The annual I-75 Tournament saw the Jackets softball team struggle in bouts against the University of Kentucky Wildcats and the Coastal Carolina University Chanticleers. Tech shrugged off the rough start to claim a dominant pair of wins against the University of Dayton Flyers on Sunday. The I-75 tournament is the beginning of a 14-game long homestand for the Jackets, which continues with six ACC matchups against the Stanford University Cardinal and the North Carolina State Wolfpack.
Senior right-handed pitcher (RHP) Kinsey Norton stepped into the circle to start the game against the Wildcats on Fri. Feb. 21. Despite what the scoreboard indicated, Kentucky struggled against Norton, being held to a 0.208 batting average. Tech’s defense unraveled in the third inning with two fielding errors to score three runs. An additional runner scored before Norton collected her first strikeout of the day to retire the side.
Although the Jackets’ offense posted a higher batting average than the Wildcats at 0.222, Tech did not score a single run in the five innings of play. Norton was pulled from the game after a fourth-inning home run. The bullpen released senior left-handed pitcher (LHP) and utility player Emma Minghini for one out in the fifth, but Kentucky stretched their lead to the 10 run-rule mark alongside another error and a wild pitch. Freshman RHP Madison Furniss closed the 10-0 loss to the Wildcats, not allowing a single run.
Senior RHP Sophia Voyles got the start against the Chanticleers, where she set the tone for the Institute by striking out her first batter. Coastal retaliated quickly with a strike down the third base line to score a runner from second and put the Jackets in a one-run hole in the first inning. A third inning two-run homer by the Chanticleers was matched by junior second baseman Grace Connelly’s single towards third base, which scored senior center fielder Ella Edgmon, and a double by third baseman Gracyn Tucker scored Connelly.
The freshman LHP Camden Anders replaced Voyles in the fifth inning, and Coastal immediately scored a run by sending a line drive up the middle. Junior first baseman Addison Leschber ran home on a single by freshman outfielder Alyssa Willer to keep the game competitive at 4-3. Then the Chanticleers knocked a seventh inning grand slam against Anders. Freshman RHP Sydnie Watts closed the inning against one batter, however. Tech couldn’t respond and dropped their second straight, 9-3.
The Jackets faced the same doubleheader on Sat. Feb. 22 with similar struggles despite efforts to change the outcome. Sophomore LHP Makayla Coffield started against the Wildcats, yet her tenure ran short as four hits on seven batters faced led to three runs before the first out of the second inning. Anders took her place and met similar results with four runs scored on three hits, putting the Jackets in a 7-0 hole in the second inning. Leschber sent a ball over the fence for two to cut the lead for Tech, but the Wildcats kept rolling.
Junior RHP Jaidyn Studebaker took over for the final five innings of the game as Kentucky stretched their lead with runs in the third and fourth innings and a four-run fifth inning. Tech matched the Wildcats’ fifth inning with a pair of two-run homers by junior outfielder Paige Vukadinovich and Tucker. The game sat at 13-6 heading into the seventh inning — Kentucky finished the job with another home run to score two and a score off a wild pitch to end the game 16-6.
Voyles got her second start against Coastal for the weekend, fueled with revenge: in five innings pitched, she struck eight Chanticleers out, allowing only three hits and earned runs scored on a third inning home run. The Jackets had a single run in the second inning after a Chanticleer error and added another off a Connelly homer in the fourth. The two defenses held strong until the seventh inning where Coastal sent another home run beyond the fences on Norton to spread their lead to two runs. Although Tech staged a comeback with another Willer run, the Chanticleers handed the Jackets a 4-3 loss, their fourth of the weekend.
The Institute rerouted their losing direction on Sun. Feb. 23 against Dayton. The Flyers worked Furniss — across her 39 pitches tossed in 1.2 innings, the Jackets gave up three runs in the second inning after a deep double. Coffield took the circle to finish the second inning and closed the game with seven strikeouts while Tech’s offense began to build momentum in the fifth inning. Vukadinovich sent a triple to the outfield to collect two runs and was later scored off a single by junior designated player Jayden Gailey to tie the game. Tucker hit a walk-off double to win the game 4-3.
Tech made quick work of the Flyers in their second game of the day where Watts pitched a near perfect five-inning game, only relenting a single hit in the fifth inning while collecting six strikeouts on 16 batters faced. A by The Jackets outclassed their two-run first inning with a 13-run third inning. Quick hits and Dayton errors broke the seal, setting senior right fielder Eliana Gottlieb up for a grand slam. The Flyers couldn’t respond in the top of the fifth to end the game at 15-0.
The Jackets aim to retain their momentum and start strong in the ACC when hosting the Stanford Cardinal on Feb. 28 weekend.