March 16, 2007
ATLANTA – David Duncan tossed the Yellow Jackets’ first complete-game shutout in four years, leading Georgia Tech (10-9, 2-2 ACC) to a 10-0 win over Boston College (5-7-1, 3-1 ACC) in the series opener Friday night at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Duncan (4-2) retired the first 12 batters he faced before surrendering a single to lead off the fourth inning while pitching the first complete game of his career. He gave up just four hits while striking out a career-high 10 batters to earn his fourth win of the season.
The Yellow Jackets’ last complete-game shutout occurred in 2003 when Chris Goodman tossed a three-hitter at Virginia to help Georgia Tech to a series sweep of the Cavaliers.
Leadoff hitter Danny Payne sparked the Georgia Tech offense on the afternoon, going 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs and two RBI. Michael Fisher and Wally Crancer also added two hits apiece.
The Yellow Jackets took control of the game with a six-run uprising in the third inning. Tech was aided by a pair of Boston College errors, while Payne, Tony Plagman and Fisher all had hits in the frame.
Matt Wieters led off with a walk and moved to second on a single by Crancer. A single by Tony Plagman loaded the bases for Brad Feltes, who hit into a fielder’s choice to score Wieters for the first run of the game. Jeff Ussery also reached on a fielder’s choice, which loaded the bases for Jay Dantzler, who reached base on a throwing error by shortstop Ryan Hutchinson. Crancer and Feltes came around to score on the play, and Payne plated Ussery with an RBI single for the fourth run of the frame. Dantzler then scored on a failed pickoff attempt by Boston College starter Kevin Bogan before Fisher drove in Payne for the final run of the inning with a double down the right field line.
Bogan (2-1) took the loss for the Eagles, giving up six runs, only one of which was earned, on six hits while striking out six and walking four in 4.0 innings of work.
Tech added a run in the sixth inning, pushing the score to 7-0, when Payne led off with a double, moved to second on a single by Fisher, and scored on a double play.
Brad Feltes led off the eighth inning with a solo home run, his third of the year, for the first of three runs scored by the Jackets in the frame. Ussery followed with a single through the left side, moved to second when Dantzler was hit by a pitch, and scored on an RBI single by Payne. Dantzler scored Tech’s final run of the game on an RBI single by Wieters.
The Jackets and Eagles will continue the series Saturday at 1 p.m. Fans are invited to stick around after the game, as at least 28 members of the team will be shaving their head for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. (http://www.stbaldricks.org/events/event_info.html?EventID=121).
