Willer’s First Career Grand Slam Pushes Tech Past Cal in Sunday Series Finale

BERKELEY, CALIF. – After trailing 4-1 through the first three innings, Georgia Tech softball (17-11, 5-4) came back to take the final game of the series against Cal (22-5, 5-1), 8-5, on Sunday afternoon. Alyssa Willer’s fifth inning grand slam would go on to be the deciding factor while Kinsey Norton’s relief pitching would support the Jackets’ defense.

QUICK HITS

Sophia Voyles made her 11 th start of the season in the circle for Tech while Norton made her 15 th appearance of the season in relief of Voyles.

start of the season in the circle for Tech while Norton made her 15 appearance of the season in relief of Voyles. Willer’s grand slam on Sunday was the third grand slam of the season for Tech, with one belonging to Gracyn Tucker against No. 18 Stanford and the other belonging to Eliana Gottlieb against Dayton.

The fifth inning fence clearing hit was the freshman’s second career home run.

Paige Vukadinovich recorded her sixth multi-hit game of the season with two on Sunday against Cal. Vukadinovich is now tied with Jayden Gailey for most multi-hit games this season, both of which are behind Eliana Gottlieb who has eight.

Sunday saw Willer record her fourth game of the season scoring multiple runs (2).

Gracyn Tucker extends both her hitting and reached base streaks to seven games respectively following Sunday’s performance. Her seven-game hitting streak ties the team high hitting streak this season set by Addison Leschber and Grace Connelly

Tucker’s reached base streak is the fourth longest of the season for the Jackets, but her second longest of the season, with her longest reached base streak being nine games.

Sunday’s 8-5 win was Tech’s first win against California in program history and ties the program record for runs scored against the Golden Bears, set back in the 2017 season.

Willer is the fourth Yellow Jacket to record a home run against the Golden Bears with the other two jackets being Samantha Pierannunzi, Katie Krzus, and Kelsey Chisholm in the 2017 season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

For the third straight game against the Golden Bears, the Yellow Jackets scored in the first inning with Gailey crossing home off of Reese’s double to left field that reached all the way to the way.

Cal tied the game in the bottom half of the first after a Tech error allowed a Cal runner to advance home from third.

The Golden Bears’ took the lead in the bottom of the second with a solo home run sent over left field, making the game 2-1.

In the bottom of the third, the hosting Bears posted another two runs off of a home run over right field.

Tech tallied one run in the top of the fourth thanks to a single from Vukadinovich’s single to center field that sent Willer running home.

Norton relieved Voyles in the bottom of the fourth after the starter went 3.0 innings and struck out two batters.

With the bases loaded in the top of the fifth, the Jackets had the bases loaded and brought the game within one run as Gottlieb advanced home off Leschber’s walk. Willer went on to not only take the lead but give Tech a three-run cushion with her first career grand slam that scored that brought home Leschber, Hunter, and Tucker.

Cal responded with one run in the form of a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth.

Vukadinovich capped Tech’s scoring on Sunday after she slammed a double to center field

UP NEXT

Georgia Tech softball will remain in California to take on Saint Mary’s on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Moraga, Calif. before heading back to the east coast for a three-game series against Pittsburgh March 21-23.

Full Steam Ahead

Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.

For the latest information on the Georgia Tech softball team, follow us on Twitter (@GaTechSoftball), Facebook, Instagram (@GaTechsoftball) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.

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