April 11, 2017
ATHENS, Ga. – In the first of three scheduled games against arch-rival Georgia, the Yellow Jackets fell behind early and then struggled to find its offense in a 5-1 midweek loss to the Bulldogs at Foley Field in Athens, Ga. on Tuesday night.
The loss drops Georgia Tech to 16-15 overall on the season.
After using two pitchers to get out of the first inning, Tech sophomore hurler Keyton Gibson ate up a few innings for the Jackets, allowing just one run on four hits, one walk and one strikeout over 4.0 innings out of the bullpen.
Overall the Georgia Tech bullpen of Jared Datoc (0.2 IP, 1 hit), Gibson, Micah Carpenter (1.0 IP, 1 K) and Bailey Combs (2.0 IP, 1 R, 2 hits, 2 BB, 4 K) kept the score close after the Jackets limped through the first inning.
At the plate, Tech recorded just four hits on the night one each by Wade Bailey (1-for-4), Joey Bart (1-for-3, BB), Chase Murray (1-for-3, BB, run) and Ryan Peurifoy (1-for-3).
For Georgia, the three, four and five hitters combined to go 6-for-9, including a home run and a double, with three RBIs.
The loss went to Jonathan Hughes (1-2), while the win went to Georgia starter Zac Kristofak (2-1) on a designated staff day.
The Bulldogs took an early lead in the bottom of the first, as the lead-off hitter started the inning off with a double to right center field. After a pop up to first base and a walk, the home team got an RBI single by Keegan McGovern and then an RBI double by Michael Curry to take a 2-0 lead.
Georgia added a run on an RBI ground out to second to push its lead to 3-0 after just one inning of play.
The Jackets stranded two base runners in the first and one more in the top of the third before the Bulldogs hit a solo home run in the bottom half of the inning to extend their lead to 4-0 through three complete.
The Jackets, who left one runner on again in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, finally broke through in the top of the seventh, as a walk to Murray and then a stolen base by the freshman outfielder put a runner on second with one out.
Two batters later, Trevor Craport hit a sharp ground ball to short which went right through the legs of the Georgia shortstop and into left field to allow Murray to motor home from second to put the Jackets on the scoreboard and down 4-1.
Georgia added a run in the eighth to put the final score at 5-1 in favor of the home team.
The Jackets (16-15, 4-11 ACC) return home to host the No. 2 Louisville Cardinals on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 13-15, at Russ Chandler Stadium. First pitch for game one of the three-game ACC series will be Thursday night at 6 p.m. ET.
Tech Tidbits
* Georgia Tech is now 3-1 versus in-state foes this season after the loss to the Bulldogs tonight. The Jackets have wins over Georgia Southern, Georgia State and Mercer
* Tech is now 5-2 this season in midweek games.
* The Jackets are 4-10 on the year when the opponent scores first for the game.
* Georgia Tech is 2-10 on the season when getting out hit by its opponent for the game.
* The four hits for the Jackets on the night were a season-low for the Tech offense.
* The Yellow Jackets have not hit a home run in four straight games, their longest drought of the season.
* Bailey Combs’ four strikeouts tied a career-high (4 vs. Duke on April 3, 2016).
* Wade Bailey extended his hitting streak to three straight games with a base hit in the third.
* With a walk in the first inning, Kel Johnson has now reached base safely in a season-high 11 straight contests.
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