April 2, 2016
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THE FLATS – Duke and No. 18 Georgia Tech traded blows Saturday afternoon in a high-scoring back-and-forth battle, but it was the Blue Devils that ultimately prevailed 14-13 in 10 innings.
Georgia Tech (20-6, 6-5 ACC) snapped its five-game home winning streak and lost for the first time in 2016 when scoring 10 or more runs. Duke (13-14, 3-8 ACC) hit three home runs, including two by Jack Labosky.
LHP Tanner Shelton (0-1) was dealt the loss, allowing one run in one-third of an inning. Starter Zac Ryan allowed six runs on nine hits with two strikeouts in 2.2 innings. Twelve of Georgia Tech’s 13 runs came with two out.
No. 18 Georgia Tech will look to win its third straight ACC series on Sunday. The series rubber match will begin at 1 p.m. ET on WREK 91.1 FM.
THE BASICS
• Georgia Tech now leads the series 91-34 with a 50-15 mark in Atlanta.
• Georgia Tech lost for the first time when leading after six innings. The Jackets are now 18-1 when leading after six.
• Saturday was Tech’s second extra-inning game of the season (Georgia Southern, Feb. 24).
• Tech is 1-3 in Saturday ACC games this season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Duke jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the 1st thanks to back-to-back home runs from Jack Labosky and Justin Bellinger.
• Georgia Tech responded in the 2nd to take a 6-5 lead. Ryan Peurifoy plated Tech’s first two runs with a 2-RBI single to center field. A fielding error by CF Jimmy Herron led two Tech runs, cutting the lead to 5-4. Connor Justus then followed with an RBI double down the left field line to tie the game. Tristin English gave Tech its first lead, 6-5, on an RBI single to left.
• Duke tied the game in the 3rd on Herron’s RBI double to right-center.
• Tech regained the lead with a 4-run 4th inning, 10-6. Kel Johnson put the Jackets back on top with a solo home run to left field. A pair of errors on SS Zack Kone allowed Bart and English to score. On the ensuing at bat, Stallings drove in Tech’s fourth run with an RBI single.
• A 3-run home run from Labosky and an RBI single by Peter Zyla tied the game at 10-10 in Duke’s half of the 6th.
• Stallings put the Jackets back on top in the bottom half of the 6th with a 2-run home run to left.
• The back-and-forth continued in the 7th as Duke regained a 13-12 advantage.
• Justus tied the game in the 9th with an RBI single to right field, ultimately forcing extra innings.
• After Tanner Shelton walked the first Duke batter of the 10th inning, Matthew Gorst came on in relief. The lead runner eventually scored on a wild pitch for Duke’s 14-13 win.
QUOTE BOARD
“It’s definitely not our best performance by any stretch of the imagination. We couldn’t get them out. Every time we got the lead, they came back on us. We just couldn’t keep them from scoring.” – Georgia Tech head coach Danny Hall on the Jackets’ 14-13 loss
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• SS Connor Justus went 3-for-6 with 2 RBI and drove home the game-tying run in the bottom of the 9th.
• RF Kel Johnson went 1-for-4 with a home run to extend his hit streak to 21 games. Johnson has now hit a home run in four straight games – each homer has extended his hit streak.
• 1B Tristin English recorded a career-high 4 hits, going 4-for-6 with an RBI.
• DH Brandt Stallings went 3-for-6 with a home run and 3 RBI.
• 12 of Tech’s 13 runs were scored with two out.
• Georgia Tech’s 6 runs in the 2nd are the most the Jackets have scored in an inning this season.
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