April 30, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format
Dietrich Named to Brooks Wallace Shortstop Watch List
McGuire Names to National Pitcher of the Year Watch List
ATLANTA – After taking the week off for final exams, Georgia Tech’s 10th-ranked baseball team returns to action this weekend when it hosts Presbyterian for a three-game series at Russ Chandler Stadium. Game times are 7 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
The Yellow Jackets (28-11-1) have lost back-to-back games just twice this season, and look to halt their current two-game losing skid this weekend. Tech won the first game of an ACC series at then-No. 20 Clemson a week ago, but lost three-run contests each of the next two days to drop just their second weekend series of the 2009 season.
The Blue Hose (10-31) knocked off No. 19 Coastal Carolina last Saturday and enter the weekend winners of five of their last eight games after beginning the season with a 5-28 record.
Georgia Tech was a consensus preseason top-25 team that moved into the top-10 in the season’s first official polls. The Yellow Jackets have been ranked as high as No. 3 this season (by Collegiate Baseball in March) and currently appear among the top-10 in the following polls: Collegiate Baseball (10), Baseball America (10), Rivals.com (10) and USA Today (10). The NCBWA has the Yellow Jackets ranked No. 14 in this week’s polls.
Pitching Matchup (Georgia Tech vs. Presbyterian)
Friday – 7 p.m.: RHP Deck McGuire (7-0, 2.78) vs. RHP Garrett Moore (0-4, 9.66)
Saturday – 6 p.m.: RHP Zach Von Tersch (6-2, 5.48) vs. RHP Jesse Harmon (3-4, 4.38)
Sunday – 1 p.m.: RHP Brandon Cumpton (2-1, 4.82) vs. RHP Mitchell Odom (3-1, 4.64)
Senior RF Luke Murton (.376-12-43-4), junior 1B Tony Plagman (.343-11-51-4) and freshman 3B Matt Skole (.314-11-38-2) are powering the Yellow Jacket offense in 2009, while sophomore CF Jeff Rowland (.355-5-27-17), senior C Jason Haniger (.338-6-39-2) and senior LF Chris House (.341-3-14-1) have been hot of late.
Game Coverage
The first game of the series will be aired on WREK Radio’s HD-2 Channel (www.wrek.org), while the remaining games can be listened to on 91.1 FM in Atlanta in addition to online at www.wrek.org. Live stats for the entire series will be available at www.ramblinwreck.com.
Sunday’s Game Close to Sold Out
There are a limited number of tickets (less than 70) available for purchase for Sunday’s game against Presbyterian. To purchase tickets prior to game day, contact the Georgia Tech Ticket Office at 888.TECH.TIX or visit www.ramblinwreck.com/tickets.
The baseball team will be giving away posters and signing autographs at the conclusion of Sunday’s game against the Blue Hose. Make sure to stick around to meet the 2009 Yellow Jackets postgame!
Game Cancellation Reminder
A reminder that Georgia Tech’s previously scheduled May 5 game against Alabama A&M was cancelled earlier this season, and all fans holding tickets to that game may use them for any other home Tech baseball game this season. This does NOT include the game vs. Georgia at Turner Field, which is a fundraiser for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. The same holds true for any fans holding tickets to games that were cancelled due to weather earlier this season – those tickets may be used for any of this weekend’s game against Presbyterian or vs. Florida State next weekend.
Tech vs. Presbyterian (Series tied, 2-2)
The two teams will square off on the baseball diamond for the first time in nearly 70 years to break a 2-2 tie in the series. Presbyterian and Georgia Tech first met in 1939, with Tech winning a 10-4 game against the Blue Hose in Atlanta. The following year, Presbyterian evened the series at one game apiece with a one-run win. In 1942, the two teams split a two game series in Atlanta, and those were the last meetings between the Blue Hose and Yellow Jackets. No team has won back-to-back games in the series. All four prior games came on Tech’s home field, but this weekend’s series will be the first at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Haniger Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award Finalist
While catcher Jason Haniger continues to rack up athletic and academic honors, the senior has been recognized for his work off the field and away from the classroom as well. In March, Haniger was named one of 30 candidates for the 2009 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, which recognizes exceptional senior baseball student-athletes that excel in the classroom and competition but also give back to the community and are of honorable character.
On April 15, the list of candidates was narrowed to 10 finalists, and Haniger is one of three ACC baseball players included in the list of finalists for the award. A portion of the vote is decided by fans, who can log onto www.seniorclassaward.com daily to vote, or they may text BSB6 to 839863.
Yellow Jackets in the RPI
Georgia Tech enters the weekend ranked No. 2 in the nation in the latest Pseudo-RPI (source: BoydsWorld.com). (The NCAA releases its RPI just once a week, and the Yellow Jackets are listed No. 2 in the official RPI released on April 26).
The Atlantic Coast Conference is well represented in the most updated RPI, with four teams ranked among the top 10 in the nation. North Carolina, ranked No. 1 in the country in the RPI, leads all conference teams while Georgia Tech, Miami (5), Clemson (7), Virginia (14) and Florida State (19) all rank in the top-25. Only three ACC teams stand outside of the top-75 in the RPI.
Georgia Tech is scheduled to play no fewer than 18 games against teams that currently appear in the top-25 in the RPI this season, with 10 of those contests coming away from Russ Chandler Stadium. Tech is 8-8-1 against teams ranked in the top-25 in the RPI this season.
Presbyterian is currently ranked No. 238 in the RPI.
In terms of schedule strength, Georgia Tech’s is ranked No. 7 while Presbyterian’s schedule stands at No. 247 in the latest rankings.
