June 13, 2006
Georgia Tech College World Series Notebook in PDF Format
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ATLANTA–Champion of the NCAA Atlanta Regional and NCAA Atlanta Super Regional, Georgia Tech (50-16) makes its third appearance in the College World Series this weekend in Omaha, Neb.
Georgia Tech, the No. 8 national seed, swept through the NCAA Atlanta Regional with three straight wins to capture its third straight Regional Championship. Tech won the NCAA Atlanta Super Regional with two straight wins over the College of Charleston.
The Yellow Jackets are making their third trip to the College World Series in Omaha after making appearances in 1994 and 2002. Tech lost in the national championship game in 1994 and finished fifth in 2002.
The Jackets enter the CWS on a five game winning streak, and Tech is 17-4 since May 1.
Tech’s half of the College World Series bracket features two familiar opponents in ACC-foes Clemson (52-14), the No. 1 national seed, and North Carolina (50-13). Also in the top half of the bracket is Cal State Fullerton (48-13), the No. 5 national seed. Friday’s first round parings feature Georgia Tech vs. Clemson and North Carolina vs. Cal State Fullerton.
Georgia Tech has played in 21 of the last 22 NCAA Tournaments, and Tech is making its 23rd NCAA appearance overall. The Jackets won regionals in 1994, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
All games of the College World Series will be televised by ESPN or ESPN2.
Georgia Tech in the NCAA Tournament
Georgia Tech is making its 21st NCAA Regional appearance in the last 22 years, and its 23rd overall appearance in the 2006 NCAA Tournament. The Yellow Jackets have captured six regional championships (1994, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006) and have three College World Series appearances (1994, 2002 and 2006).
Georgia Tech went 16-10 against the NCAA Tournament field during the regular season, including a 5-4 record against Tech’s half of the CWS bracket. Tech is 10-7 against the 2006 CWS teams.
Georgia Tech in the College World Series
Georgia Tech is 4-3 in two previous appearances in the CWS (1994 and 2002). The Yellow Jackets won their first three games in 1994 before falling to Oklahoma in the National Championship game. In 2002, Tech shut out South Carolina, 11-0, in the opening game of the CWS before dropping the next two games to Clemson and South Carolina.
Georgia Tech vs. Clemson
Georgia Tech and Clemson are meeting for the seventh time in 2006, with the season series tied at 3-3. The all-time series, which dates to 1902, is deadlocked at 93-93-3.
Tech won two of three games from Clemson during the regular season in Atlanta, while the Tigers won two of three meetings at the ACC Tournament.
Tech and Clemson met during the 2002 College World Series, a 9-7 Clemson win.
Since 2004, Tech is 9-4 against Clemson.
Tech Makes 21st NCAA Appearance in Last 22 Years
Georgia Tech is making its 21st NCAA Regional appearance in the last 22 years in 2006. The Yellow Jackets have played in the NCAA tournament every year since 1985 with the exception of 1999, and Tech is making its 22nd overall NCAA appearance. Georgia Tech is the only school in the nation to earn a National Top 8 seed in each of the last four years.
Prior to the current streak, Tech had participated in the NCAA playoffs twice, in 1959 and 1971, with an additional play-in tournament appearance in 1948. Georgia Tech made its first trip to the College World Series in 1994, advancing to the championship game before losing to Oklahoma, 13-5. Tech returned to the College World Series in 2002 and 2006.
Most NCAA Regional Appearances, Last 22 Years1. Florida State 22 Miami 223. GEORGIA TECH 214. Louisiana State 20 Clemson 20 Stanford 20 Texas 20
NCAA Nuggets
Regional Host for Fifth Straight Year: Georgia Tech hosted a NCAA Regional for the fifth consecutive year, tied with Texas for the longest active hosting streak in the nation.
Super Regional Host for Third Straight Year: Georgia Tech hosted a NCAA Super Regional for the third consecutive year and for the fifth time overall. Tech is tied with Stanford and Cal State Fullerton for the most times hosting a Super Regional since the current format was adopted in 1999. Florida State, Miami, Rice and South Carolina have all hosted four Super Regionals.
National Seed Streak: Georgia Tech earned a national top-eight seed for the fourth consecutive year, the longest active streak in the nation. Cal State Fullerton and Nebraska have earned a national seed in each of the last two seasons.
Most National Seeds in Last Four Years: Georgia Tech has been awarded four national seeds in the last four years, the most in the nation. Cal State Fullerton and Rice have three national seeds in that stretch, while Stanford, Nebraska and Miami have earned two national seeds in the last four years.
