THE FLATS โ After a wild Opening Day, Georgia Tech baseball took a solid second victory behind strong pitching from RHP Aeden Finateri to win 7-3 over Radford on Saturday afternoon at Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Finateri (1-0) was lights out for the Yellow Jackets (2-0), pitching a career-long-tying 6.0 innings (in just 85 pitches) and striking out a career-high eight batters on the day. He retired nine-straight at one point and surrendered just one run over four hits. RHP Brett Thomas allowed just an unearned run in 1.0 innings before LHP Cam Jones pitched the final two frames, striking out three to get his first save of the season.
Tech built their lead off another strong start as Payton Green and Bobby Zmarzlak drove in a pair of runs in the first with singles up the middle before Zmarzlak came home on a wild pitch.
Green then hit his second homer in as many days in the third inning before Matthew Ellis fired a laser to left field to bring home Parker Brosius. Tech tacked on two more in the seventh to seal the win as freshman Drew Burress hit a clutch RBI double down the third-base line and Zmarzlak took a bases-loaded walk with two outs.
Overall, Ellis led the way with three hits, two doubles and the RBI, while Green (two RBI), Burress (RBI) and Brosius all finished with two hits apiece.
The Highlanders (0-2) were led by Conner Butler, who went 2-for-3 with an RBI double. Starter RHP Dylan Howard (0-1) received the loss, surrendering four runs on five hits in 3.0 innings of work.
The Jackets will look to close things out on Sunday, Feb. 18 against Radford. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra.
Game Notes:
- Aeden Finateri tied his career-long with 6.0 innings pitched (prev. 6.0 at No. 10 Duke on May 13, 2023);
- Georgia Techโs pitching staff retired 7-of-9 leadoff hitters on the day and only allowed one extra-base hit in the game.
Multimedia:
Postgame Press Conference (Coach Hall)
Around Social Media
๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐๐ก๐๐#WreckHavoc x #StingEm pic.twitter.com/RBhtunTP9M
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 17, 2024
Career day for @aeden_finateri makes him the ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฆ pic.twitter.com/aGNLKatgAt
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 17, 2024
Cam Jones with the big strikeout!@c_jones30 | #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/UjPukhVp98
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 17, 2024
B7 | Georgia Tech puts up two more runs in the seventh to extend its lead
GT 7 | RAD 2 pic.twitter.com/1GIEnRhZMy
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 17, 2024
BURRESS! Clutch RBI double gets the run back in the seventh!@drew_burress08 | #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/v7AixTfkE8
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 17, 2024
GOT A GUY!!@treyyunger gets the diving snag in left center! pic.twitter.com/GOuqFVpYGl
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 17, 2024
EIGHT STRIKEOUTS!!
Career day for @aeden_finateri! ๐ช pic.twitter.com/56BN5qlXE6
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 17, 2024
M5 | @matthew_ellis35 drives in another one and @aeden_finateri puts up another zero
GT 5 | RAD 1 pic.twitter.com/DTxixL4vJc
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 17, 2024
HIGH ๐ง!!@aeden_finateri ties his career high with six strikeouts through four! pic.twitter.com/YXeYqZyKXn
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 17, 2024
GREEN! Two games as a Yellow Jacket, two home runs!
6๏ธโฃ for 6๏ธโฃ to start the year with two walks ๐@PaytonG08 | #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/ciHkwpaebk
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 17, 2024
๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐, ๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ค๐๐ฃ'?@aeden_finateri strikes out the side! ๐ฅ pic.twitter.com/EOEYC2H5ux
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 17, 2024
Bobby Zmarzlak drives one in and and scores on a wild pitch to put Tech up 3-0
Back to @aeden_finateri on the bump pic.twitter.com/yQtmEcHfrB
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 17, 2024
Look out! 1๏ธโฃ1๏ธโฃ0๏ธโฃ off the bat for @matthew_ellis35 before @PaytonG08 brings him home!
Tech on top 1-0 early pic.twitter.com/Xwq6ocievx
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 17, 2024
Don't. Run. On. Ellis ๐ช@matthew_ellis35 | #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/5Pt8r2bSxi
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 17, 2024
GEORGIA TECH BASEBALL TICKETS
Be there for all the action as tickets for Georgia Tech baseballโs 2024 season are now on sale! Opening Day is slated for Friday, Feb. 16 against the Radford Highlanders so secure your seats now at one of the countryโs premier collegiate baseball venues, Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium! The Yellow Jackets will host more than 30 home games this season, including five ACC series. For more information on the 2024 season, click HERE!
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Techโs 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of the development of Yellow Jackets that thrive academically at the Institute and compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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