Season three of “The Bear” released for FX on Hulu after a yearlong cliffhanger. Known for bringing intensity inside and out of the kitchen, the show follows successful chef Carmen Berzatto, or Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), transforming his family’s Italian beef sandwich shop from a grimy but beloved local into a fine dining experience titled The Bear. 

Though often praised for the changing rhythm between episodes, the third season’s slower pace and in-depth character analysis may leave some fans wanting more with respect to the plot. This choice sets the season as a stepping stone for an inevitable fourth season, however it does not divert from the revered quality of “The Bear.”

As much as “The Bear” wants to convince the viewer otherwise, the series is not a story of a restaurant. Rather, “The Bear” explores love and hate, addiction and abandonment, family and isolation, grief and depression.

The first to arrive and the last to leave, Carmy has devoted his life to bear the brunt of the restaurant’s emotional and physical burdens despite carrying his own baggage. Carmy has dealt with panic attacks while contending with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The writers navigate the fallout of his destructive outlash during season two’s climax beautifully in the newest season to complement White’s depressive yet graceful portrayal of Carmy experiencing regret and shame from his actions. By simultaneously refusing to excuse the impact of his behavior and respecting Carmy’s trauma, “The Bear” continues to demonstrate a careful approach to topics such as PTSD, anxiety and depression.

The third season extensively develops the theme of familial relationships as Natalie Berzatto (Abby Elliott), Carmy’s sister, prepares herself for motherhood. Last season explored the strained relationship between the siblings and their mother Donna Berzatto (Jamie Lee Curtis), revealing the Berzatto family dynamic as a significant source of trauma for Carmy and Natalie. Elliott and Curtis’ combined execution yields one of the best episodes in the series to date.

In her directorial debut, Ayo Edebiri astounds the viewer in the emotional episode six, titled “Napkins,” exploring the backstory of sous chef Tina Marrero (Liza Colón-Zayas). Edebiri’s directorial style sets the foundation for Colón-Zayas to capture the audience’s heart and expound on the meaning of The Bear to Tina. 

The characters of “The Bear” have always been loveable and seemed like real people. This is no different in the third season. However, the show is beginning to suffer from having too many characters. With a full cast the audience truly cares about, “The Bear” is simply unable to give each character a deserving amount of screentime.

Many have voiced their outrage following the show’s success in the Comedy Series category of the Emmy Awards, citing the intense drama aspects which drive “The Bear.” The noncommittal method of storytelling aims to blur the line between tragedy and comedy, yet the third
season leans heavy into humor. 

Though this attempt falls flat at times, such a spirited show ultimately benefits from the comedic relief of the Fak family, friends of the Berzattos including Neil (Matty Matheson) and Theodore Fak (Ricky Staffieri). Some scenes including the Faks last longer than necessary and often distract the audience from the episode.

The soundtrack continues to be an underappreciated aspect of “The Bear.” An incorporation of Taylor Swift, Radiohead, The Beastie Boys and more alongside establishing shots of Chicago are some simple ways “The Bear” wins the viewer’s heart.

This critical acclaim raised expectations for the third season while challenging the method of storytelling “The Bear” wants to take. The response may be a detour from the audience’s expectations, however, this season of “The Bear” is still a must-watch, and it clearly sows the seeds for a fourth season.

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The Jackets softball program (32-23) finished a strong season with a promising appearance in the ACC Tournament. Tech’s batters racked up  68 home runs, tying the fourth most in program history. The program boasted a 7-0 start in ACC matchups and 12-0 homestand, as well as leading the ACC in double plays with 25 and showcasing the defensive backbone of the team. With a 12-12 record in the ACC, the Jackets were invited to the ACC Tournament and were rewarded the sixth seed, their highest since 2013.

Tech matched against the No. 3-seeded Virginia Tech Hokies in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament. The Hokies collected 39 wins on their season with an 18-7 ACC record — three of these victories came against the Jackets. The fresh taste of defeat had Tech seeking revenge on May 9 when junior right-handed pitcher (RHP) Sophia Voyles received her first ACC Tournament start and commanded the circle for four innings in an impressive start.

Junior left-fielder Madison Dobbins broke through for Tech’s first hit as she led off the second inning. Dobbins soon reached third base and headed home after senior shortstop Jin Sileo sent a ground ball to second.

Voyles kept the Hokies off the scoreboard until the third, when an error allowed the leadoff hitter to reach third. A subsequent sacrifice fly gave Virginia Tech their first run of the game. Fortunately, sophomore first-baseman Jayden Gailey responded immediately, and a leadoff homer returned a 2-1 lead to the Jackets in the fourth.  

After collecting her second strikeout of the game to end the fourth, Voyles passed the circle to freshman left-handed pitcher Makayla Coffield to close the game. Coffield piloted the defense in retaining the lead, allowing for the offense to catch fire.

Leading off the sixth, sophomore catcher Reese Hunter’s shot to left field put her in scoring position before sophomore Brionna Condon stole third as the pinch runner for Hunter. With two runners on base after Sileo forced a walk, junior utility player Grace Connelly drove a strong pitch over the fence in deep left field for her first home run of the season to give Tech a four-run lead.