50-Win Club
Georgia Tech enters the College World Series with 50 wins, the fifth time in school history that the Yellow Jackets have reached the 50-win plateau. Tech won a school record 52 games in 2002, the Jackets’ last trip to the CWS. Tech also reached 50 wins in 1987 (51-14), 1994 (50-16) and 2000 (50-16).
Wieters Named MVP of NCAA Atlanta Regional
Catcher/pitcher Matt Wieters was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2006 NCAA Atlanta Regional after going 8-for-9 with three home runs and six RBI. Wieters also drew six walks, reaching base safely in 14 of 15 plate appearances, including each of his last 11 plate appearances of the regional. Wieters hit .889 with a .933 on base percentage and a 1.889 slugging percentage.
In five NCAA Tournament games, Wieters is 11-for-17 with nine walks, reaching base safely in 20 of 26 plate appearances.
Also named to the NCAA Atlanta Regional All-Tournament Team were 2B Mike Trapani, SS Michael Fisher, OF Jeff Kindel and P Ryan Turner.
Pitching Shines in the NCAA Tournament
Georgia Tech’s pitching staff, a source of inconsistency during the regular season, has been solid throughout the NCAA Regional and Super Regional.
The Yellow Jackets are 5-0 with two saves and a 2.40 ERA in the postseason. In 45.0 innings, Tech’s pitchers have held opponents to a .263 batting average, striking out 35 batters while issuing just nine walks.
Seven Selected in MLB Draft
Six Georgia Tech players – 3B Wes Hodges (2nd/Indians), RHP Blake Wood (3rd/Royals), 1B/3B Whit Robbins (4th/Twins), LHP Lee Hyde (4th/Braves), RHP Tim Gustafson (9th/Braves) and OF Jeff Kindel (14th/Rockies) – were selected on the first day of the 2006 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. RHP John Goodman (45th/Cardinals) was selected on day two of the draft.
Murton Ties HR Record; Earns ACC All-Tournament Honors
Georgia Tech freshman first baseman Luke Murton tied a Georgia Tech record with three home runs in the ACC Tournament semifinal game against Clemson on May 27. After failing to record a hit in his first two at bats of the game, Murton homered in his final three at bats, hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning, a two-run shot in the eighth and a grand slam in the ninth.
Eight previous players had hit three homers in a game, most recently by Scott Byers in 1996. Murton is the third Tech player to homer in three consecutive at bats, joining Jason Varitek (1993) and Ryan Rytter (1995).
After hitting just one home run in the first 55 games of the season, Murton homered in the final game of the regular season, added a homer in the NCAA Atlanta Regional, and now has five homers in the last 11 games.
Murton was named to the ACC All-Tournament team.
Four Yellow Jackets Named All-ACC
Outfielder Danny Payne was named to the 2006 All-Atlantic Coast Conference first team, while 3B Wes Hodges, OF Jeff Kindel and catcher Matt Wieters have earned second-team all-conference honors. This marks the 12th straight season that Tech has had four or more players on the all-ACC team.
Payne earned all-ACC honors for the first time in his career while Hodges, Kindel and Wieters were named to the all-conference team for the second straight season.
Blackwood Named Academic All-America
Georgia Tech senior outfielder Steven Blackwood has been named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America baseball team, announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America. The Biology major from Roswell, Ga., already a three-time Academic All-District selection, was named to the Academic All-America third team.
Blackwood is Georgia Tech’s fifth Academic All-America, joining former stars Nomar Garciaparra, L.J. Yankosky, Mark Teixeira and Matthew Boggs.
Wood Reaches 10 Wins Again
Junior Blake Wood earned his 10th victory of the season in Tech’s 7-5 win over Stetson in the opening round of the NCAA Atlanta Regional. Wood, who went 10-1 in 2005 and is 11-4 in 2006, is just the fifth player in Georgia Tech history to record 10+ wins in consecutive seasons.
Wood in the Postseason
Junior Blake Wood pitched a season-long 8 1/3 innings in Tech’s 2-1 win over Miami on in the first round of the ACC Tournament, holding the Hurricanes to one run on five hits. Over the last two seasons, Wood is 4-0 with a 2.22 ERA, holding opponents to a .232 average, in six postseason starts in the ACC and NCAA Tournaments.
Third in the Nation in W’s
Georgia Tech enters the College World Series with the third most wins in the nation this season. Rice leads the nation with 54 wins against Division I opponents, while four of the five winningest schools in the country are from the Atlantic Coast Conference.
School Record1. Rice 54-112. Clemson 52-143. GEORGIA TECH 50-16 North Carolina 50-135. Virginia 47-15
