Softball slips at Leadoff Classic

The softball team's record dropped to 13-4 last weekend as they traveled to Columbus, Ga. for the annual NFCA Leadoff Classic. The Jackets lost four tough games in two days of play at the tournament where 11 of 24 teams were nationally ranked.

The Jackets lost to the No. 8 ranked Michigan Wolverines 4-1 in the first game last Friday. Jessica Sallinger struck out eight of 25 batters and gave up three hits in five innings pitched.

The Wolverines gained all four scores on home runs. In the first inning Michigan's Jessica Merchant hit a solo home run over the left center fence to give the Wolverines a 1-0 lead.

In the third inning with the score tied at one run, Michigan's Samantha Finley hit a three-run shot after the leadoff runner made it to first base off a Jacket error. With two outs and a runner on second, Merchant was intentionally walked before Michigan's Samantha Findlay homered to left center to pick up three RBIs.

Tech's only run of the game came in the second inning. Senior Katie Donovan singled with one out and then advanced to second off a Wolverine error. With two outs first-year Aileen Morales singled to right field to drive in Donovan.

In the second game on Friday the Jackets lost 5-1 to the Salukis from Southern Illinois University. The Jackets gave up four home runs as the Salukis picked up all of their runs off the long ball.

Tech took the early lead in the third inning. Freshman Stephanie Butler reached second base off an error by the Saluki third baseman, who was trying to throw Butler out at first. Morales came to the plate next and picked up the RBI with a single through the right side.

Back to back Saluki home runs in the fourth inning put them up 3-1 before solo home runs in the fourth and fifth innings gave SIU the 5-1 victory.

On Saturday Tech faced South Carolina and lost 2-0 in a contest that lasted 10 innings. Sallinger threw an impressive complete-game one-hitter striking out 12 of the 28 batters she faced. She moved to No. 16 on the NCAA career strikeout list; she has struck out 1118 batters in her four-year career.

The Gamecocks won the game off a two-run home run by Carolina McKenna. Because of the international tiebreaker rule, a runner was placed on second to start the inning, so Sallinger gave up only one earned run.

In the second game on Saturday Tech lost 9-1 to No. 17 ranked Nebraska in a five-inning contest. Sophomore Sarah Wood was the starter and made it to the first out in the fourth inning before first-year Whitney Humphreys came in to finish the game.

The softball team returns to action today and tomorrow as they host the annual Buzz Classic. All games will be played in Marietta. Tech faces Winthrop and Purdue today before facing St. Louis University and Mercer tomorrow. The final day of the tournament is Sunday. The pairings will be determined by the results of pool play.