The Jackets defense denied the Hokies’ attempts at responding in the sixth, highlighted by Coffield striking out freshman first baseman Michelle Chatfield, the ACC season home run leader. Graduate second baseman Tiffany Domingue spread the lead further with a leadoff solo homer to left field in the seventh. Despite an excellent fielding recovery by Coffield to collect the first seventh-inning out, the Hokies did not quit. A late seventh inning homer by senior center fielder Emma Ritter gave Virginia Tech a spark of hope, but the Jackets closed the game at 5-2 to send the program back to the ACC semifinals for the first time since 2012.

The Jackets returned to the diamond the following day to face the Florida State Seminoles. The Seminoles entered the ACC Tournament as the No. 2-seeded team and wanted to three-peat as ACC champions to collect their ninth championship in the past ten tournaments. Last season, the Seminoles swept the Jackets in three games, so Tech would need to play its best ball of the year in order to save their season. . Senior third baseman Mallorie Black wasted no time initiating  the Jackets’ offense with a single, and Domingue moved the chains on an error. Black and Domingue took advantage of a groundout to advance a single base, and Gailey was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Hunter with two outs. A wild pitch allowed Black to take home, but the Seminoles tagged Domingue out to end the inning before Hunter had a chance to score more. 

The score stayed put at 1-0 through three innings behind Voyles’ second consecutive start. The bases were soon loaded after Hunter grabbed a single, and senior designated player Sara Beth Allen was walked, and Sileo reached on an error. Black stood strong at the plate and watched the fourth ball slide by to score Hunter. A quick groundout sent the Jackets back to the field up 2-0.

The Seminoles had saved their bats for the fourth inning; a nine-run barrage virtually stole the game from the Jackets. The combination of a two-run homer, a two-RBI double and a grand slam was too much for Tech to overcome before Florida State run-ruled them, 10-2.

Although the season did not  end the way Tech fans and players were hoping for, there is much to celebrate about the 2024 season. The Jackets displayed an  explosive offense in tandem with their imposing defensive identity, especially in their upset against the No. 3-seeded Hokies in the ACC Tournament. Coach Aileen Morales and the Jackets will look to further improve upon an impressive season and to set a new standard for Tech softball.

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Last weekend the Jackets softball program (23-14) took a trip to upstate New York to battle Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) opponent the Syracuse University Orange in a three-game series. Thus far, the Jackets have had a historic season — their 60 home runs tie the most in head coach Aileen Morales’ tenure with 19 games left to play, and Tech has posted their best start in the ACC since 2012 with a 9-4 conference record. Syracuse is seeking to improve their play in the ACC, struggling this season with a 2-7 conference record. 

The Skytop Softball Stadium hosted Syracuse’s first home ACC series of the year as Tech stepped up to the plate on Thursday, March 28. Junior right-handed pitcher (RHP) Sophia Voyles got her 11th start of the season and held the circle for four innings while collecting two strikeouts.

After being walked, freshman right-fielder Gracie Hillman stole second in the third inning to put a runner in scoring position for junior left-fielder Madison Dobbins. Dobbins delivered to send Hillman home with a single. Senior third-baseman Mallorie Black singled to send Dobbins home and give the Jackets a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third. The fourth saw senior shortstop Jin Sileo glide to first off a bunt. A stolen base had Sileo on second before senior first-baseman Abby Hughes scored her on a crack to left field. Syracuse responded in the bottom alongside a single to right field by freshman second-basemen Makenzie Foster to score junior left-fielder Taylor Posner to cut Tech’s lead to 3-1.

Sophomore catcher Reese Hunter closed the inning after throwing out Foster on a stealing attempt. The Jackets extended the lead to 4-1 in the fifth via junior center-fielder Ella Edgmon taking home on a passed ball. Voyles handed the circle to freshman left-handed pitcher Makayla Coffield. In the longest outing of her debut season, Coffield shut out and only allowed a single hit against the Orange. The Jackets continued the momentum of the last three innings by putting another run on the board. Sophomore Brionna Condon stepped to second base as the pinch runner for Hunter following a double. 

With Condon in scoring position, Sileo struck a ball up the middle for a single and an RBI. The defense held strong behind Coffield’s closing three innings to give the Jackets the first victory of the series 5-1. This victory puts Tech at 9-4 in the ACC. This is the Jackets’ best record in the first 13 ACC games
during the Morales era.

The runs piled on quickly for the Jackets and Syracuse in their second matchup of the series. A walk put Dobbins on first and a single shot to left field by Black allowed Dobbins to advance to third. Black stole second to put two runners in scoring position for senior designated player Sara Beth Allen. Allen scored Dobbins and allowed Black to reach third after hitting a sacrifice fly to left field. 

Black got home after graduate student second-baseman Tiffany Domingue took the ball to the depths of right field. The Orange retaliated by hanging a five-run first on junior RHP Kinsey Norton before Tech could grab a single out. With the bases loaded, a single to left field sent one runner home and another to right field sent two home to clinch a 3-2 Syracuse lead early.

Coffield took the circle for her second time this series but the Orange immediately took advantage of the three outs left as a sacrifice fly to right field scored another. A fifth run scored off a single to left field before a double play retired the inning for the Jackets.

Tech was unable to respond until the fourth inning behind Domingue’s eighth homer of the season. Domingue struck again in the fifth to collect two more RBIs off an oppo single to tie the game 5-5.

The Jackets’ defensive prowess was put on display as they held the Orange to five runs until the seventh. Fifth-year RHP Chandler Dennis relieved Coffield in the fifth.

