May 7, 2004
ATLANTA – Wes Hodges broke an 8-8 tie with a RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning to lead No. 21 Georgia Tech (28-17, 10-5 ACC) to a 9-8 win over visiting Duke (23-21, 7-9) on Friday night at Russ Chandler Stadium in the opener of a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series.
The Yellow Jackets extended their winning streak to a season-long seven games, and Tech won its eighth straight game against ACC opponents. With the win, Tech moved into a percentage points tie for second place in the ACC standings with Clemson (12-6). Virginia, which dropped an 8-0 decision to Florida State on Friday night, stands in first place at 14-5.
Trailing 8-6 after eight and a half innings, Duke’s Eric Baumann tied the score with a pinch hit two-run homer. Jonathan Anderson walked with one out to bring the tying run to the plate, but the Blue Devils were down to their final strike of the game before Baumann delivered on a 3-2 count with two outs.
The score remained tied until the bottom of the 10th. Tyler Greene led off the inning with a single and took third base on Whit Robbins’ single. The Blue Devils intentionally walked Eric Patterson to load the bases before Hodges lined a shot into the left center field gap to drive in the winning run.
Tech reliever Brian Burks (4-5) picked up the win, working four innings and allowing two runs on two hits. David Torcise (0-2) took the loss.
Greene, Robbins, Clifton Remole and Steven Blackwood each had two hits in the game for the Yellow Jackets, and all nine starters had at least one hit in Tech’s 13-hit attack.
Patterson staked the Yellow Jackets to a 3-0 lead with his fifth home run of the season in the bottom of the third inning, but the Blue Devils answered with six runs in the top of the fourth inning to make the score 6-3. Duke sent 11 batters to the plate and chased Tech starter Micah Owings from the game. Adam Murray led off the inning with a solo home run, his second of the year, while Mike Miello, Bryan Smith, Kyle Silver and Javier Socorro each added RBI singles. Murray capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly in his second plate appearance of the inning.
Tech pulled within 6-4 in the bottom of the fourth inning when the Yellow Jackets loaded the bases with two outs on a single and a pair of walks, and Remole scored on a passed ball.
The Yellow Jackets scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 7-6 lead. Mike Nickeas led off the inning with a single and Greene walked before Robbins drove in both runners with a double down the left field line. After the next two hitters grounded out, Blackwood’s RBI double plated Robbins and gave the Yellow Jackets a one-run lead.
Tech pushed the lead to 8-6 in the seventh on Greene’s squueze bunt that scored Remole.
Neither starting pitcher figured in the decision. Tech’s Micah Owings allowed a season-high six runs in 3.2 innings, and Duke’s Tim Layden worked five-plus innings and allowed seven runs.
Georgia Tech and Duke will continue the three-game series on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
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