April 24, 2002
ATHENS, Ga. – Junior pitcher Chris Goodman scattered six hits over 7-1/3 innings, while Matthew Boggs keyed a three-run, seventh-inning rally with a two-run single to carry 10th-ranked Georgia Tech past Georgia, 6-1, Wednesday night at Foley Field.
Tech (34-8) had lost three straight to Georgia (24-15) at Foley Field and four games overall in the Bulldogs’ home park. But the Yellow Jackets now carry a 2-1 edge in the season series into the finale at Tech’s Russ Chandler Stadium on May 14.
Goodman (5-0), a converted shortstop who had never pitched in college before this season, was dominant in his stint, striking out a career-high eight batters with no walks before giving way to Philip Perry with one out in the eighth. He earned his fourth win in six starts this season, and has given up just four runs in 22 innings in his last three starts against Western Carolina, Auburn and Georgia.
Tech staked Goodman to a 3-0 lead with a pair of runs in the second and a run in the third. Matt Murton singled and Jason Perry doubled in the second, Murton scoring on Wes Rynders’ sacrifice fly and Perry on a throwing error by Georgia catcher Clint Sammons. Eric Patterson doubled, stole third and scored on Victor Menocal’s sacrifice fly in the third.
Meanwhile, Goodman held the Bulldogs to just one hit through four innings before the Bulldogs scratched for the first time in the fifth. Jon Armitage reached on a fielder’s choice, advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempts by Goodman and scored on Kris Edge’s single.
Tech, who had chased Georgia starter Brandon Anglin by the end of the third, added three runs in the seventh for a 6-1 lead. The Jackets loaded the bases on a single, a walk and an error before Matthew Boggs drove in a pair of runs with a single and Brandon Boggs plated another with a sacrifice fly.
Anglin (1-1) took the loss after surrendering three runs in 2-2/3 innings. Perry got the last five outs in relief of Goodman and survived a Georgia rally in the ninth inning. The Bulldogs loaded the bases on a pair of infield hits and a walk before Perry fanned Kris Edge, who had been 3-for-3 on the night, to end the game.
Georgia Tech returns home to open a three-game series with Virginia at 7 p.m. Friday at Russ Chandler Stadium. Saturday’s game is at 7 p.m., and the series finale is Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Radio coverage for all three games is available on WREK-FM (91.1), with live scoring on www.ramblinwreck.com.
