May 8, 2007
ATLANTA – No. 24 Georgia Tech (30-17) travels up the road to Athens for a midweek game against the University of Georgia (19-30) Wednesday at 7 p.m. in a game that will decide the season series winner, as Tech and Georgia have split the first two games of the baseball series in 2007.
The Yellow Jackets are in the midst of a 10-game road trip that began at Clemson and spans a total of 25 days. Tech dropped two of three games against the Tigers before sweeping USF in Tampa this past weekend. Georgia is coming off a 1-2 series loss to top-ranked Vanderbilt last weekend.
Georgia Tech has won 17 of its last 23 games, and 21 of 29, after beginning the season 9-9.
Over the last 29 games, Georgia Tech has posted a 21-8 record as the pitching staff has held opponents to just 3.8 runs per game and a .257 batting average.
Starting Pitching Matchup (GT vs. UGA)
Wednesday: Matt Wieters (1-3, 7.15) vs. Trevor Holder (1-3, 4.25)
The Yellow Jacket offense is led by OF Danny Payne (.380-2-33-18), catcher Matt Wieters (.373-8-49-1), and SS Michael Fisher (.348-3-36-7). Georgia Tech, as a team, is hitting .296 on the year.
GAME COVERAGE: Wednesday’s game will be broadcast on CSS, CSN-Mid Atlantic (Washington DC, Baltimore, Virginia, Maryland) and CSN-West (Sacramento, Bay Area, Central/Northern California) with Matt Stewart and Buck Belue calling the action; Radio coverage also available on AM 790 the Zone, with Wes Durham and Randy Carroll calling the game; Live stats available at www.ramblinwreck.com.
Georgia leads Georgia Tech, 191-147-2
Georgia leads Georgia Tech, 191-147-2, in a series that dates to 1898. The Yellow Jackets and Bulldogs have played at least two games every year since 1946, including three times in each of the last two years.
After Georgia Tech earned an 8-2 win over the Bulldogs in the first meeting last season, Georgia captured a 12-6 victory over the Yellow Jackets in Athens before sneaking past Tech, 5-4, in an 11-inning thriller at Turner Field in the last contest between the two teams in 2006.
The Yellow Jackets began 2007 in a similar manner, earning another 8-2 victory over the Bulldogs in the series opener at Russ Chandler Stadium before Georgia stopped the Yellow Jackets, 10-7, at Turner Field in the last contest between to two teams.
The series has been more even of late, as Tech holds a slight 10-9 edge over the Bulldogs since 2001.
Georgia Tech is 50-108 vs. the Bulldogs in games played on UGA’s campus.
The Yellow Jackets are 29-22 against Georgia under head coach Danny Hall and 10-10 vs. the Bulldogs in games played at Foley Field since Hall took over the program in 1994.
In the last six years, the Yellow Jackets and Bulldogs have faced each other five times in postseason play.
Weekend Wrap-up: The Yellow Jackets went 3-0 in a series at the University of South Florida over the weekend, hitting .392 while posting a 3.33 ERA. All three starting pitchers had strong outings, including Eddie Burns, who was the only one of the three to earn a no-decision despite holding the Bulls to just one unearned run on two hits through 6.1 innings of work. The Yellow Jacket offense was led by catcher Matt Wieters, who hit .545 with a pair of doubles, a three-run home run, four walks, five runs scored and seven RBI, while outfielder Wally Crancer went 7-for-15 (.467) with a double and six RBI on the weekend.
Injury Update: Shortstop Michael Fisher will miss the Georgia game and the UNC series after suffering fractured bones in his face in the series opener at USF over the weekend. The junior had surgery Monday afternoon and was informed that he may be able to return as early as Tech’s series against Florida State (May 17-19), but will know more after the weekend … Second baseman Jeff Ussery’s return is TBA after suffering a foot injury in mid-April; he is being evaluated week-to-week.
Up Next: Following the Jackets’ game in Athens on Wednesday, Tech will conclude its 10-game road trip by visiting Chapel Hill, where they will meet the fifth-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