Nearing the end of the seventh inning, extra innings seemed to be on the horizon. Syracuse put one on first base and hit a walk-off double to end the game 6-5 in upsetting fashion. The Orange rode the high of victory into Saturday’s game, collecting five runs in the first two innings. Another two runs in the fifth was too much for Tech who fell 1-7 in six innings to Syracuse.

After hosting the Troy University Trojans, the Jackets travel to Alabama to challenge the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and the Auburn University Tigers in a series of interesting matchups. 

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Through the past several weeks, the Jackets softball program recorded their second-longest win-streak of 15 games. Along with the longest undefeated homestand in program history, they also swept two Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) opponents in their dominant stretch. Looking to continue this streak, the  Jackets traveled to play the No. 5 ranked University of Georgia Bulldogs before hosting the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for an ACC series. They then went down to South Carolina to play the  Charleston Southern University (CSU) Buccaneers and the Coastal Carolina University (CCU) Chanticleers. Finally, they capped the roadtrip off with another ACC series against the University of North Carolina (UNC) Tar Heels. 

Clean, old-fashioned hate burned between the Jackets and the Bulldogs throughout the game as Georgia sought to end Tech’s winning streak. The Bulldogs put up a strong defensive outing and their bats came out firing. A three-run first inning put Georgia up 3-0 after a pair of homers hit off fifth-year right-handed pitcher (RHP) Blake Neleman. Unfortunately the Jackets’ bats struggled, posting three scoreless innings and ending the third inning with a double play. 

The Bulldogs offense added another two runs in the fifth and another run in the sixth to put Tech in a 6-0 hole. The Jackets bats finally showed some life — junior center-fielder Ella Edgmon and senior designated player Sara Beth Allen were scored by a double to left field by senior third-baseman Mallorie Black. Black scored off senior first-baseman Abby Hughes’ short-fly to right field, but Georgia got the final out and the Jackets fell, 3-6. 

The Jackets’ series against the Fighting Irish began with an impressive comeback on March 15. Despite jumping to a 3-0 lead by the second inning, a three-run Notre Dame homer tied the game in the third. The Irish sent another two runs home in the sixth. Tech loaded the bases in response, but was unable to collect a run. 

The seventh saw a different story. Junior first-baseman Emma Minghini had an incredible game at the plate — she knocked two homers deep, accrued three runs batted in (RBIs) and collected two walks.  Her  second homer came in the seventh after a two-run shot by junior left-fielder Madison Dobbins and a 2-2 count. Minghini felt no pressure as she knocked a walkoff two-run homer to give Tech the win 7-5.

Tech struggled throughout the rest of the Notre Dame series. Locked in a 1-0 battle for much of the second game, sophomore catcher Reese Hunter blasted a three-run home-run in the sixth inning to give the Jackets a 3-1 lead. The Irish retaliated with a five-run seventh inning and shut down the Jackets’ bats in the clutch, holding Tech scoreless for the  3-6 loss.

The third game of the series on March 17 saw a similar script. Tech took an early 2-0 lead in the first off a two-run homer by Black. The Irish then came roaring back to score four runs in the fourth inning off a double and pair of singles.

The Jackets responded in the fifth with another 3-RBI home-run by Black  to retake the lead at 5-4. However, a two-RBI single by Notre Dame sealed the 6-5 loss — and the series loss. The Jackets met the CSU Buccaneers on March 19 and won the game off a dominant fifth inning. While the Buccaneers collected single runs in the first, second and fourth inning, their defense kept Tech’s bats at bay for the first four innings.  Down  three runs in the fifth, the Jackets loaded the bases with their leadoff batters before graduate student second-baseman Tiffany Domingue was hit by a pitch. This automatically sent Edgmon to score before Minghini hit an RBI groundout. 

Sophomore right-fielder Paige Vukadinovich completed the torrid inning by scoring  Allen and Domingue. Fifth-year RHP Chandler Dennis won the game in the circle by holding the Buccaneers scoreless for the final three innings as the Jackets won 4-3.Tech then faced the CCU Chanticleers on March 20 where Neleman silenced the Chanticleers and their bats with a complete game, allowing only two seventh-inning runs. The Jackets used this momentum to power the offense forward — a two-run first inning was followed by a Hunter solo-homer in the third. Dobbins stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and knocked her third grand slam of the season. The 7-2 win was sealed after sophomore pinch hitter Jayden Gailey knocked a two-run homer in the seventh. 

Looking to further improve their ACC record, the Jackets took the field in a three-game series against the UNC Tar Heels. Dennis pitched the full six innings of play, but Tech’s defense was unable to stop four and five run innings from UNCs’ bats in the first and sixth innings, respectively. The Jackets struggled to respond, scoring one in the second and two on an Allen homer in the third inning before falling 9-3.

The Jackets retaliated in the second game with a unique two-run second inning. Two walks and two hit-by-pitches put Tech in position to score off a fielders’ choice and a sacrifice fly. Domingue blasted a solo homer to clinch the win, but the Jackets added another three insurance runs in the fourth and fifth to increase the lead. Although UNC scored a pair of runs in the third and fifth, Tech took the game 6-2.

Taking a two-run lead in the third inning could not seal the final game of the series for Tech. After a three-run homer by UNC in the fourth, UNC’s offense caught fire to score two runs in the fifth and sixth while holding the Jackets scoreless for the remainder of the game in a 7-2 loss.

