March 31, 2017
THE FLATS – The Yellow Jackets surrendered five runs with two outs in the top of the fourth to fall behind in the 11-6 conference loss to No. 5 Clemson on Friday night in game one of the three-game ACC cross-divisional weekend series versus the Tigers at Russ Chandler Stadium.
The loss drops Tech to 14-10 overall on the season and 3-7 in ACC play. The Tigers, who have now won nine straight games, improve to 23-4 on the year and 9-1 in the ACC with the win.
Nine different Jackets registered a hit for the game led by freshmen Kyle McCann (2-for-4, run) and Austin Wilhite (2-for-3, BB, 2 runs). Redshirt-senior Coleman Poje (1-for-4, HR, 2 RBIs) and Brandt Stallings (1-for-1, double, RBI, run) each had an extra base hit in the loss.
For the Tigers, Grayson Byrd went 3-for-4 with a home run, a walk, an RBI and three runs scored, while fellow infielder Jordan Greene was 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Shortstop Logan Davidson was 2-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while catcher Chris Williams went 2-for-6 with a double and four RBIs at the plate for the Tigers.
The loss went to Tech starter Xzavion Curry (3-3), as the freshman gave up six runs on eight hits, five walks and five strikeouts in 4.1 innings on the mound.
Clemson’s Charlie Barnes (3-2) earned the win for the Tigers. The lefty allowed three runs on six hits, walking one and striking out seven over 5.2 innings.
After both teams scored one run in the third inning, Clemson on a solo home run by Byrd and Tech on an RBI single by Trevor Craport, the Tigers pulled out to a 6-1 lead with a five-run fourth.
With two outs in the inning, after the Jackets had turned a 4-6-3 double play, Clemson put together two straight singles to put runners on first and second. The next two Tiger hitters drew walks, with the second one pushing across the go ahead run, to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.
With the bases still loaded, the Tigers picked up a two-run RBI single to right center field, another walk, and a second two-run RBI single through the left side of the infield to push its lead out to five at 6-1.
Following a three-run sixth by the Tigers, which gave the visitors a 9-1 lead, the Yellow Jackets got two runs back with one swing of the bat by Poje, as he hit a two-run home run to right center to chip away at the Clemson lead and put the score at 9-3.
However, Tech would not score again until the bottom of the ninth inning, after Clemson pushed across two more runs in the top of the ninth.
The Yellow Jackets got back-to-back singles from McCann and Wilhite, a sacrifice fly from Ryan Peurifoy, a pinch hit RBI double by Stallings and a Wade Bailey RBI single to put the final score at 11-6.
The Jackets (14-10, 3-7 ACC) and Tigers (23-4, 9-1 ACC) will return the field tomorrow afternoon for game two of the three-game ACC series. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. ET.
Senior Coleman Poje hit a home run in the sixth and made a diving catch in right on Friday night versus the No. 5 Clemson Tigers. pic.twitter.com/anHwqpzxJe
— GeorgiaTech Baseball (@GTBaseball) April 1, 2017
Tech Tidbits
* Tech falls to 2-6 on the season when the opponent records more hits for the game than the Yellow Jackets.
* The Yellow Jackets are now 3-10 on the year when giving up six runs or more for the game.
* Georgia Tech finished the month of March with a record of 7-9. Tech was 7-1 in February.
* Trevor Craport has now hit safely in five straight games, his second longest hitting streak of the season.
* Austin Wilhite pushed his hitting streak to four straight games with a single in the third.
* Kel Johnson extended his current hitting streak to four straight games with a single in the sixth.
* Coleman Poje hit his sixth home run of the season in the sixth inning.
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