Feb. 26, 2008
ATLANTA – Freshman starting pitcher Deck McGuire gave up one run on three hits and Thomas Nichols and Jeff Rowland drove in three runs apiece to lead No. 22 Georgia Tech (4-0) to a 11-2 win over Georgia Southern (1-3) Tuesday afternoon at Russ Chandler Stadium.
McGuire (1-0) faced three batters over the minimum and allowed just one runner past first base to earn the first win of his career. He also struck out three and walked one.
Nichols and Rowland, also freshmen, smacked the first home runs of their careers while another newcomer, shortstop Derek Dietrich, drove in a pair of runs with a double in the third inning. Nichols went 2-for-2 with two runs and three RBI.
Chris House and Charlie Blackmon led the Yellow Jackets with 3-for-4 performances at the plate, and Tony Plagman and Jason Haniger added two hits apiece.
The Jackets took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when Nichols hit a two-run home run over the right field wall that scored Plagman, who had reached base earlier in the inning on a double to right field.
Tech extended its lead to 9-0 with a seven-run third inning, which was highlighted by Dietrich’s two-run double and a two-run home run by Rowland. Nichols and House also drove in runs in the inning.
Ty Wright put the Eagles on the board with a solo home run in the top of the fourth inning, but Rowland pushed Tech’s lead back to nine runs with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth.
Matt Miller pulled a triple down the right field line to score Jeremy Beckham in the top of the eighth inning for Georgia Southern’s second run of the game before Murton pushed a bases-loaded single past the pitcher in the bottom of the frame to score Jason Haniger for the 11th and final run for the Jackets.
Beckham led the Eagles with two hits against the Jackets. Georgia Southern starter Burt Barto (0-1) took the loss, giving up eight runs on nine hits in 2.2 innings of work.
The Jackets and Eagles will conclude the midweek series Wednesday afternoon. First pitch is at 4 p.m. with freshman righty Brandon Cumpton taking the mound for Georgia Tech. Live stats for the game will be available at Ramblinwreck.com.