The Jackets look to bounce back on their roadtrip against another ACC opponent, the Syracuse University Orange, this weekend. The Orange have struggled against the ACC this season, going 2-7 in the conference. Therefore, this is an excellent get-right opportunity for the Jackets’ bats to regain their form and rebound after struggles in the last game of the UNC series.

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Tech’s softball program has been electric in the past several weeks, going undefeated in the 11 games since the Clearwater Invitational. The Jackets hosted the Jacksonville State University (JSU) Gamecocks on Wednesday, March 5 and traveled to North Carolina (NC) State University Wolfpack for their second ACC series of the season. The Gamecocks came out swinging — the first saw JSU’s freshman left-fielder Emma Elrod hit a two-run homer off sophomore right-handed pitcher (RHP) Jaidyn Studebaker before retiring the inning with two strikeouts.

The Jackets responded swiftly behind a three-run homer by junior left-fielder Madison Dobbins, however the Gamecocks scored three with two outs in the second. Senior shortstop Emma Jones-Hubbard took a shot down the left field foul line to score two and later scored on a knock back up the middle from senior first-baseman Lindsey Richardson to put Tech in a 3-5 hole. The Jackets began to climb back, as senior catcher Sara Beth Allen struck a solo homer in the third. Allen loaded the bases with two outs to allow senior third-baseman Mallorie Black to hit a two-run single. 

Graduate student second-baseman Tiffany Domingue followed with another two-run single giving Tech a 8-5 lead. Two double plays in the final innings secured the Jackets’ victory despite giving up a single score in the sixth. The 8-6 victory against the JSU Gamecocks notched Tech’s 14th consecutive home win before facing NC State in a double-header on Friday, March 7. Junior right-handed pitcher (RHP) Sophia Voyles put on a clinic against the Wolfpack. Voyles held a no-hitter alongside six strikeouts going into the seventh. Tech was unable to capitalize on Voyles’ performance despite having a runner on base every inning of the game. The Wolfpack added a run, but a Domingue double gave Tech a one-run lead but was matched in the bottom of the seventh with a solo-homer from junior right-fielder Taylor Ensley. Junior RHP Kinsey Norton put away the seventh to send the game into extra innings tied 1-1. 

Behind double plays in the eighth and ninth innings, Norton continued a dominant season as she completed the game without a run scored. With a shot down the left field foul line, sophomore right-fielder Paige Vukadinovich sent a run home in the eleventh, and with the bases loaded, a pair of runs scored to
give the Jackets a 4-1 victory.

Tech carried their momentum into the second game. The Jackets went up 3-0 in two innings. Fifth-year RHP Blake Neleman commanded the defense to allow only two hits and a single run in four innings pitched, as Taylor Ensley sent her sister, left-fielder Tori Ensley, home with a single. Dennis relieved Neleman in the fifth and continued to constrict the Wolfpack’s offense.

With two-outs and the bases loaded in the fourth, Black stepped into the batter’s box and sent the third pitch beyond the fence for a grand slam to put the game out of reach. Edgmon ran home off a Domingue ground-out in the sixth to add another score. A double play in the sixth combined with a dealing Dennis closed the game 8-1.

Sunday started quickly as Edgmon scored off a Dobbins double in the first, and the Wolfpack responded in the bottom with a two-run homer off Voyles — the only runs for NC State. The Jackets retaliated with a four-run second inning in a two-out rally where Edgmon scored senior shortstop Jin Sileo and sophomore catcher Reese Hunter before Allen blasted a massive two-run homer.

Dennis relieved Voyles in the third allowing only a single hit, but only pitched three innings after a five run fourth forced a run-rule victory for the Jackets. Black sent two home on an outfield shot, and Domingue ground-out to a shortstop advanced the bases and scored on Edgmon. Their eventual 10-2 win and NC State sweep grew Tech’s winning streak to 15, the second longest in program history. Following their dominant week, the Jackets are now ranked No. 25 according to the Softball America Top 25 poll. After traveling to Athens to battle the University of Georgia Bulldogs, the Jackets host the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish next weekend to defend their winning streak.

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After sweeping the homestand against the University of North Carolina (UNC) Wilmington Seahawks and the Mercer University Bears on Saturday, Feb. 24 to remain undefeated at home, Tech’s men’s tennis program traveled to North Carolina for their first Atlantic Coast Conference matchups (ACC) this past weekend. The ranked No. 37 Jackets took the courts against the No. 48 UNC Chapel Hill Tar Heels on Friday, March 1 and would challenge the No. 11 Duke University Blue Devils on Sunday, March 3. Both the Tar Heels and the Blue Devils bested the Jackets over the last several seasons, but the Jackets look to turn the tides on their North Carolina conference rivals. Tech has split their  ranked matchups so far — a sweep on the North Carolina trip would put the Jackets up 4-2 against ranked opponents and spark their conference season at a 2-0 start.

