May 18, 2012
ATLANTA – Senior Jake Davies had three hits and drove in a pair of runs, but Georgia Tech was on the wrong end of another close game Friday night at Russ Chandler Stadium, falling to No. 21 Miami, 8-6, in the middle game of an ACC series.
The Yellow Jackets slipped to 31-24 overall, 11-18 in ACC action and head into the final day of the regular season in a tie with Virginia Tech for the final spot in the ACC Tournament. The Jackets hold the tiebreaker over the Hokies.
Saturday’s game versus Miami (34-18, 16-13) on Senior Day is set for 1 p.m.
The last six games have seen the Jackets go 1-5 with all six being decided by two runs or less. Tech has held the lead in three of those five narrow setbacks.
Davies finished 3-for-5, while Zane Evans had two hits and two RBI. Sam Dove and Daniel Palka also had two of the 10 hits.
Tech rallied with three runs in the fifth inning, after Miami opened a 7-3 lead with a four-run fourth. Palka’s single to right got things started, Evans walked and Davies and Mott Hyde ripped consecutive-RBI singles. Kyle Wren drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 7-6 Miami, but the hosts got no closer as reliever Javi Salas rolled a key inning-ending double play.
Salas earned the win for the Hurricanes (6-2), while AJ Salcines pitched two no-hit innings to secure his sixth save. Davies, who made his third-consecutive weekend start for the Jackets, was dealt the loss (0-3).
It was a noisy first inning for both offenses with Miami jumping in front with three runs on three hits, and Tech countering with a two-RBI single from Evans and an RBI double from Davies for the equalizer.
Both starters settled in after the early fireworks, but a four-run uprising by Miami in the fourth would prove to be the difference. With the bases loaded, a run scored when Dale Carey reached on a catcher’s interference. Two more scored with a double to the left from Chantz Mack, and Rony Rodriguez’s sacrifice fly made it a 7-3 game.
Mack finished 3-for-5 with three RBI to pace Miami’s 13-hit attack. Michael Broad also had three hits.
ACC Tournament Scenarios
– Wake Forest became the seventh team to clinch a spot in the eight-team ACC Championship field, joining Florida State, North Carolina, NC State, Virginia, Clemson and Miami. – Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech (both 11-18 in ACC play) are tied for the eighth and final spot going into Saturday’s season finales. Georgia Tech owns the tie-breaker. – Florida State clinched the No. 1 seed in the Championship with Friday night’s win over NC State
