April 7, 1999

ATLANTA - Georgia Tech staged a pair of come-from-behind rallies to defeat Georgia Southern, 5-3 and 6-5 in collegiate softball Wednesday at Glenn Field. Tech improved to 19-21 and snapped a three-game losing streak, while the Eagles fell to 27-23 on the year.

In the first game of the day, junior catcher Anne Knobbe went 2-for-3 with three RBI and connected on the winning blow to lead Tech to the win. She had an RBI single in the first inning and a two-run homerun in the decisive fifth inning to cap a four-run rally. In that frame, second baseman Erin Hawley had a two-RBI double ahead of Knobbe to tie the game at 3-3. Georgia Southern had gone ahead with a three-run fourth inning as Jennifer Miller, Stacie Cooper and Suzanne Pansulla all had run-scoring hits. Tech freshman Mimi Utt worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the sixth as she got pinch hitter Beth Dance to fly out to centerfield to end an Eagle threat. Utt improved to 10-14 with the victory and became the sixth Jacket pitcher to record double-digit wins in a season. Third baseman Jamie Frost went 3-for-3 with a one scored to help the Tech attack. Cooper was 3-for-4 with an RBI for Georgia Southern.

In the second game, Georgia Southern took a 5-0 lead before the Jackets rallied for four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and two in the sixth inning to take the night cap. In the top of the second inning, the Eagles scored three runs off of four hits and added a run in the third and fifth innings. Starting pitcher Jennifer Miller had an RBI double, a sacrifice fly and RBI single during each of the three scoring frames to aid her own cause. Tech rallied in the bottom of the fifth as Knobbe sent a ball back through the box to plate two runs and shortstop Ellen Styer delivered a two-RBI single to cut the lead to 5-4. In the bottom of the sixth, Hawley delivered an RBI single to centerfield to tie the game and designated player Beth Warren drove in the go-ahead run also with a single to centerfield. Junior pitcher Jamie Smith allowed two singles in the top of the seventh inning, but got Miller to line out to left field to end the game. She improved to 8-7 on the season with her third straight winning decision. Right fielder Jennifer Harris went 3-for-3 for the Eagles with two runs scored. Tech banged out 13 hits in the win, which marked the 13th time this season it reached double-digit hits in a contest. Hawley went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Knobbe was 2-for-4 with two RBI, Warren was 2-for-4 with an RBI and center fielder Lauren Schwartz was 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Tech now hits the road for an ACC weekend swing to Maryland and Virginia. Tech plays at Maryland Friday at 4 p.m., and Saturday at 1 p.m, and will play at Virginia Sunday in a Noon doubleheader.

Game 1
Georgia Southern  000 300 0 -- 3 8 1
Georgia Tech      100 040 x -- 5 8 0

Littlejohn, Kammerer (6) and Pansulla. Utt and Knobbe. WP -- Utt (10-14). LP -- Littlejohn (13-11). HR -- GT: Knobbe (7) 5th, one on. T -- 1:40.

Game 2
Georgia Southern  031 010 0 -- 5  9 3
Georgia Tech      000 042 x -- 6 13 0

Miller and Pansulla. Smith and Knobbe. WP -- Smith (8-7). LP -- Miller (12-7). T -- 1:45.