May 5, 2015
| GT Game Notes • 2015 Media Guide • Season Statistics |
| GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS (29-17) vs. MERCER BEARS (29-18) May 6, 2015 • Macon, Ga.• Claude Smith Field (500) |
| Video: SoCon Digital Network | Radio: WREK 91.1 FM Atlanta Listen Live |
>> Georgia Tech, which has won four straight and five of its last six, looks to stay hot Wednesday night at Mercer. The game begins at 6 p.m. at Claude Smith Field and can be heard live on WREK 91. FM, with live video available at SoConDigitalNetwork.com.
>> The Yellow Jackets are looking to sweep the two-game season series from the Bears after pulling out a 4-3 win on April 7 in Atlanta. Daniel Spingola’s three-run homer broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh and Tech held off a late Mercer rally to snap the Bears’ three-game win streak in the series. Tech leads the all-time series 107-54, including a 42-29 edge in Macon. Tech has not won at Claude Smith Field since 2010.
>> Sophomore Zac Ryan (8-1, 7 saves, 2.55 ERA) is one of just two relief pitchers nationally with eight or more wins. Ryan has logged a win or a save in 15 of his team-leading 24 pitching appearances. He and Ohio State’s Trace Dempsey (9-1, 7 saves, 2.10) are the two relievers in the NCAA with eight or more wins.
>> Senior A.J. Murray is on a late-season tear, with seven of his 12 home runs and 15 of his 44 RBI coming over the last 15 games. Murray is second in the ACC in homers (25th nationally), and among the league’s top 10 in runs, RBI and slugging. Junior Matt Gonzalez, who has started a team-best 112 straight games, brings a nine-game hitting streak to Mercer. He’s hitting .382 (13-for-34) in the streak with two doubles, two homers and nine RBI.
>> Freshman LHP Daniel Gooden is set for his first career start. The rookie, who missed much of this season as he recovered from Tommy John Surgery in high school, has made three appearances since his pitching debuting on April 18.
>> Tech is outscoring opponents 75-32 over the final two innings plus extras. That includes a +35 margin in the eighth (50-15), +6 in the ninth (20-14) and +2 (5-3) in extra innings. 16 of Tech’s 29 wins are come-from-behind victories, including five when trailing in the eighth inning. Tech is 4-1 in walk-off games, and 3-1 in extra-inning games.
>> Sophomore C Arden Pabst is among the NCAA leaders in runners caught stealing and caught-stealing percentage. Pabst, who is on the watch list for the Johnny Bench Award, has thrown out 21 would-be base stealers this season, which are tied for ninth-most nationally. His caught-stealing percentage of .439 ranks 10th in the NCAA.
>> The Jackets continue to be one of the nation’s best defensive teams, currently ranked 19th in double plays (47), 46th in fielding percentage (.974) and own the seventh-most outfield assists nationally (13). Tech led the nation in both double plays (school record 77) and outfield assists last season. Since 2012, Tech’s 240 double plays are second-most nationally.
>> Tech is 19-3 this season when scoring first; 9-3 in one-run games; 7-7 versus ranked teams. Sophomore RHP Brandon Gold is 4-0 in series rubber-games — all coming in ACC victories over Notre Dame, Duke, Virginia Tech and Virginia. As a team, the Jackets are 7-1 this season in weekend rubber-games (5-1 in ACC play).
