9-Run Sixth Inning Vaults No. 19 Tech to Mercy-Rule Win

MARIETTA, Ga. – No. 19/25 Georgia Tech baseball (21-4, 7-2 ACC) secured the season sweep over Kennesaw State (10-15, 2-1 C-USA) with a convincing 15-4 run-rule victory over seven innings on Tuesday night at S. Walter Kelly Sr. Memorial Field in Marietta, Ga. Freshman Alex Hernandez launched his second grand slam of the season during a nine-run sixth inning as the Yellow Jackets won their fifth game in a row without ever trailing.

QUICK HITS: THE TEAM

• Tech improves to 21-4 for the first time in 14 seasons (2011). Tied with 2011 for the best start to a season since 2010 (22-3).
• GT has swept the season series with Kennesaw State for the first time since 2019 (only played one game in 2024) and now lead the all-time series 28-10.
• Tech is 5-0 against in-state opponents this season and have won nine-straight regular season games against programs from Georgia, dating back to last season.
• The Jackets posted three doubles (two from Kyle Lodise and one from Nathan Waugh) to bring the season total to 76 – the most in the country. It’s the most doubles hit by a Tech team through 25 games since at least the turn of the century.
• Georgia Tech is averaging 3.04 doubles per game this season (76 doubles in 25 games) – the program record for doubles/game is 2.51, set in the 1987 season.
• The Jackets are on pace for 168 doubles this season – the program record for doubles in a season is 164, set in the 1994 season.
• Tech pitching struck out 10 KSU batters over seven innings and have struck out double-digits in each of its last five games.
• Tech pitching has struck out 255 batters this season while only walking 98 for a K/BB ratio of 2.60 – the highest through 25 games since 2019.

QUICK HITS: THE BATS

• Freshman Alex Hernandez hit his second grand slam of the season in the sixth inning to break the game open. It was his 8^th HR of the season, tying him for the Division I lead among freshman.
• He now leads all Division I freshman with 37 RBI after driving in four tonight.
• Hernandez becomes the first Yellow Jacket with multiple grand slams in a single season since Matthew Ellis did so, last year.
• The Cumming, Ga. has tied his season-best hitting streak, now at seven games. Over this streak, he has hit three home runs and a triple for 16 RBI and 11 runs scored while drawing 10 walks.

𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐙 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐌!!

The Owls walked them loaded and @_AlexHernandez2 makes them pay with his SECOND grand slam of the season!

107 off the bat. 396 feet. GONE.

ESPN+ https://t.co/kqq68MEfg8#StingEm🐝 x #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/T5drNbttm2

— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) March 25, 2025

• Junior shortstop Kyle Lodise extended his career-best on-base streak to 38 games dating back to his time at Augusta University.
• He laced a pair of bases clearing doubles today, going 2-for-3 with 4 RBI, 3 runs scored and also drew two walks.
• This was his ninth multi-RBI game of the season and his third 4+ RBI game as a Yellow Jacket. His 28 RBI this season are third on the team behind Hernandez (37) and Drew Burress (31).
• Freshman Caleb Daniel extended his hitting streak to six games with a towering 1^st inning solo home run. He has scored a team-high 15 runs during this streak.
• The Cartersville product drew a season-high three walks, his second straight game with multiple walks as opposing pitching staffs begin to realize what he is capable of.
• This was his third home run of the season, all coming during the hitting streak (last six games). Daniel is now tied with fellow freshman Drew Rogers in fourth place on the GT home run leaderboard, behind Lodise (9), Burress (8) and Hernandez (8).

𝐂𝐃 𝐆𝐎𝐄𝐒 𝐘𝐀𝐑𝐃@calebdd25 connects for his 3rd HR in his last 6 games to put us in front!!

📺 ESPN+#StingEm x #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/1VzkUWLpRR

— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) March 25, 2025

• Sophomore Carson Kerce extended his career-long on-base streak to 16 games with a walk today. He came around to score twice, giving him 17 runs scored over his streak, dating back to Feb. 28 against Western Michigan.
• Freshman Will Baker extended his career-best on-base streak to six games, going 1-for-2 with two walks, an RBI and two runs scored.
• The Australian has recorded at least one RBI in each of his last four games, his only four starts on the season aside from opening day.
• Sophomore Vahn Lackey extended his on-base streak to 30 games with a single in the nine-run sixth inning. That streak dates back to last season and is the longest of his career.
• Sophomore Drew Burress has now reached base in a career-best 43 consecutive games dating back to April 28 of last season. He drove in his 31^st RBI of the season in the sixth inning giving him 98 over his career at Georgia Tech.

QUICK HITS: THE ARMS

• Senior Sam Swygert got his first start of the season, serving as an opener and allowing one run, a solo home run, in his one inning of work, while also earning a strikeout.
• R-sophomore Carson Ballard was first out of the bullpen, pitching a season-long 3.1 innings in relief and allowing only two runs on four hits with a season-high four strikeouts.
• Ballard would get credit for the win, his first of the season and the third of his career.
• Junior LHP Kayden Campbell came out of the bullpen one out into the 5^th inning, recording his first out with a swinging strikeout before retiring the next batter with a groundout.
• He has struck out at least one batter in all seven appearances this season, especially impressive since he has faced four or fewer batters in all but two outings this year.
• R-freshman Jake Lankie slammed the door shut in the seventh, striking out the side to polish off the game.
• He has now struck out the last six batters he’s faced dating back to last week’s game vs. Gardner-Webb.

UP NEXT­­
The No. 19/25 Jackets return to Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium for a Top-25 showdown with No. 3/6 Clemson beginning Friday, March 28 at 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased HERE. All games in the series will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.

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 baseball team, follow us on Twitter (@GTBaseball), Facebook, Instagram (@gt_baseball) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.