up Next

Georgia Tech awaits the winner of top seed Florida and No. 4 seed Canisius, squaring off against the victor at 3 p.m. on Saturday. The winner will advance to Sunday, while the loser will play an elimination game against the winner of the loser’s bracket.

Alexander-Tharpe Fund

The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.   

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