Headlined by the Jackets’ No. 32 pairing of seniors Keshav Chopra and Marcus McDaniel, doubles play kicked off Friday’s play versus UNC Chapel Hill with Chopra and McDaniel against sophomore Benjamin Kittay and graduate student Phillip Jordan on the first court. The second court hosted Tech’s freshmen Krish Arora and Richard Biagiotti versus UNC’s graduate student Karl Poling and sophomore Will Jansen, while Tech senior Andres Martin and freshman Owen Demuth took the third court against freshman Patrick Schoen and senior Peter Murphy. Chopra and McDaniel traded blows with their UNC opponents on the first court, while UNC overpowered Tech on the second and third court to win the doubles point. Martin and DeMuth dropped their set 2-6 to Murphy and Schoen, while Jansen and Poling defeated Biagiotti and Arora 3-6 to clinch the Tar Heels’ doubles point. The first court matchup was unfinished, with Chopra and McDaniel down 4-5.

UNC boasts a powerful singles platoon — five players rank within the top 110 singles as of Feb. 20.  However, none rank higher than Tech’s No. 22 senior Martin. Martin proved his ranking with 6-4 and 6-3 set victories against No. 67 Jansen to even the match total at 1-1. Schoen retook the lead for the Tar Heels soon after by defeating Arora on the fifth court in 4-6 and 2-6 sets. 

An instant classic began to arise as the third court entered the third set following No. 102 McDaniel bounced back from a 3-6 first set to take the second 6-2 over No. 110 Jordan. On the second court, Chopra took his first set 6-2 against No. 99 Kittay.  Junior Rohan Sachdev won the first set 6-3 versus graduate student and No. 84 Will Peters on the sixth court. The second sets on the second and sixth courts were caught in tiebreakers. Jordan paced McDaniel in the third set 1-6 to put the Tar Heels up 3-1, but both Chopra and Sachdev won their tiebreakers, 7-4 and 7-3 respectively. 

Tied 3-3, the match turned to the fourth court. Tech’s Biagiotti bounced back from dropping the first set, 4-6, to his No. 65 opponent Poling by overwhelming him in the second set in a 6-1 victory. The third set saw Biagiotti hold a 5-4 lead before Poling broke serve and held his own for a 6-5 lead. Biagiotti evened the match to 6-6. However, Poling caught fire during the tiebreaker, winning all seven points to clinch the victory for the UNC Tar Heels, as the Jackets narrowly fell 3-4.

The Jackets continued to struggle in doubles action against the Duke Blue Devils on Sunday, March 3, as Sachdev and sophomore Elias Shokry dropped a 2-6 set against senior Faris Khan and sophomore Teddy Truwit. Although Chopra and McDaniel took their set 6-2 over redshirt senior Garrett Johns and sophomore Pedro Rodenas, the No. 21 Duke pairing of graduate students Michael Heller and Andrew Zhang claimed a tough 5-7 set over Arora and Martin.

This would be the only point the Blue Devils won. Arora won swiftly against his sixth court opponent, junior Jake Krug, in 6-2 and 6-4 sets, and Biagiotti won the fourth court against junior Connor Krug in 6-3 and 6-2 sets. After dropping the first set 4-6, Martin claimed the next singles victory over No. 64 Johns with a 6-2 and 6-1 finish on the first court. 

Sachdev dropped his first set on the fifth court 2-6 but returned strongly to win the match against freshman Alexander Visser in 6-3 and 6-4 sets. In no time, the Jackets won the match 4-1.

The remaining matches completed a 6-1 victory for Tech, as McDaniel defeated Zhang 6-4 in the third set and Chopra defeated Duke’s No. 31 ranked Pedro Rodenas with a pair of 7-5 sets.

The Jackets (10-3) return to North Carolina this weekend to improve their current conference record (1-1) against two ranked opponents in the No. 3 Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the No. 22 NC State Wolfpack. These two ACC matchups will help build a strong conference record.

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A 3-0 opening weekend sweep against the Radford Highlanders had the Jackets’ baseball team intent on continuing strong in their matchups against Georgia Southern University Eagles and a homestand against the Cornell Big Red. Georgia Southern sought revenge on Tech, who won the two matchups last season. The Jackets’ victory in Statesboro the prior season marked their first away victory against the Eagles since the 2020 season. 

Tech traveled to Statesboro Tuesday Feb. 20 where junior right-handed pitcher (RHP) Logan McGuire took the mound in his first season start. McGuire looks to improve on the past two seasons especially after being shut down due to injury in 2023. The Eagles scored first with a single to score two runs batted in (RBI) shortly followed by an RBI double to put the Jackets in a 0-3 hole after retiring the first. 

McGuire held the Eagles scoreless the next three innings on  a career-high seven strikeouts. Tech got on the board in the fifth with a single run on a sacrifice fly by freshman center-fielder Drew Buress. McGuire turned the mound over to RHPs redshirt junior Ben King and senior Dawson Brown — King got two outs, but a RBI single had Brown finish the fifth. 

Left-handed senior Cam Jones moved from first base to mound to relieve  Brown in the sixth. Jones dominated the diamond, amassing a career-high eight strikeouts alongside only three hits over 3.2 scoreless innings to close the game.

Fueled by Jones’ performance, the offense began to fall in line during the seventh. Buress’ two-RBI single put the Jackets at 2-3 in the seventh. 

The Jackets tied the game in the eighth after senior left-fielder Trey Springer sent Jones home on a blast to left field. With two outs in the eighth, second baseman Mike Becchetti sent two RBIs  with a double roped to the outfield. Becchetti sent  a single down the line by sophomore right-fielder Parker Brosius for the dagger for a 7-4 Jackets victory.

