March 13, 2004
ATLANTA – Joe Koshansky’s solo home run in the top of the ninth inning broke a 1-1 tie and lifted Virginia (16-2, 2-0 ACC) to a 2-1 win over No. 17 Georgia Tech (9-8, 0-2) on Saturday afternoon at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Virginia earned its second straight win in the weekend series, and the Cavaliers have won two games in Atlanta for the first time since the 1980 season.
With score knotted at 1-1 in the top of the ninth inning, Koshansky blasted a 1-2 pitch off reliever Ryan Self (0-1) over the right field wall for his team-leading seventh home run that gave Virginia a 2-1 lead.
Virginia’s Canon Hickman (2-1) earned the win in relief, working scoreless seventh and eighth innings and striking out two. Casey Lambert earned his first save of the season by recording the final three outs of the game in the ninth inning.
Matt Street led off the game with a single and stole second base before scoring on Ryan Zimmerman’s RBI double to give the Cavaliers a 1-0 lead. From there, Tech starter Brian Burks settled in and held Virginia to just two hits over the next seven innings.
The Yellow Jackets tied the game at 1-1 in the fifth inning when Whit Robbins doubled, moved to third and scored as Tyler Greene legged out an infield RBI single. Tech had a chance to do more damage, loading the bases with one out, but Virginia starter Matt Avery escaped the jam by getting a double play ground ball from Steven Blackwood to end the inning.
Tech had a scoring opportunity in the sixth inning when three walks to Mike Nickeas, Micah Owings and Clifton Remole loaded the bases with one out. But Avery again escaped when Robbins lined a ball that was caught by third baseman Ryan Zimmerman who stepped on the base for the inning ending double play.
After Koshansky’s home run, the Yellow Jackets had a final opportunity to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth. Owings drew a walk to lead off the inning and moved to second base on pinch hitter Mike Trapani’s sacrifice bunt. But Lambert retired Robbins on a groundout and struck out Greene to end the game and preserve the victory.
Neither starting pitcher figured in the decision despite solid efforts. Burks worked a season high eight innings, holding the Cavs to one run on four hits and one walk while striking out seven. Avery allowed just one run on four hits in six innings.
Tech had just five hits in the game, including two apiece from Blackwood and Greene, while Virginia managed six hits.
Georgia Tech and Virginia conclude the three game series on Sunday at 1 p.m. Live statistics will be available at www.ramblinwreck.com while a radio broadcast can be heard on WREK-Radio (91.1 FM in Atlanta) and on the internet at www.wrek.org.
