RALEIGH, N.C. (Apr. 1) — Georgia Tech rallied from a 5-0 deficit on Saturday night, as the 22nd-ranked Jackets downed NC State for the second straight night, 11-6.
Each Tech starter hit safely in the game, which saw the Jackets pound out 16 hits as a team.
NC State designated hitter Brian Wright led off the bottom of the first for the Wolfpack with his fifth home run of the season, giving the Wolfpack a 1-0 lead.
Tech starter Rhett Parrott was knocked out of the game in the bottom of the second, after being struck in the right hand by a line drive by Josh Schmitt.
The Wolfpack (17-13, 5-6 ACC) opened a 5-0 lead in the third against Tech reliever Ben Sheeter, as a towering two-run home run by catcher Dan Mooney, RBI single by Jeremy Dutton and bases-loaded walk to Chris Goodman resulted in four runs.
The Jackets (22-8, 6-2 ACC) mounted a two-out rally in the top of the fourth, plating four unearned runs off NC State starter Mike Sollie (3-4). Two-run singles by Tyler Parker and Richard Lewis provided the four runs, narrowing the NC State lead to 5-4.
After the two teams exchanged single runs over the next two half-innings, Tech scored three times in the sixth, to open an 8-6 lead. A sacrifice fly by Lewis put the Jackets ahead, before a two-out double by Brad Stockton gave Tech a two-run lead.
Tech’s bullpen took over at that point, as after NC State loaded the bases against Kevin Cameron (3-1) in the sixth, Andy Mitchell struck out Josh Schmitt to get out of the inning. Mitchell worked a scoreless seventh, before yielding to Jeff Watchko who worked the final two innings to pick up his second save of the year.
The Jackets added three insurance runs in the ninth on a two-run single by Derik Goffena and an RBI single by Victor Menocal.
The two teams will conclude their three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series in Raleigh on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.
