Feb. 23, 2014
THE FLATS – Matt Gonzalez and Ryan Peurifoy each had three hits and Mott Hyde and Elliott Barzilli each drove in three runs as Georgia Tech completed the sweep of UNC Greensboro with a 12-3 rout on Sunday at Russ Chandler Stadium.
BUY TICKETS: $2 TUESDAY vs. KENNESAW STATE
The Yellow Jackets pounded out a season-high 18 hits, including 10 for extra bases, and never looked back after a seven-run, seven-hit fourth inning broke the scoreless tie. The sweep – Tech’s first since taking three from Boston College last March – improved the Jackets to 4-3.
“I told the team after the game that I felt like we made a lot of progress this week and that we’re a better team now than we were last week,” said head coach Danny Hall.
Hyde homered and doubled, Peurifoy doubled and tripled, and five other Jackets picked up doubles as Tech’s seven two-baggers were one shy of tying the team’s single-game record of eight.
Josh Heddinger fanned six against no walks over his 5.1 innings and picked up his first win (1-1). Devin Stanton, Matt Grimes and DeAndre Smelter each pitched in relief to close out the victory. Tech pitchers struck out eight and did not issue a walk Sunday.
“We have a lot of guys capable of throwing, and we have some lefties that we can match up with,” said Hall. “Devin did a nice job, and I thought Smelter threw the ball well in the ninth. That depth in the bullpen is going to help us going forward.”
Barzilli scorched a double down the left-field line with one out in the fourth inning, driving in both Gonzalez and Arden Pabst to give Tech a lead it would not relinquish. Hyde followed in the next at bat with opposite-field, two-run bomb to right as the Jackets kept their foot on the gas.
Tech sent 11 batters to the plate during the marathon fourth inning, which also featured an RBI double down the right-field line from Daniel Spingola and the second homer of the season from Smith.
After the Spartans (1-4) got two runs back in the fifth, Hyde hammered an RBI double down the line in left and Peurifoy ripped an RBI triple into the gap in left to regain the seven-run cushion.
An RBI single from Pabst in the sixth made it 10-2, and the Jackets capped the scoring in the eighth with consecutive RBI singles from Mitch Earnest and Barzilli.
Every starter in the lineup had at least one hit, and Gonzalez, Barzilli and Hyde each scored two runs.
Lee Gilliam lasted only 3.2 innings for UNCG and absorbed the loss (0-1). Jordan McDonald had two hits and drove in two runs for the visitors.
Tech returns to action Tuesday versus Kennesaw State at Russ Chandler Stadium on “$2 Tuesdays.” Tickets, hot dogs, sodas and Old Mill Kettle Corn are just $2. For more information, click here or call 1-888-TECH-TIX.
