No. 12 Georgia softball split a doubleheader Friday at Jack Turner Stadium, falling 9-3 to No. 20 Virginia Tech before coming back with an 11-2 run-rule victory over Utah State on day two of the 23rd Annual Georgia Classic.
The Bulldogs improved to 13-3 on the season after bouncing back from their second loss of the tournament with a five-inning win with the help of Tyler Ellison’s two home runs and a dominant outing from junior left-hand pitcher Randi Roelling.
“Virginia Tech has a good team and did what they should do when we didn’t take care of the ball the way that we needed to on the defensive side,” head coach Tony Baldwin said. “I’m really proud of the way that we responded here in game two. I thought we were much more competitive and had a more competitive mindset.”
In the opener against Virginia Tech, the Hokies started off early with a two-run home run in the first inning before Georgia answered in the bottom half. Ellison hit a two-RBI single to center to tie the game at 2-2.
Virginia Tech regained control of the game in the second inning and continued to extend its lead with a five-run fourth inning to push the score to 9-2.
Senior right-handed pitcher Destin Howard made her first start of the season, pitching two innings before freshman left-hander Ada Little entered to relieve her. Howard later returned to close the game and finished with five total innings pitched and three strikeouts.
“Really proud of the way Destin came back in that first game and threw at the end,” Baldwin said. “We’re just a work in progress, trying to get a little bit better and learn lessons and prepare ourselves for what lies ahead.”
Georgia scored its final run in the seventh when Gabi Novickas launched her first career home run over the right field wall, but the Bulldogs ultimately fell 9-3. With the loss, Georgia dropped to 8-4 in all-time play against Virginia Tech.
The Bulldogs rebounded quickly in the second game against Utah State. Roelling threw a complete game, allowing only four hits and two earned runs while striking out six to improve to 5-1 on the season.
“I thought in the first game, Delani was outstanding in center field, making a lot of really good plays,” Baldwin said. “Randi obviously controlling things there in the circle.”
Keirstin Roose struck early with a lead-off solo home run in the first inning. Natalie Ray followed with a two-RBI single to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.
After loading the bases in the second inning, Ellison crushed a grand slam to extend the lead to 8-0, marking Georgia’s third grand slam of the season. Ellison added a solo home run in the fourth inning, finishing 2-for-3 with five total RBIs.
The Aggies scored on a two-RBI double in the fourth, but Georgia responded in the fifth with Ellison’s second home run and Ray’s RBI single to finish the game 11-2 with a run-rule victory after five innings.
Delani Sullivan, Novickas, Ray and Bailey Lindemuth each recorded two hits in the win.
“All in all, it’s just a day of early-season softball where you’re kind of grinding through it,” Baldwin said. “We’re going to have a pretty good team when it’s all said and done, and sometimes you just kind of have to weather the storm a little bit.”
Georgia will close the Georgia Classic with a rematch against Virginia Tech at 1 p.m. Sunday at Jack Turner Stadium.