Camron Hill took the mound on Friday Feb. 25 to defend the Flatts against the Cornell Big Red, their first matchups since 1991. The left-handed junior threw seven strikeouts, surrendering a first inning run in his four inning starting season debut. Junior shortstop Payton Green answered with a triple to score Buress in the first, and senior designated hitter Bobby Zmarzlak scored Jones in the third off a drive to center field.

Cornell added three runs with two outs to force RHP Camren Landry off the mound in the fifth. Senior RHP Brett Thomas calmed the Big Red in 1.1 scoreless innings before righty redshirt freshman Riley Stanford took the mound for the seventh. Stanford only allowed one hit and earned run in his collegiate debut.

After Jones scored on a Cornell error in the seventh, Buress sparked Tech’s comeback. With the pressure of two outs, Buress’ cleared the basepaths with a double to left field to put the Jackets up 6-5. The Big Red were unable to respond as junior RHP Terry Busse threw a hitless eighth.

Tech’s offense was not  finished — the eighth inning saw Green hit a solo home run, and senior third baseman John Giesler slugged a two-run homer before freshman RHP Michal Kovala struck two out against a single run in the ninth, ending the game 9-6 for another Jacket win.

The Jackets carried this momentum into Saturday, Feb. 24. An eight-run first inning combined with a 10-strikeout performance by starting junior RHP Aeden Finateri claimed a Tech win early. 

Buress knocked a leadoff solo home run before the two-out to begin the day. Giesler’s RBI-double scored senior catcher Matthew Ellis scored on a Zmarzlak double. Becchetti smashed a home run, and Buress sent his second homer of the inning for three runs. The Jackets had scored 15 runs in their last three innings. His solo home run only added to a Bechetti and Giesler combo, so it will be interesting to see how Tech head coach Danny Hall is organizing his best rotations. 

Becchetti knocked another homer in the fifth and Giesler scored two on a double in the seventh — Cornell only scored two while Tech collected another win 12-2 to start the season 6-0.

Sunday, Feb. 25 brought an end to this win streak. A pair of runs put the Big Red up two in two innings and a two-RBI single tagged starting junior RHP Mason Patel for four runs in his four innings. Cornell added another three in the sixth against Dawson and Thomas before the Jackets could respond. 

A three-run homer by Zmarzlak brought Tech to a 3-6 deficit, but Cornell hung another four on the Jackets in the ninth to ice the game despite the  solo home run by freshman pinch-hitter Vahn Lackey. 

The Jackets dropped their first game of the season 4-11. The 6-1 Jackets strive to establish another win streak against the University of Georgia Bulldogs this weekend after hosting the Georgia State University Panthers on Tuesday, Feb. 27. Series against Georgia are always incredibly contested and Tech will host the first game at MacNease on Friday, Mar. 1.

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The Jackets softball team traveled to Clearwater, Florida, to take on the annual Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational this past weekend. The Eddie C. Moore Complex is the host site for 16 programs including ranked No. 2 University of Tennesee Lady Volunteers, the No. 4 University of Georgia Bulldogs and the No. 5 Florida State University Seminoles. 

Tech’s opponents include the Lady Volunteers, the No. 8 Oklahoma State University Cowgirls, the No. 9 Stanford Cardinal, the No. 12 Louisiana State University (LSU) Tigers, the Northwestern Wildcats and the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. Defeating the Lady Volunteers, the Cowgirls, the Cardinal or the Tigers would mark the highest ranked opponent beaten in head coach Aileen Morales’ tenure.

The Jackets had the first pitch of the tournament on the morning of Thursday, Feb. 15 against Stanford. A pair of Stanford two-run homers in the first and third innings put the Jackets in an early deficit. Starting right-handed pitcher junior Sophia Voyles was relieved by right-handed sophomore Jaidyn Studebaker to retire the top of the third. Senior shortstop Jin Sileo sent a two-run blast in the bottom of the third off right-handed Stanford senior Regan Krause, who boasts a 2.33 earned run average (ERA). The Cardinal’s three-run fourth inning ended Studebaker’s two strikeout appearance. 

Tech paced the Cardinal behind sophomore catcher Reese Hunter’s second home run of the season . Fifth-year righty Chandler Dennis took the circle in the fifth to stall Stanford down 4-7. Tech scored two runs before Stanford answered with six runs in the sixth inning. The Jackets were unable to rival the Cardinal’s hot bats behind another Hunter homerun and a double by Sileo to score right fielder Paige Vukadinovich. The game was called at 7-15 after the sixth inning.

Right handed junior Kinsey Norton got the start for the Jackets in their 2:00 game against the LSU Tigers. Tech retired the top of the first in order. After LSU committed two errors with the bases loaded, designated hitter Sara Beth Allen and third baseman Mallorie Black scored for a 2-0 lead. LSU’s right handed pitcher,3.00 career ERA junior Raelin Chaffin, stifled the Jackets’ offense through the fifth inning as she struck out five Jackets while keeping Tech off the scoreboard. The Tigers then tagged Norton, Studebaker and fifth-year Blake Neleman for nine unanswered points, putting the Jackets down 2-9.

This deficit became eight points before Black went yard for one run and freshman Gracyn Tucker drove in graduate student Tiffany Domingue. The Tigers returned with two of their own against left-handed freshman Makayla Coffield, leaving the Jackets down by eight points in the bottom of the seventh inning. Black sent a run home on a single before a late three-run homer by Domingue, however Tech fell to LSU by four runs, dropping 8-12.

