May 7, 2017
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THE FLATS – Georgia Tech softball (19-34, 8-16 ACC) blasted six home runs, including a grand slam from Draven Sonnon, in a doubleheader split against Pittsburgh (24-23, 7-17) on Sunday afternoon at Mewborn Field on Senior Day. Tech fell in game one, 7-6, in nine innings, then overpowered the Panthers, 12-2, in five innings.
How it Happened
Game 1: Pitt 7, Georgia Tech 6 (9)
Pittsburgh struck first, plating two in the top of the second to take the lead. Tech responded as Kelsey Chisholm blasted a solo shot to right field to put the Jackets on the board in the bottom of the same inning.
The Jackets’ offense continued to produce in the bottom of the third as Sonnon sent a single down the left field line to score Samantha Pierannunzi, who reached on a fielder’s choice. Malea Bell singled to left field, plating Katie Krzus who reached on a walk to send the Jackets into the fourth with the 3-2 lead.
Pitt recovered to tie the game at 4-4 with a two-run home run in the sixth inning. Scoreless through the eighth, Pitt broke through to take a 7-4 lead on a three-run bomb off the bat of Giorgiana Zeremenko.
Tech rallied for two runs in the bottom of the frame thanks to a double by Jessica Kowalewicz and a two-run bomb from Pierannunzi – her 11th home run of the season – to make it 7-6, but the Jackets couldn’t sustain the rally.
Brooke Barfield pitched the first four innings and allowed two runs on two hits before giving way to Emily Anderson (10-14) who was pinned with the loss. Anderson threw five innings and gave up five runs on four hits with five strike outs.
Pitt used three pitchers in the win with Brittany Knight (13-12) as the pitcher of record. She threw 5.1 innings and gave up two runs on three hits.
Game 2: Georgia Tech 12, Pitt 2 (5)
Georgia Tech wasted little time, jumping on all three of Pitt’s pitchers in the game. The Jackets plated six runs on five hits with two home runs, including Sonnon’s grand slam in the second inning. Bell led off with her first of two home runs in the game and Tech used singles by Kaylee Ellebracht, Drew Puckett and Kowalewicz on the way to a bases loaded situation.
Free passes to first drawn by Pierannunzi and Krzus plated two runs, when Sonnon stepped to the box and blasted the third grand slam of the season for Tech to make it 6-0.
In the fifth inning. Bell walked and freshman Allison Brandvold made her first collegiate appearance and drew a walk. Colleen Darragh reached on an error to load the bags. A single from Kowalewicz, hit by pitch to Pierannunzi and walk by Sonnon scored three, and a two-RBI single by Chisholm made it 11-0.
Bell’s second home run of the game gave Tech the 12 runs. Pitt rallied with back-to-back jacks in the top of the fifth, but Tech stifled the rally for the run-rule win.
Jenna Goodrich (6-10) earned the win. She threw five innings and surrendered two runs on seven hits. Pitt’s Sarah Dawson (2-3) suffered the loss after pitching 2.2 innings with five runs on seven hits.
Quote
“I’m proud of the way our team played and finished the season today,” head coach Shelly Hoerner said. “We talked about never giving up and fighting until the very end and I feel we did that as a team. I’m proud of the team for finishing strong.”
Quick Hits
-The extra-inning affair in game one was the 11th game in extras this season, tying the most in school history in a single season
-Sonnon, Pierannunzi and Krzus have all hit grand slams this season
-The Jackets have hit at least two home runs in 13 games this season, and at least three round trippers in seven games
-On the day:
-Bell hit .571 with four hits, three runs, a double and a home run
-Sonnon hit .429 on 3-for-7 with a home runs and six RBI
-Darragh and Pierannunzi each hit .400 with two hits apiece and Pierannunzi added four runs
-Chisholm and Kowalewicz each had three hits – Chisholm added three RBI and Kowalewicz put up three runs.
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