April 8, 2005
ATLANTA – Lee Hyde pitched seven shutout innings and Matt Wieters and Jeff Kindel each drove in two runs to lead No. 3 Georgia Tech (24-6) to a 6-1 win over visiting Winthrop (21-11) in the opener of a three-game series on Friday night at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Hyde (4-1) picked up the win after working seven shutout innings, allowing five hits and one walk while striking out seven. The left-handed extended his streak to 13 striaght scoreless innings.
The Yellow Jackets gave Winthrop starter Kevin Slowey (7-1) his first loss in nine starts. Slowey allowed a season-high six runs on seven hits in seven innings.
Slowey retired the first nine Yellow Jackets in order before Danny Payne broke through with a single in the top of the fourth inning that ignited a four run outburst. After a sacrifice bunt and a fielder’s choice left Tech with a runner on first base with two outs, the next four batters all reached base safely.
Wes Hodges singled and Jeremy Slayden was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Matt Wieters and Jeff Kindel followed with back-to-back two-run singles to stake the Yellow Jackets to a 4-0 lead.
Slayden hit a solo home run, his team-leading 10th of the season, to make the score 5-0 in the sixth inning. A RBI double from Mike Trapani in the seventh inning extended the lead to 6-0.
Meanwhile, Hyde kept the Eagles in check, allowing a total of six baserunners in his seven innings. Winthrop managed to advance just one runner past second base as Hyde held the Eagles scoreless through seven.
Winthrop broke through against reliever Jordan Crews for a run in the eighth inning when pinch hitter Ben Ehrlich singled and scored on Heath Rollins’ RBI groundout.
Tech reliever Brad Rulon worked a scoreless ninth inning to close out the game.
The Yellow Jackets improved to 15-0 all-time against the Eagles.
Georgia Tech and Winthrop will continue the three-game series on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
