April 29, 2006

Box Scores

Hokies 4, GT 2
Hokies 4, GT

 

ATLANTA - Behind two strong pitching performances, the Virginia Tech softball team swept Georgia Tech Saturday afternoon at Glenn Field. In the opener, the Hokies won 4-2 before winning the second game 4-1. With the two wins, the Hokies clinch the No. 3 seed in the upcoming ACC Tournament.

In the first inning of the first game, Callie Rhodes led off with a single and moved up on Erin Ota's sacrifice bunt. She scored on Charisse Mariconda's double off the left field wall. Mariconda scored one batter later when Jessica Everhart singled to right field.

The Jackets - the top-hitting team in the ACC - battled back to tie up the game in the second inning. Caitlin Lever led off with a home run and Georgia Tech scored an unearned run to knot the score. Tech loaded the bases for Whitney Haller - the nation's leader in home runs - but she fouled out to left on the first pitch to end the threat.

In the third, Ota doubled to the gap and scored on Kelly Brown's double to take the lead, 3-2. In the seventh, Brown beat out a grounder to third for an infield single and then stole second. She moved up on Mariconda's infield single and scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-2.

Tech was led in the circle by Angela Tincher, who threw a lot of pitches, but pitched out of tough situations to pick up the win and move to 24-6. She allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits while walking six and striking out seven in throwing 151 pitches.

At the plate, Brown had three hits to tie the school's career record of 254 hits, held by Michelle Meadows. She also had two stolen bases, an RBI and a run scored. Alisia Narodowski and Mariconda (RBI) each had two hits while Rhodes, Ota, Mariconda, Everhart (RBI) and Kelsy Rokey each had a hit.

In the second game, the Hokies broke open a scoreless game with one swing of the bat in the top of the fourth inning. Everhart reached on a fielder's choice before Kelsey Hoffman singled with two outs. Then, on an 0-2 pitch, freshman Beth Walker launched a three-run home run to right field to give Tech a 3-0 lead. The shot was her fifth of the season.

In the fifth, Rhodes reached on an infield single and stole second base. She scored when Ota's grounder to second base was misplayed and rolled into the outfield. The Jackets finally got on the board in the sixth on a single by Christine Sheridan, but left two on as Amy Hosier struck out looking to end the inning.

In the circle, Katie Maynard (W, 13-8) dominated in picking up her 11^th complete game of the year. She went the distance, allowing one run on four hits while walking nine and striking out six.

At the plate, Rhodes led the way with two hits. Hoffman, Walker and Caroline Stolle each had one hit.

With the sweep, Tech moves to 37-14, 12-7 in the ACC while the Yellow Jackets fall to 42-16, 11-7 in the conference. The two will play a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m.