April 16, 2003
ATLANTA – A.J. Zickgraf’s sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth capped a three run rally over the final three innings as Georgia Southern (22-15) upset fifth-ranked Georgia Tech (29-7) on Wednesday afternoon at Russ Chandler Stadium. The Eagles’ win snapped a 20-game losing streak to the Yellow Jackets dating back to the 1999 season.
With the score knotted at 7-7, Georgia Southern threatened in the top of the eighth inning by putting runners on first and third bases with no outs. But Tech reliever Jeff Watchko worked out of the jam by getting a fly ball to short center field, a pop up on the infield and a groundout.
The Eagles broke through for a run in the top of the ninth inning to take an 8-7 lead. After falling behind with an 0-2 count, Carlos Love was hit by a pitch, and a sacrifice bunt form Greg Dowling moved pinch runner Brandon Williams over to second base. Williams took third base on a balk from Watchko and then scored on Zickgraf’s sacrifice fly after a nine pitch at bat.
The Yellow Jackets mounted a rally in the bottom of the ninth inning with consecutive singles from Steven Blackwood and Andy Hawranick, but Georgia Southern reliever Jason Cadenhead induced a double play ground ball from Brandon Boggs to end the game.
Cadenhead (3-2) earned the victory after working two scoreless innings in relief to close out the game. Watchko (2-2) took the loss, allowing two runs over the final three innings.
Brendan Gilligan, who went 3-for-5, led off the game with a solo home run, his third of the season, to give Georgia Southern a 1-0 lead. Tech tied the game in the bottom of the first inning when Matt Murton singled and scored on a balk. In the second inning, Brandon Boggs drew a bases loaded walk and Murton added a two-out, two-run single to gave the Yellow Jackets a 4-1 lead.
Micah Owings belted a solo home run, his team-leading 12th of the year, to make the score 5-1 in the third inning.
Georgia Southern chased Tech starter Jason Neighborgall from the game in the top of the fifth inning after the right-hander issued five walks but allowed just two hits and one earned run. The Eagles cut the lead to 5-2 in the inning after James Payne walked and scored when Owings could not handle Rocky Baker’s two-out ground ball to first base.
Georgia Southern tied the game at 5-5 with a three-run sixth inning. The Eagles loaded the bases with no outs, and Carlos Love scored the first run of the inning on James Payne’s double play groundout before Brendan Gilligan followed with a RBI double and Brandon Long added a RBI single.
The Yellow Jackets scored two runs in the in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 7-5 lead with a RBI double from Andy Hawranick and a RBI single from Brandon Boggs. The Eagles immediately answered in the top of the seventh with two unearned runs to tie the score at 7-7, scoring on an error from Tech third baseman Mike Nickeas and a wild pitch from Watchko.
Murton and Owings both had three hits in the game for the Yellow Jackets, who outit the Eagles, 14-10. Georgia Tech was partially undone by seven walks and four errors in the game.
Georgia Tech returns to action this weekend when the Yellow Jackets host Wake Forest for a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series beginning on Friday at 7 p.m., and continuing on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Friday’s game will be televised regionally by Fox Sports Net South. Live statistics will be available on the internet at www.ramblinwreck.com.
