ATLANTA – Freshman Matt Lorenzo tossed five innings of shutout relief and Georgia Tech (21-6) used a five run seventh inning to break open a close game as the third-ranked Yellow Jackets defeated visiting Mercer (18-11) on Tuesday night at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Lorenzo (2-0), who entered the game in the third inning with the score knotted at 4-4, held the Bears to two hits and two walks while striking out three. The right hander retired 13 consecutive batters from the third through the seventh innings while allowing just two batters to advance past first base.
Mercer starter Jason Page (6-3) took the loss after allowing five runs on six hits in five innings of work.
With the score knotted at 4-4, Tech took the lead in the fifth inning when Victor Menocal tripled and scored on a wild pitch from Page to make the score 5-4.
The Yellow Jackets broke the game open with five runs in the seventh. Tech sent nine men to the plate in the inning, which was highlighted by a three-run triple from Brad Stockton and a RBI double from Brian Prince. Stockton finished 2-for-4 with three RBI. Tech’s Menocal and Richard Lewis each had two hits in the game.
After the Bears took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a RBI single from Kyle Levengood, the Yellow Jackets responded with two runs in their half of first with a RBI triple from Lewis and a RBI single from Menocal.
Georgia Tech expanded the lead to 4-1 with two more runs in the second. Jason Basil led off the frame with his fifth home run of the season, while Brad Stockton doubled and came around to score when Lewis hit into a fielder’s choice.
The Bears tied the score at 4-4 in the top of the third with a three run homer from Brandon Blair, his seventh of the year. Levengood led Mercer with three hits in five at bats, while Blair added two hits and three RBI.
Georgia Tech will next travel to Virginia for a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series beginning on Friday at 3 p.m. in Charlottesville.
