March 17, 2015
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TECH STARTERS: Spingola/CF, Innis/LF, Johnson/RF, Murray/DH, Gonzalez/3B, Smith/1B , Bailey/2B, Justus/SS, Pabst/C, Parr/SP.
KSU STARTERS: Williams/2B, Simmons/SS, Erwin/LF, Morgan/C, Bennett/DH, Liquori/RF, Motley/CF, McGowan/1B, Howell/3B, Moore/SP.
THE BASICS:
• No. 21 Georgia Tech tied the game with two in the ninth, struck for the lead in the 11th and held off a Kennesaw State rally to beat the Owls, 7-6, Tuesday night at Stillwell Stadium in Kennewsaw, Ga.
• Tech staged a ninth-inning comeback for the third time this season and won for the 11th time in 13 games.
• The victory improved Tech to 15-5 while KSU, which reached the Super Regional last year, slipped to 9-9.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
• Kel Johnson ripped a game-tying, two-out single to left that tied the game at 5-5 in the ninth, one batter after Keenan Innis’ RBI grounder made 5-4.
• A walk to Grant Wruble and a bunt single from Daniel Spingola got the 11th started and Wruble sprinted home from third when Innis’ bunt attempt was air-mailed by the pitcher to third base.
• A sac fly from Matt Gonzalez tacked on much-needed insurance in the 11th to make it 7-5.
• The Owls loaded the bases in the 11th with three straight one-out singles before Zac Ryan worked a pair of ground balls to end it.
• Ryan tossed four strong innings of relief to earn the win (4-0) as he fanned five.
• A.J. Murray’s RBI double put Tech on the board in the first and Murray would eventually score on an error for a 2-0 lead.
• The Owls scored twice in the third and twice in the sixth to grab their first lead.
• Connor Justus led off the seventh with a double and eventually scored to make it 4-3, but the Owls regained their two-run lead in the eighth.
• The tough-luck loss fell to Chris Erwin, who allowed Tech’s final four runs (one earned) and slipped to 0-2
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
• It is the third time this year Tech rallied when trailing in the ninth. The previous two resulted in wins in regulation – against FIU and Albany.
• The game was the third extra-inning affair for the Jackets this year (2-1), while the Owls played their first (0-1).
• Kennesaw State entered the game having out-scored the opposition 26-9 over the first two innings this season, but Tech had the upperhand Tuesday night with two runs in the first.
• Innis stretched his hitting streak to four games with a double in the fifth.
• Gonzalez’s hitting streak reached eight games as he singled in the sixth and Spingola’s hit streak was also extended to eight games with his bunt single in the 11th.
• Tech entered the game out-scoring the opponents 32-8 over the final two innings plus extra innings, and added to that tonight with two runs in the ninth and two more in the 11th.
• Ryan matched his career-high of four innings and set a career-high with five strikeouts.
• Johnson had two of Tech’s seven hits.
• Kennesaw State committed three errors, which led to four unearned runs.
• Tech improved to 10-4 all-time when playing on St. Patrick’s Day.
QUOTEABLE:
“I thought we had some pretty good swings on (Kennesaw State starting pitcher AJ) Moore, but after the first inning he did a nice job of keeping us off-balance and made some pitches on us. We let them get the lead, but Kel had a huge two-out hit to tie it. Zac did a great job out there to give us a chance, and I’m really proud of Grant (Wruble). He caught the last couple innings for us and then has a great at-bat to draw a walk and get us started in the 11th and we put a couple bunts down to get the lead.”
— Head Coach Danny Hall
UP NEXT:
The Yellow Jackets return home this weekend to host North Carolina in a key early-season ACC series at Russ Chandler Stadium. Friday’s first pitch is set for 7 p.m. and all three games will air on ESPN3.
