March 30, 2017

Jackets Host No. 5 Clemson in ACC Home Weekend

March 30, 2017

GT Game Notes | Clemson Game Notes | 2017 GT Baseball Information Guide

THE FLATS – The Yellow Jackets (14-9, 3-6 ACC) return home to host the No. 5 Clemson Tigers (22-4, 8-1 ACC) this weekend, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Mar. 31 through Apr. 1 at Russ Chandler Stadium. First pitch on Friday will be at 6 p.m. ET, while Saturday’s contest is slated for a 4 p.m. ET start. Sunday’s contest will begin at 1 p.m. ET.

FOLLOW THE ACTION LIVE

• All three of the ACC games this weekend will be video streamed live on the ACC Network Extra, ESPN3 and the WatchESPN App.

• Live stats can be found at RamblinWreck.com. A link to live stats can also be found on the baseball schedule page at RamblinWreck.com or at the top of this page.

• Wiley Ballard will also broadcast the game live over the radio air waves on WREK 91.1 FM. Saturday’s contest will go on air live following the WNIT Championships game which is slated for a 3 p.m. ET tip-off.

THINGS FANS NEED TO KNOW

• Salute to Service Weekend– It is Salute to Service Weekend at Russ Chandler Stadium, as we dedicate this weekend’s contests to those who have and currently serve our country.

• Friday – The first 100 GT students to the game on Friday night will receive a free GT baseball camo t-shirt (Click here to see the T-shirt)

• Saturday is our First Responders Day – If any first responder shows a valid first responders ID you will receive a free general admission ticket.

• Sunday is Military Appreciation Day – If you show any valid military ID you will receive a free general admission ticket.

• As part of Operation Hat Trick, the Georgia Tech Bookstore is giving Jacket fans 25% off of OHT hats this weekend. (Click here to view the offer!)

• Outside food and beverages are not permitted inside Russ Chandler Stadium. Also the season ticketholder clear bags are not permitted during baseball season at Russ Chandler Stadium. All bags will be searched upon entry into the stadium. NO bags larger than 14 by 10 by 5 inches will be permitted.

LEADING OFF

• Georgia Tech’s Joey Bart and Wade Bailey sit atop of the ACC in a number of offensive categories as they enter play this weekend. Bart ranks first in the ACC in home runs (11), home runs per game (0.48), slugging percentage (.788) and total bases (78) on the season. Bailey leads the ACC in runs (34) and in runs per game (1.48) on the year.

• The Jackets will throw two true freshmen this weekend in Xzavion Curry (3-2, 4.60 ERA) and Jay Shadday (1-1, 2.50 ERA). Curry will make his seventh career start on Friday night, while Shadday is slated for his third career start on Saturday afternoon.

• Tech’s No. 3 Wade Bailey ranks third in the ACC in doubles (23) and hits per game (1.61) on the season. He also ranks third nationally in runs scored (34) on the year.

• This weekend’s conference series versus the Clemson Tigers is the fourth ACC series for the Jackets this season. Tech enters the weekend at 3-6 in league play having won one game in each of its first three ACC weekend series at Miami, vs. North Carolina and at Wake Forest.

• When the Jackets hold their opponents to five runs or less Tech is undefeated. On the season, Georgia Tech is a perfect 11-0 overall when holding its opponents to five runs or less for the contest.

• The Yellow Jackets as a team are ranked sixth in the nation overall with a total of 41 home runs on the season. Tech also ranks sixth nationally with a team slugging percentage of .521 on the year. The GT offense ranks sixth in the ACC in both runs scored with 176 and in hits with 259 overall as a team on the year.

• Defense has played a key for Tech this season, as the Yellow Jackets are 7-1 on the year when not committing an error for the game. Tech is also 6-1 when making one error for the contest. However, the Jackets are 1-7 on the season when making two or more errors for the game.

• Tech totaled eight extra base hits last time out in its 11-3 win over Mercer (Mar. 28). The Jackets recorded five doubles and three home runs in the non-conference road victory.

• Georgia Tech’s offense ranks in the top 41 nationally in nine different categories – fourth in home runs per game (1.78), sixth in home runs (41), sixth in slugging percentage (.521), ninth in doubles per game (2.57), 16th in doubles (59), 25th in scoring (7.7 runs per game), 40th in batting average (.302), and 41st in both hits (259) and runs scored (176).

• A total of 10 different Georgia Tech pitchers have registered seven strikeouts or more on the mound this year. Xzavion Curry leads the team with 31 punch outs, while out of the bullpen Jared Datoc and Zac Ryan have picked up 27 and 20 K’s, respectively, for the season.

FAMILIAR FOES

• One of Tech’s most-played opponents in the program’s history are the Clemson Tigers, as the two teams have met a total of 220 times.

• Georgia Tech has only played two teams more than Clemson in SEC regional rivals Georgia (376 games) and Auburn (233 games).

ALL BETS ARE OFF

• The overall series between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Clemson Tigers is nearly split right down the middle. Clemson leads the overall series by a single game at 109-108-3.

IN RECENT YEARS

• The two teams, which first met back in 1902, have met every year at least once since 1955.

• The Yellow Jackets took two of three from the Tigers in Clemson, S.C. last year and have won six out of the last 10 meetings on the diamond.

VERSUS RANKED FOES IN 2017

• The Clemson Tigers are the fourth nationally ranked foe that the Jackets have faced thus far in 2017.

• Tech is a combined 2-3 thus far this season against its previous ranked opponents that were nationally ranked at the time in Oklahoma, North Carolina and Auburn.

March 14 vs. No 12 Oklahoma – W, 2-0

March 17 vs. No. 9 North Carolina – L, 5-6

March 18 vs. No. 9 North Carolina – W, 4-2 (12)

March 19 vs. No. 9 North Carolina – L, 4-7

March 21 vs. No. 16 Auburn – L, 4-7

JACKETS LOOKING TO STAY HOT AFTER SEASON BEST ON TUESDAY

• Georgia Tech’s offense pounded out a season-high 18 hits on Tuesday night in its 11-3 win on the road at Mercer in non-conference midweek action.

• The Jackets will look to stay hot at the plate this weekend, as Tech is 10-3 on the year when out-hitting its opponents for the game on the season.

GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD WATCH LIST

• This weekend’s series will feature not one, but two 2017 Golden Spikes Award Watch List members in Georgia Tech’s Kel Johnson and Clemson’s Seth Beer.

• Tech’s Johnson is hitting .286 with eight home runs, five doubles and 26 RBIs on the season.

• Clemson’s Beer is batting .253 with eight home runs, five doubles and 23 RBIs on the year.

EXTRA INNING LOVE

• Each of the Jackets’ three ACC wins this season have come in extra innings.

• In fact, three of Tech’s last four wins have come in extra innings (W, 7-5 (11) at Miami – Mar. 11, W, 4-2 (12) vs. No. 9 North Carolina – Mar. 18, W, 7-6 (11) at Wake Forest -Mar. 24).

ON DECK

• Tech return to the road for a five-game road swing at Auburn (Apr. 4), at Notre Dame (Apr. 7-9) and at Georgia (Apr. 11), before returning home to host Louisville in ACC play on Apr. 13-15 at Russ Chandler Stadium.

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