March 15, 2014
Box Score | GT Photo Gallery (Game 2)
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech stormed back from down 6-0 in the third inning, scoring 13 of the game’s final 14 runs and beating No. 22 Miami, 13-7, Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Daniel Spingola was 4-for-4 with three RBI and scored three times, while Matt Gonzalez’s RBI double put the Jackets on top for good during a seven-run eighth inning that proved to be the difference. The win allowed Tech (10-8, 2-3) to even its ACC series versus the Hurricanes (11-8, 4-1).
With its sights set on a series win, Miami seized control of the game with two runs in the first and four more in the third to take a 6-0 lead. But Georgia Tech’s bullpen went to work and the offense chipped away at the deficit.
Tech got two back in third, two more in the fourth and drew even in the fifth when Spingola ripped a two-run single up the middle with two outs. Hyde knocked in runs during the third and fourth innings to help fuel Tech’s game-tying rally.
Miami, though, edged back in front in the seventh when David Thompson walked, moved to second on a fielder’s choice, to third on a wild pitch and scored on a fielder’s choice from Edgar Michelangeli.
The Jackets would send 12 batters to the plate during a seven-run, seven-hit uprising in the eighth and take the lead for good.
Ten consecutive Jackets reached after the first batter was retired in the inning. Connor Justus’ RBI single up the middle tied the game for the second time, and Gonzalez hammered an RBI double to left-center, giving Tech its first lead of the series.
Finally in front, the Jackets kept the pedal to the metal in the eighth as Keenan Innis ripped an RBI double down the left-field line, Brandon Gold followed with two-run double to the gap in left, Spingola drove in a run with single up the middle and Hyde’s RBI infield single capped the scoring.
Sam Clay fired three scoreless, hitless innings with two strikeouts to close out the game and earn his first (1-0), while Matthew Gorst gave the Jackets three hitless innings in relief of starter Matthew Grimes. Miami reliever Javi Salas allowed two runs on two hits over 2.1 innings and was hung the loss.
Hyde also had three of the Jackets’ 14 hits and drove in three runs. Gold had a pair of doubles and scored twice.