The Jackets looked to carry their strong offensive showing into their Friday, Feb. 16 game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Minnesota took a 0-1 lead in the bottom of the second. Junior center fielder Ella Edgmon batted in Vukadinovich with a single in the top of the third inning. Studebaker collected a career-high four strikeouts in the 2.1 innings of her first start as a Jacket, however she surrendered four runs in the bottom of the third and Coffield came in to relieve her. Coffield retired the side with another run scored. Tech rallied in the fourth to cut the 1-6 deficit to 5-6.

The next two sides saw the Gophers and the Jackets trade two runs, one being a two-run homer by Allen to bring Tech back within a single run, 7-8, in the top of the fifth inning. Minnesota extended their lead by three in the bottom of the sixth. Junior right fielder Madison Dobbins stole home off an error and junior pinch hitter Emma Minghini sent an inside pitch to the fences to tie the game. The Gophers hit a walkoff single to take the game 11-12.

Saturday, Feb. 17 saw a hot Northwestern Wildcats collect their third win in 5 innings this season. Tech scored a run in each of the first four innings with three in the fourth but Neleman gave up nine runs before being relieved by Coffield in the third. Coffield only gave up one run in the fourth before the Wildcats offense piled on nine runs in the fifth inning against Coffield, Dennis and Voyles. Graduate student Ashley Miller closed the game for the Wildcats, holding Tech to one hit and striking out three before the game was called at 6-19.

The remaining games against the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers and the Oklahoma State University Cowgirls were cancelled due to inclement weather conditions. The Jackets showed grit and offensive prowess at the Clearwater Invitational, putting up nine home runs despite stuttering to a 3-7 record. Tech returns home to reset and rebound before hosting the I-75 Tournament this coming weekend. 

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The 58th Super Bowl saw the National Football Conference’s (NFC) first-seeded San Francisco 49ers face the American Football Conference’s (AFC) third-seeded Kansas City Chiefs. The first Super Bowl hosted by Las Vegas in the history of the National Football League (NFL) was full of narratives — superstar turned anti-hero quarterback Patrick Mahomes II led the Chiefs to their fourth Super Bowl appearance in five seasons despite his worst statistical regular season, while Mr. Irrelevant quarterback Brock Purdy piloted a powerful 49ers offense in their first appearance since 2020. 

These two teams had bad blood as the Chiefs sent the 49ers home four years ago in Super Bowl 54. Offensive mastermind Andy Reid coached a middling offensive unit starring 2023 First Team All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce. 

Excluding Mahomes, Kelce is the only returning offensive skill position starter after the Chiefs traded away receiver Tyreek Hill in the 2022 offseason. The Chiefs boasted the No. 2 ranked defense this season, led by First Team All-Pro defensive lineman Chris Jones. 

Head coach of the 49ers, Kyle Shanahan, aimed to prove his strategy of surrounding a solid quarterback with elite offensive weapons is capable of winning a  championship. San Francisco has developed All-Pros in wide receiver Tyshun “Deebo” Samuel, tight end George Kittle and left tackle Trent Williams to support Purdy. Adding MVP candidate running back Christian McCaffrey at the 2022 trade deadline has been paramount to their success. The 49ers defense features returning First Team All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner and 2022 Defensive Player of the Year defensive end Nick Bosa. The Chiefs deferred after winning the coin toss, giving the ball to Purdy and the San Francisco offense to start the game. The opening drive saw McCaffrey fumble on his third touch. 

This move was only McCaffrey’s third fumble in over 400 touches combined this regular and postseason. Kansas City could not capitalize on the turnover as the 49ers defense forced a punt. The teams remained scoreless at the start of the second quarter. Purdy could not connect with wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Samuel in two end zone targets, and the 49ers settled for a Super Bowl record 55-yard field goal by rookie kicker Jake Moody.Fumbles on the next Chiefs drive yielded phenomenal field position for the 49ers, but penalties forced a punt. After Kansas City punted, Purdy drove 46 yards down the field before a trick play saw wide receiver Jauan Jennings complete a pass to McCaffrey for a 21-yard touchdown to mount a 10-0 lead. 

Tech’s finest kicker, Harrison Butker, knocked a 28-yard field goal for the Chiefs’ first three points to end the second quarter 10-3. The Chiefs received the ball after halftime, but their first play of the third quarter lost 12 yards on a toss to running back Isiah Pacheco — two plays later, safety Ji’-Ayir Brown intercepted Mahomes on a pass intended for Kelce. 

The 49ers could not capitalize off the turnover, punting to the two-yard line after three downs. The Mahomes and Kelce connection started to heat up in the resulting possession while Mahomes rushed for 22 yards in a drive. It ended with Butker making a new Super Bowl record 57-yard field goal as the Chiefs trailed 10-6. 

The third quarter ended with a mistake on a punt by the 49ers, which set Mahomes up to find wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a 16-yard touchdown. Kansas City had their first lead at 13-10.

The 49ers retaliated with grit; Kittle gave the extra effort on a fourth down, and Jennings broke two tackles in a 10-yard touchdown. The 49ers reclaimed the lead 16-13 as the extra point was blocked. Three consecutive drives ended in field goals, putting the game at 19-19. Purdy took a knee to send the Super Bowl into overtime, the second in the game’s 58-year history.

