March 8, 2003
ATLANTA – Mike Nickeas’ two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning and Steven Blackwood’s solo home run to lead off the 10th inning lifted top-ranked Georgia Tech (13-0) to a 6-5, 10-inning victory over visiting Rutgers (1-6) on Saturday afternoon at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Georgia Tech’s 13-game winning streak to open 2003 stands as the school’s second best mark to start a season. The Yellow Jackets set a school record with a 16-0 start in 1987.
The 10-inning victory marked Tech’s 11 straight win in extra innings dating back to the 1997 season.
Trailing 5-4 after eight and a half innings, Tech’s Clifton Remole laced a one-out single to right field. Pinch runner Garrett Groce stole second base and tied the score at 5-5 when he scored on Nickeas’ two-out RBI single to right center field on a 2-2 pitch.
Tech reliever Jeff Watchko (1-0), who earned the win with three scoreless innings of relief, retired the side in the top of the 10th inning before Blackwood, a freshman, belted a 2-1 pitch over the left field wall to lead off the bottom of the inning for his first career home run.
O.J. DeChristophino (0-2) took the loss for the Scarlet Knights.
Eric Patterson sparked the Tech offense, collecting three hits and stealing four bases in the game. Remole had three hits while Nickeas added two in the Yellow Jackets’ 13-hit attack. After falling behind 5-1 through six innings, Tech relievers Aaron Walker, Brian Burks and Watchko combined for five shutout innings.
The Scarlet Knights jumped to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning with a RBI double from Jeff Frazier and a sacrifice fly from Vinny Esposito. Tech’s Eric Patterson led off the bottom of that inning with a double and eventually scored on Jeremy Slayden’s sacrifice fly to make the score 2-1.
Nick Cerulo led off the fifth inning with a single, took second base on a sacrifice bunt from Jason Grover, and scored on Graig Badger’s RBI single to left field. Vinny Esposito tripled and scored and Alberto Vasquez added a RBI single to make the score 5-1 in the top of the sixth inning.
Tech answered in the bottom of the inning when Brandon Boggs singled and scored on Patterson’s RBI single to right field. A solo home run to lead off the seventh inning from Matt Murton, his second of the season, made the score 5-3. Tech added a run in the eighth to cut the lead to 5-4 when Patterson singled with two outs and scored on a RBI single from Tyler Greene after stealing second and third bases.
Neither starting pitcher figured in the decision. Rutgers’ Shaun Parker allowed four runs in 7.2 innings while Tech’s Chris Goodman worked into the sixth inning and allowed five runs.
Georgia Tech and Rutgers will conclude the three-game series on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Live statistics for the game will be available at www.ramblinwreck.com.
