March 27, 2011
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Sophomore Buck Farmer held Miami to one run over eight strong innings, and the 12th-ranked Georgia Tech baseball team scored a pair of ninth inning runs for a 3-1 victory and series sweep of the Hurricanes on Sunday afternoon at Alex Rodriguez Park.
The Yellow Jackets (21-4, 9-0 ACC) extended their win streak to 16 games, and swept Miami (14-11, 6-3 ACC) for the first time since 1967. It was also Tech’s first ever sweep on Miami’s turf.
“It doesn’t happen very often that anyone comes to Miami and sweeps,” head coach Danny Hall said. “So it was a great weekend overall for us.” I thought Buck Farmer pitched outstanding today, [Jacob] Esch made some nice plays defensively, and then we found a way to win late in the game once again.”
Farmer (4-1) scattered the solo run on three hits over eight innings, striking out a career-high nine Miami batters for his fourth win of the season. He did not issue any walks in the outing.
“Anytime you don’t walk anyone you have a good chance to win,” Hall added. “I thought he [Buck Farmer] had good command of all his pitches today and threw a lot of strikes.”
The Jackets took a late lead for the second straight game, scoring a pair of runs in the top half of the ninth on a RBI double from Matt Skole to center field, and a squeeze bunt by catcher Zane Evans to score Skole just two batters later.
Sophomore Luke Bard earned his third save of the season, coming into for Farmer in the ninth. Bard struck out Nathan Melendres to start the inning, then after Harold Martinez was hit by a pitch, Michael Broad grounded into a double play ball to end the game.
Miami reliever Adam Sargent (1-2) was credited with the loss after allowing a leadoff double in the ninth to Esch. Sargent was replaced by Sam Robinson, before Skole drilled his pitch to the wall in centerfield.
“They have a very good bullpen. We got into it a little bit yesterday, and they were a little bit thin today, but they brought their guy in [Sam Robinson]. He hadn’t given up a run all year, and we got one on him today so I was very proud of our guys for that.”
Farmer’s only flaw of the game was a leadoff double to Brad Fieger to begin the third inning. Fieger scored Miami’s lone run on a fielder’s choice RBI by Zeke DeVoss, giving the Canes’ their first lead of the series.
The Jackets struck back to tie the game in the fifth inning on a two-out RBI single to right field by Sam Dove. Dove took a full-count pitch from Hurricanes’ starter Eric Whaley to right field scoring freshman Daniel Palka.
Whaley scattered just one Georgia Tech run on two hits over seven innings of his own. He had a career-high 10 strikeouts, but did not record a decision.
The Jackets will return home host Mercer for midweek action on Tuesday, March 29. First pitch is at 6 p.m. at Russ Chandler Stadium.
