KENNESAW, Ga. โย Georgia Tech softball (24-25, 6-16 ACC) fell just shy against North Carolina (24-26, 12-9 ACC), dropping a 5-3 decision on Friday night at Bailey Park. Despite the Yellow Jackets bringing the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, the Tar Heels managed to escape on top.
Senior catcher Emma Kauf led way at the plate for the White and Gold as she went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Among the five other Yellow Jackets climbing aboard through the day, junior catcher Sara Beth Allen improved to a team-leading 13 dingers on the season and 14 over her career with a solo smash.
Senior hurlers Chandler Dennis and Blake Neleman served in the circle through the contest as Dennis (13-9) received the loss through four innings of work while Neleman closed out the final three innings in relief.
How it Happened
The Yellow Jackets took the lead in their first opportunity at the dish, adding a run in the bottom of the first. Kauf made her way around the bases to put Georgia Tech on the board, reaching on a single and later working her way out of a pickle to scamper home from second.
Following a scoreless second, the Tar Heels jumped in front with a three-run blast in the top of the third for a 3-1 advantage.
The White and Gold trimmed the lead to one in the bottom of the fourth as junior third baseman Mallorie Black journeyed home. The Cumming, Ga., native singled to start, stealing second thereafter and advancing home on an infield single by freshman left fielder Paige Vukadinovich.
North Carolina moved back up by a pair in the top of the fifth, lacing a solo shot to lead 4-2.
The Jackets responded in the bottom half, launching a solo bomb of their own off the bat of Allen to cut the Tar Heel lead back to one.
Neither side managed to strike one across the board in the sixth, but North Carolina tacked on a security run in the top of the seventh by way of an RBI single.
Down to its last three outs, Tech led off the bottom of the final frame a double courtesy of sophomore center fielder Ella Edgmon, but three outs ensued to hand the Tar Heels a 5-3 win.
Up Next
Georgia Tech will return to Mewborn Field for the remainder of the series, hosting North Carolina for game two on Saturday at noon on The Flats. The game will be broadcast live on ACC Network.
Multimedia
๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ
๐ North Carolina
โฐ 6โฃ:3โฃ0โฃย p.m.
๐ย Kennesaw, Ga.
๐๏ธย Bailey Park
๐ https://t.co/Oocyc2HVa3#BeGoldย x #404Institute pic.twitter.com/hcH5Se8Vl7— Georgia Tech Softball ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ (@GaTechSoftball) April 28, 2023
๐๏ธ Calendar Reminder ๐๏ธ
Today's @GaTechSoftball matchup vs UNC starts at 6:30pm at ๐ฝ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฎ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ, ๐๐. The remainder of the series is currently on schedule at Mewborn Field.#TogetherWeSwarm ๐
MORE INFO: https://t.co/6Kkbxi5Ryw
— Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (@GTAthletics) April 28, 2023
๐ข๐ฎ๐ท๐ฒ๐ธ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฎ๐ท๐ญ starts in The Saw ๐#BeGold x #404Institute pic.twitter.com/CcodrR27eC
— Georgia Tech Softball ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ (@GaTechSoftball) April 28, 2023
Unpopular opinion: We like pickles ๐ฅ@EmmaKauf reaches on a single and later works the UNC infield to scamper in from second ๐ฎโ๐จ
B1
๐0โฃ
๐1โฃ#BeGold x #404Institute pic.twitter.com/U9GXcJylEF— Georgia Tech Softball ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ (@GaTechSoftball) April 28, 2023
Catching them ๐ด
After both single, @JinSileo and @EmmaKauf steal second and third on a soft toss back to the circle ๐โโ๏ธ
B3
๐3โฃ
๐1โฃ#BeGold x #404Institute pic.twitter.com/JlqsIwXoe7— Georgia Tech Softball ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ (@GaTechSoftball) April 28, 2023
Turn โ๏ธ@chandlerdenniss and @EmmaKauf combine to strike out the batter and throw out a runner stealing second for an unconventional double play ๐ฅต
T4
๐3โฃ
๐1โฃ#BeGold x #404Institute pic.twitter.com/LOacvjW9z7— Georgia Tech Softball ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ (@GaTechSoftball) April 28, 2023
๐๐ข๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ท๐ฆ ๐โโ๏ธ@mallorieblack1 singles and steals second, making her way home on @PVukadinovich's infield single ๐๐
B4
๐3โฃ
๐2โฃ#BeGoldย x #404Institute pic.twitter.com/r0ZAOvQwMs— Georgia Tech Softball ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ (@GaTechSoftball) April 28, 2023
๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฅ@sballen99 launches a no-doubter over straightaway center ๐ซก
B5
๐4โฃ
๐3โฃ#BeGoldย x #404Institute pic.twitter.com/uF1L5Judbg— Georgia Tech Softball ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ (@GaTechSoftball) April 29, 2023
๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐๐พ๐ ๐ซข@ella_edgmon gets us started in the potential final frame with a doubleโ
B7
๐5โฃ
๐3โฃ#BeGoldย x #404Institute pic.twitter.com/fh0pb8Z4g3— Georgia Tech Softball ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ (@GaTechSoftball) April 29, 2023
Back on The Flats tomorrow.#BeGold x #404Institute pic.twitter.com/3nWsuyQnAM
— Georgia Tech Softball ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ (@GaTechSoftball) April 29, 2023
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