The Jackets got their offense going in a series win against Florida State. The series featured home runs from senior Brittany Barnes, who picked up her eighth and ninth of the season.
The Jackets won the first game 5-2. Senior pitcher Whitney Humphreys ran into some trouble in the beginning of the game, which included giving up two runs and a triple. However, she rebounded to prevent the opponent from scoring for the rest of the game. After seven complete innings pitched, Humphreys picked up two strikeouts while giving up just two runs.
Later, senior Aileen Morales rounded the bases and brought in two runners after a triple. The Jackets would earn more insurance later in the game. With the bases loaded in the fifth, junior All-American first baseman Whitney Haller hit a grounder that led to a throwing error by the Seminoles and brought Savannah Brown in to score. Barnes and freshman Jessica Weaver picked up back-to-back walks and another runner came in to score. Haller came within inches of earning a grand-slam in the sixth, but the ball was caught at the warning track.
Freshman Emily Schreck led the Jackets in the second game. After giving up three runs and allowing the bases to be loaded, the freshman pitcher got out of the inning thanks to a stop at home by Brown and a 4-6-3 double play. Schreck ran into more trouble in the second and was taken out of the game. Haller came back to the mound in her first appearance in about two years. In all, the Jackets’ pitchers were hammered in the second game when they gave up a total of 10 earned runs and 13 hits. The Jackets were able to score a couple of runs but were defeated in a 10-2 loss.
The Jackets rallied in the rubber game of the series. Humphreys had one of her best outings. In all, the senior pitcher gave up just five hits and struck out four batters. Senior Stephanie Butler made a diving catch in the third to stop any runners from scoring. Morales led off the game with a single then stole second. Barnes, freshman Amanda Crow and Weaver collectively hit three consecutive singles. When they scored the first runner, the Jackets were capitalizing off of their opponent’s errors. Because the Seminoles were throwing wildly, the Jackets were able to score two more runners. Barnes came up for another crucial at-bat in the third when she hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded. Later in the game, the senior second-baseman hit a homer in the seventh for two runs. The Jackets gave up just two runs in and were able to turnaround a brief seventh-inning rally to come out on top 6-2.
Tech has eight more games left in the season including three against Boston College, two against Georgia State and they close out the season at Glenn Field vs. the University of Maryland. The Jackets will travel up to College Park however to compete in the ACC Tournament.