GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS (10-6) vs. GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES (7-7)
Tuesday, March 12 • Atlanta, Ga. (Russ Chandler Stadium – 4,157)
Tuesday
TV: ACC Network Extra | Watch Live
Play-by-Play: Wiley Ballard
Analyst: Nick Green
Radio: WREK 91.1 FM | Listen Online | GT Gameday App | TuneIn
Play-by-Play: Brice Zimmerman
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
Game Notes | 2019 GT Baseball Info Guide
TOP STORYLINES
• Georgia Tech baseball returns to Russ Chandler Stadium for a four-game homestand, beginning on Tuesday, March 12 at 6 p.m. with Georgia Southern.
• The Yellow Jackets are coming off a 3-2 week in which they dropped their conference-opening tilt at Miami.
• Tech won a thrilling extra-inning Friday night game with a combined three home runs by Tristin English and Kyle McCann, before losing a heartbreaker in the bottom of the ninth on Saturday and Sunday’s rubber match.
• Now, the Jackets will look to bounce back against in-state foe, Georgia Southern, Tech’s third-most frequently played foe from the state of Georgia all-time. Tech and GS have squared off 133 times, behind only Mercer (166) and UGA (373).
• Tech is 9-1 in its last 10 against the Eagles, with a nine-game winning streak dating back to 2014.
• Continuing to lead the hitters is McCann, who followed up an ACC Player of the Week and National Player of the Week performance with another National award-winning week, hitting .389 fo rseven hits, two doubles and four home runs, while taking six free bases on balls.
• Also coming alive at the plate last week was English, who batted .400 for eight hits, two doubles and three home runs.
• DH Michael Guldberg continues to be atop the team leaderboard, batting .432 with a .480 on-base percentage.
• Guldberg was one of the final two players in the country to not strikeout before striking out once against Miami. He’s still tied for the lead nationally with one through 44 at-bats.
• Left fielder Chase Murray also caught fire last week, finishing with six hits, six runs and a double. He did not play the final game of the Miami series due to an injury and remains day-to-day.
• During the previous midweeks, Tech showed their depth by throwing both Cort Roedig and Amos Willingham for starts in the Tuesday-Wednesday.
• Roedig in his first two starts has allowed just six hits and one earned run for a 0.96 ERA. He’s also struck out eight batters and walked two in 9.1 IP to keep his opponent’s batting average to .188.
• Willingham has also shined in his first two starts and will get the nod to face Georgia Southern, going 11.0 innings and allowing just eight hits and one run. With an 0.82 ERA, he’s fanned eight total and kept his opponent’s average at .195.
• First baseman and RHP English will look to carry forward his momentum from being a Cape Cod All-Star last summer. The redshirt-junior is a two-time 2019 preseason all-American entering this weekend, as he’s expected to be one of the country’s top two-way players.
• Preseason expectations have been at an all-time high as the Yellow Jackets have built themselves into one of the oldest teams in the country, returning seven of nine starters and losing zero starting pitchers from a season ago.
• However, the Jackets will have to contend with the loss of Joey Bart and Wade Bailey to the MLB Draft, but Kyle McCann and Luke Waddell have looked primed and ready to take over at catcher and second base, respectively.
• Waddell missed four-straight games with a knee injury but returned for the Northwestern series. He is currently batting .261 overall with 12 hits, four doubles and a home run.
