Feb. 24, 2007
ATLANTA – Michael Fisher tied a career high with three hits and Ryan Turner earned his first win of the year as No. 15 Georgia Tech (5-4) defeated Duquesne (0-2), 10-7, Saturday afternoon at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Turner (1-1) allowed just four runs on seven hits while striking out three in 5.1 innings of work.
Fisher went 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs and an RBI while Matt Wieters and Wally Crancer added two hits apiece.
The Dukes took an early 1-0 lead when Eric Morrison tripled with one out in the first inning and scored on an RBI groundout by Derek Mechling. Duquesne added another run in the third inning after Brian Bernardo doubled to lead off the frame and scored on an RBI double by Morrison.
Danny Payne cut the Dukes lead to one run in the bottom of the third when he walked to lead off the inning, stole second base, advanced to third on a balk and scored on an RBI groundout by Tony Plagman.
Tech scored two runs in the fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead off a double by freshman Matt Harper that plated Luke Murton and Fisher, who reached with back-to-back singles to lead off the frame. The Jackets added two runs in the fifth inning off an RBI single by Fisher and when Crancer scored after Brad Feltes was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
An RBI groundout by Pat Kimutis in the top of the sixth pulled the Dukes to within two runs, and a two-out single by Bernardo plated Aaron Janusey, but Yellow Jacket centerfielder Danny Payne’s throw to the plate cut down Joe Berletic, who was trying to score from second base on the hit, to end the inning with Tech still in the lead.
The Jackets added five insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to push the score to 10-4. Wieters drove in Payne with an RBI single to right field before Crancer plated Wieters with an RBI double. After Murton and Fisher were issued back-to-back walks to load the bases, Chris House pulled a double down the left field line to score the three baserunners and cap the Jackets’ scoring in the inning.
Jared Hyatt came on in relief of Turner, allowing just one hit while striking out two in 1.2 innings of work, and Danny Payne pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Jackets, striking out two.
The Dukes attempted a comeback in the ninth, scoring three runs off reliever Andrew Robinson, before Payne returned to the mound for the final out.
Gary Pierpont (0-1) took the loss for the Dukes, allowing five runs on six hits in 4.1 innings.
Morrison and Mechling finished with three hits and two RBI apiece to lead the Duquesne offense.
The Jackets and Dukes will conclude the three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m. Chris Hicks (0-0) will take the mound in his third start for Georgia Tech this season, and he will square off against Duquesne’s Travis Rife (0-0). Live stats for the game will be available at www.ramblinwreck.com.
