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Nationally-Ranked Georgia Tech Sweeps Furman Softball 5-0, 8-1
April 4, 2007
Greenville, S.C. - The 24th-ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets limited Furman to just one run on 10 hits over two games to register a 5-0, 8-1 doubleheader sweep of the Lady Paladins in non-conference softball action Wednesday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium.
The sweep improved Georgia Tech to 34-12 on the season while Furman fell to 12-20-1.
Tiffany Johnson and Sarah Wood combined to toss a four-hit shutout in game one. Johnson fanned nine batters and allowed only two hits in five innings of work to improve to 14-5 in the circle.
With the game scoreless after four innings, the Yellow Jackets opened the fifth with a Blair Shimandle single and Stephanie Butler double. Aileen Morales drove in the game's first run on a groundout to second. After a walk and a fielder's choice, Savannah Brown blasted a two-out, three-run homer to left field to up the lead to 4-0.
Shimandle went 3-for-3 while Brown went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Whitney Haller also collected two hits for the Yellow Jackets.
Furman starter Lana Mackey suffered the loss for the Lady Paladins after allowing four runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings. Centerfielder Amber Kiser collected two hits to pace the Lady Paladins.
In game two, Georgia Tech used six hits and a Furman error to plate six runs in the second inning on its way to an 8-1 victory.
Leading 1-0 in the top of the second, the Yellow Jackets notched four straight singles with one out. After an error by Mackey at first, Haller cleared the bases with a three-run double to left-center field.
Furman loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom half of the inning, but scored just one run on a two-out single by Amber Kiser.
Whitney Humphreys gave up only one run on five hits in five innings to earn the win and improve to 14-5 in the circle. Brown and Morales each collected two hits to lead Georgia Tech's 11-hit attack.
Blake Murray (6-10) suffered the loss allowing five earned runs on seven hits in just 1.1 innings of work. Reliever Vanessa Williams pitched 5.2 innings of effective relief without surrendering an earned run.
Brythe Blakenship went 2-for-3 with a run while Kiser went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Furman continues its homestand with a three-game Southern Conference series against the Elon Phoenix on Friday and Saturday. First pitch for Saturday's doubleheader is slated for 2 p.m.
