February 19, 2021

Big Bats Beat Colonels on Opening Day

THE FLATS – Five Yellow Jackets combine for nine RBI as the big bats came out on Opening Day as No. 15 Georgia Tech baseball defeated Eastern Kentucky 12-6 on Friday afternoon at Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium.

The Yellow Jackets (1-0) and Colonels (0-1) were in a neck-and-neck battle until the sixth when Tech broke it open with six runs off a center-field error. EKU responded with five in the fifth, but the Jackets put up four in the eighth to secure the win.

Stephen Reid led the way with four RBI and a monster home run, while Jake Holland and Drew Compton also homered on the day. Andrew Jenkins also doubles twice for an RBI while Austin Wilhite finished with an RBI. Tres Gonzalez (double) and Luke Waddell (2-for-4) also hit well.

LHP Brant Hurter got the start for Tech, making his first appearance since April 19, 2019. He went 4.2 innings, allowing just a run and striking out three. RHP Jackson Finley (1-0) got the win, going the next 1.2 winnings. Slamming the door on the mound was RHP Hugh Chapman (1.0 IP, 0 H, 2 K) and LHP Luke Bartnicki (1.0 IP, 0 H, 3 K).

Eastern Kentucky was led at the plate by Caleb Upshaw, who finished 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI, while RHP Darren Williams (0-1) started and took the loss, allowing two earned runs and four walks in five innings.

The Yellow Jackets will try to take the series against Eastern Kentucky on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra and WREK 91.1 FM.

Postgame Notes:

Georgia Tech improved to 10-0 against Eastern Kentucky.
Head coach Danny Hall improved to 27-1 in home openers at Georgia Tech.
Drew Compton had a home run in his second-straight Opening Day.

Multimedia:

Head coach Danny Hall, outfielder Stephen Reid and DH Andrew Jenkins talk to media postgame.

Around Social Media:

B3 | GONZALEZ LACES one down the right field line for a double!
Wilhite up, no outs
📺 https://t.co/HSKz18w3x0 pic.twitter.com/sAXobjdn3X
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 19, 2021

B3 | WILHITE! Drills one down the line again and that'll plate Gonzalez!
GT 1 // EKU 0 pic.twitter.com/3UwaFeBIGz
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 19, 2021

T4 | #KillerDubs strike again with the 6-4-3 double play 💪💪
📺 https://t.co/HSKz18w3x0 pic.twitter.com/X51vAfh9RL
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 19, 2021

B5 | JENKINS DOUBLE!! Runners at second and third
Reid up, 1 out
📺 https://t.co/HSKz18w3x0 pic.twitter.com/QG8siG3T80
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 19, 2021

T6 | SEE YA! 94 inside from Finley for strike three and two outs! pic.twitter.com/nt6mCZDbZ0
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 19, 2021

B6 | DROPS IT! Jenkins skies one into the wind in right center and the center fielder can't pull it in and Tech scores two!
GT 4 // EKU 1 pic.twitter.com/qiLu4ekSke
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 19, 2021

B6 | STEPHEN REID 💣!!!
415 feet, 102 off the bat 👀 pic.twitter.com/pcqL9dLIN7
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 19, 2021

Alexander-Tharpe Fund

The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the A-T Fund’s Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes, and the Support The Swarm Fund, created to give fans an opportunity to help Georgia Tech athletics maintain its recent momentum through the financial challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic! To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.

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.