Warner called the tails coin flip, and the 49ers received the overtime kickoff. Ironically, Shanahan was the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons in the overtime of Super Bowl 51. 

However, Atlanta’s offense never touched the ball in overtime as the New England Patriots won the coin toss and scored a touchdown in their drive. 

This postseason marks the first under the new overtime rules that were changed after the Buffalo Bills offense did not see a play in their 2022 Divisional Game against the Chiefs. The NFL amended the rules to ensure each offense would get an attempt at scoring.

The 49ers took advantage of their possession with 13 plays and 66 yards in an almost eight seven-and-a-half-minute-long drive but could not claim a touchdown. The 49ers were not  out of the woods yet, settling for a 27-yard field goal. 

Two-time MVP Mahomes conducted a fearless drive NFL fans know all too well — 13 plays later, Mahomes completed a three-yard touchdown to wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. to clinch Kansas City’s fourth Super Bowl. 

Mahomes continues his love story with Kelce and Reid to add a third Super Bowl MVP and championship, ending Shanahan and the 49ers’ season again in heartbreaking fashion and adding to his impressive legacy as he looks to overtake Patriots QB Tom Brady’s record-setting
seven Super Bowl victories. He also becomes the first quarterback to win back-to-back Super Bowls since Brady did it in 2004 and 2005, breaking a 19-year long drought without a repeat Super Bowl champion.

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In their first slate of games in the 2024 season, Tech softball will host the Villanova Wildcats, the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Longwood Lancers for a pair of games each during the homestand.

Last season saw the Jackets post a 26-27 record — including a six-game win streak. In the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championship tournament, Tech took down the No. 7 seed Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a commanding 8-1 on the back of then-senior right-hand pitcher Blake Neleman. 

They held off the Fighting Irish to a single score off five hits and four strikeouts in a complete game. Unfortunately, their tournament run ended in the quarterfinals against the No. 2 seeded and No. 6 ranked Duke Blue Devils with a 1-7 score. 

The Jackets could not  overcome a three-run homer in the bottom of the first as they left 10 runners on base. This game was Tech’s fifth consecutive quarterfinal finish in the ACC tournament led by head coach Aileen Morales since her return to Atlanta. 

Morales graduated from Tech in 2009 as one of the most decorated Jackets student-athletes in Tech history.

In her four seasons as a student-athlete between 2005 and 2008, she contributed to four straight regional appearances, an ACC regular season championship and an ACC title. Approaching her seventh season as head coach with a group of new assistant coaches, Morales looks to continue her success after collecting the second-most conference wins in program history. The team has cultivated a secure defensive identity, ranking No. 11 in the nation and No. 2 in the ACC last season with a 0.978 fielding percentage.

The 2023 bullpen return highlights the Jackets’ bullpen.  Fifth-years Neleman and Chandler Dennis headline the unit, rounded out by juniors Kinsey Norton and Sophia Voyles and sophomore Jaidyn Studebaker. Freshman Makayla Coffield adds some depth to the team. Coffield, a left-handed pitcher, was rated as the No. 21 prospect after a successful high school career.

According to junior Bailey Chapin, the goal this year for the Jackets is simple — return to the NCAA Regional Tournament. 

“My freshman year, we made a regional for the first time in a while and that was awesome,” Chapin  said in an exclusive phone interview with the Technique. “The goal is to make a run in the ACC Tournament this year, and then definitely try to get back to a NCAA Regional.” 

Chapin described the team’s 2024 mindset this year as “be ready to show up and do a job.” She continued on to say that, “Whether you’re starting every game, or you’re a pinch hitter, or you’re a pitcher, you just need to be ready.” 

Chapin is the team’s first baseman and describes herself as a power hitter. In the process of hitting home runs and playing winning softball, Chapin said, “I really just want to enjoy these last two years.” This statement comes alongside the team’s selection of walkup songs. Laughing, Chapin claims her teammate Sara Beth Allen has the best choice —“Down With The Sickness” by Disturbed. Tech fans should pack the stadium for ACC matchups and the opening weekend to hear the rest of the team’s walkup songs. 

Chapin made a point to highlight senior Abby Hughes, who was responsible for 224 putouts last season. “She has done mechanical engineering all four years … Not only is she great on the softball field, a great student, she’s just a great overall person and is someone everyone on the team can count on,”  Chapin said. 

Tech will host the Pittsburgh Panthers, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the Louisville Cardinals and the Virginia Cavaliers this season. 

“We just want to come out hot,” Chapin said of the upcoming Villanova matchup. Opening the weekend against the Wildcats will serve as a tone-setter alongside playing the softball powerhouse Alabama Crimson Tide.

Jackets softball fans can keep up with the team by following them on their Instagram and X accounts. The ACC Network and ESPN+ carry the away games on their networks. 

Tech plays the Villanova Wildcats this Thursday, Feb. 8, and Friday, Feb. 9, in their first matchup since 2022 in the Buzz Classic. 

Just like in 2022, the Jackets look  to start the season strong by sweeping both games against the Wildcats. 

Tech follows games against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Friday, Feb. 9, and Saturday, Feb. 10, with a doubleheader against the Longwood Lancers on Sunday, Feb. 11. Fans are in store for an exciting, action-packed weekend at Mewborn Field. 

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