May 17, 2008

Stolle's grand slam lifts Hokies to 4-0 win over Tennessee

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - A grand slam from Caroline Stolle to end an epic battle at the plate lifted the Virginia Tech softball team to a 4-0 upset win over 13th-seeded Tennessee Saturday afternoon at Lee Softball Field in the semifinals of the NCAA Knoxville Regional.

Tech loaded the bases in the second inning, but couldn't push anything across and then did the same in the fourth inning. Kelsey Hoffman reached on a fielder's choice and went to second base on Jessica Everhart's single before Hoffman was lifted for pinch runner Heather Lowry. Beth Walker came up with a hard single to left to load the bases with one out. After Whitney Davis struck out to put two outs on the board, Stolle stepped to the plate as she did in the second inning, when that at bat ended in a strike out.

The senior from Chester, Va., worked the count full by taking two balls on a 1-2 count before fouling off seven straight pitches to the left side. On one, the Hokies caught a break when Tennessee shortstop Kenora Posey over-ran a foul pop up, extending the at bat. Then, on the 13th pitch of the at bat, Stolle crushed a Megan Rhodes' offering deep over the right-center field fence to send the Hokies streaming out of the dugout to meet her at home. For Stolle, it was her second home run of the season, but it couldn't have come at a bigger time.

Even with a four-run lead, All-American Angela Tincher (W, 35-6) had to work out of several jams created by the potent Lady Vol offense. After throwing 157 pitches in Friday's 10-inning win over Louisville, the senior from Eagle Rock, Va., was efficient in tossing 106 pitches Saturday. She scattered just three hits while walking one and striking out 14.

Georgia Tech Softball's Season Ends In NCAA Gainesville Regional To Central Florida, 7-1

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Georgia Tech (32-31) crushed second-seeded South Florida (44-20) 9-2 to avoid elimination but then saw its season come to an end at the hands of third-seeded Central Florida (48-19), 7-1 Saturday evening in the NCAA Softball Gainesville Regional. Junior Blair Shimandle went 2-for-2 with a home run and three RBI helping the Jackets beat the Bulls, but they were unable to solve UCF ace Allison Kime. She held them to just two singles in four innings of work and the Knights offense scored five times in the fifth inning to break open a 2-0 game.

Senior Aileen Morales closed out her stellar Tech career with another record to her resume as she broke her own single-season stolen base record with No. 45 in the first inning. She added another one later in the game for good measure. Senior Whitney Humphreys picked up her 20th win of the season, but also suffered the defeat in the loss to UCF. The Yellow Jackets, who were 10-21 in late March, overcame several injuries to finish the year over .500 and earn the school's seventh straight NCAA Tournament berth.

Junior Tiffany Johnson got the start for the Jackets against South Florida, but was quickly pulled after she walked the first two batters on eight pitches. Senior Whitney Humphreys came in facing a two-on and nobody out jam, but used a double-play and a lazy fly out to right field to end the inning.

Georgia Tech took advantage of the momentum and pushed a run across in the bottom of the first inning against South Florida pitcher Courtney Mosch. Senior Aileen Morales led off with a single to left field and then stole second base. It was her 45th of the season in 47 opportunities breaking her own single-season school record which she set back in her freshman year of 2005. After being sacrificed to second base by junior Blair Shimandle, Morales scored the game's first run on a ringing single to left field off the bat of senior Savannah Brown. Junior Whitney Haller followed with a single to right field, but Mosch was able to get out of the jam.