May 19, 2006
ATLANTA – Wally Crancer hit a grand slam as part of an eight-run second inning and Jeff Kindel blasted two home runs to lead No. 7 Georgia Tech (41-14, 18-11 ACC) to a 14-5 win over No. 16 Miami (35-18, 17-12) on Friday at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Georgia Tech hit five home runs in the game, including eighth-inning shots from Steven Blackwood and Wes Hodges.
The Yellow Jackets fell behind 3-0 before exploding for eight runs in the second inning. Tech posted its 19th comeback victory of the 2006 season.
“It was a good night all the way around,” said Tech head coach Danny Hall. “We swung the bats well. Lee Hyde and Jared Hyatt made some key pitches and got big outs when we needed them. That was the difference in the game.”
Kindel went 2-for-3 with a pair of home runs, his 10th and 11th of the season, and drove in three runs. Crancer had two hits, including his second-inning grand slam, and drove in a season-high four runs. Blackwood went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI, while Hodges drove in three runs with his eighth-inning three-run homer.
Lee Hyde (4-0) earned the win out of the Georgia Tech bullpen, holding the Hurricanes to two runs in 4.2 innings. Hyde allowed five hits and issued one walk while striking out six batters.
Miami starter Carlos Gutierrez (9-6) was charged for five runs in 1.2 innings and took the loss.
The Hurricanes built a 3-0 lead through the first two innings, chasing Tech starter David Duncan from the game. In the first inning, Tommy Giles singled and scored on a two-out RBI single from Yonder Alonso. Richard O’Brien led off the second inning with a solo home run, his fourth of the season, and Giles added a two-out RBI single.
The Yellow Jackets erupted for eight runs on four hits, including two home runs, five walks and a hit batter in the bottom of the second inning to take an 8-3 lead. Crancer hit a grand slam, his sixth of the year, and Kindel added a two-run shot. Luke Murton drove in two runs with a single.
In the third inning, Mike Trapani doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly from Blackwood to make the score 9-3.
Miami’s Dennis Raben singled and scored on a RBI single from Giles in the fourth inning to pull the Hurricanes to within 9-4. Giles finished 3-for-5.
The Hurricanes continued to chip away at the lead with a run the in the fifth inning on a two-out RBI double from Raben to make the score 9-5.
Kindel hit a solo home run, his second of the night, to give the Yellow Jackets a 10-5 lead in the sixth inning.
Blackwood added a solo home run, his sixth of the year, and Hodges hit a three-run shot, his 11th of the season, in the eighth inning to provide the final 14-5 margin.
Tech’s bullpen duo of Hyde and Jared Hyatt shut out Miami over the final four innings of the game. Hyatt worked 2.2 scoreless innings and struck out two batters.
Duncan allowed three runs, two of which were earned, in 1.2 innings.
Georgia Tech and Miami conclude the series on Saturday at 1 p.m.
