March 29, 2008
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – David Duncan allowed just one hit through the first six innings to lead No. 17 Georgia Tech (20-5, 6-4 ACC) to a 5-2 win over Boston College (11-12, 2-8 ACC) in the series opener and first game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Commander Shea Field.
Duncan (4-0) faced the minimum through the first 2.2 innings and, after allowing a single with two outs in the bottom of the second, retired 11-straight before giving up a solo home run to Tony Sanchez to break up the shutout. The 6-8 lefty worked a season-long eight innings, giving up two runs on four hits while striking out a season-high 10 batters.
Brad Rulon tossed the ninth inning and earned his second save of the season. After Rulon hit the first batter he faced, Eric Campbell dropped a single just out of second baseman Thomas Nichols’ reach to put runners on first and second. Rulon worked out of the jam by forcing a pair of flyouts before striking out pinch hitter John Spatola to end the game.
Georgia Tech took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second when Jason Haniger was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Jeff Rowland hit a sacrifice fly to plate Chris House. A solo home run by Derek Dietrich in the top of the third inning staked the Yellow Jackets to a 3-0 lead and an RBI single by Charlie Blackmon pushed the score to 4-0 in the fifth.
Tech scored its fifth and final run of the game in the seventh inning when Jeff Rowland hit a leadoff double, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Thomas Nichols, and scored on an RBI groundout by Blackmon.
Rowland, Blackmon and Brad Feltes all had two hits in the game.
Duncan hit Mickey Wiswall to start the bottom of the eighth inning, and the Boston College left fielder advanced to third on a single by Garret Smith before scoring on Marc Perios’ RBI single for the final run of the game.
Eagle starter Terry Doyle (2-3) took the loss, giving up all five Yellow Jacket runs on nine hits in six innings of work.
Tech and Boston College will begin the second game of the doubleheader at 2:15 p.m.
