Box Score (.pdf) | Photo Gallery
THE FLATS – Junior RHP Dawson Brown set the tone from the get-go in a close one early that No. 22 Georgia Tech baseball blew open to defeat Tennessee Tech 12-3 on Friday afternoon at Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium.
The Yellow Jackets (5-0) got six innings and a career-high 12 strikeouts from Brown (1-0), before he handed the ball to RHP Ben King. In his second appearance since returning from injury, King was once again dominant, striking out five in 2.0 innings and allowing just one hit.
LHP Dalton Smith then slammed the door in his first appearance of the season, allowing just one hit and adding one more strikeout to give the Georgia Tech pitching staff 18 total on the day – 16 of them swinging.
At the plate, Tech found ways to respond to early attacks from the Golden Eagles (2-3). After falling behind on a solo homer, reigning National Player of the Week Jake DeLeo hit his fourth home run of the season, a two-run blast to put Tech out in front.
Then, after TTU retook the lead in the sixth, Jackson Finley mashed his first collegiate home run to plate three and put the Jackets on top permanently. Angelo Dispigna then put the game out of reach in the eighth with his first home run as a Yellow Jacket, a grand slam that went 422 feet onto Georgia Tech’s campus.
Overall, Finley led the way, going 4-for-5 with a double, home run and four RBI. Dispigna, DeLeo, John Giesler and Jadyn Jackson all had two-hit days with Nicholas Romano drawing an RBI walk and Stephen Reid hitting a sac fly.
Tennessee Tech was led by Eddie Garza, who hit two solo home runs. RHP Peyton Calitri (1-1) received the loss, allowing four runs on four hits in five innings.
Georgia Tech will move on to Game 2 against the Golden Eagles on Saturday, Feb. 25. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra.
Postgame Notes:
- Georgia Tech starts the season 5-0 for the first time since 2017;
- Georgia Tech fell one strikeout shy of tying the program record of 19 in a nine-inning game (1975 vs. Earlham and 1989 vs. Augusta). It’s the seventh time since 2019 that Tech has struck out 18.
- Dawson Brown’s 12 strikeouts are the most by a Yellow Jacket since Brant Hurter struck out 13 against Northwestern on March 2, 2019.
Multimedia:
Postgame Press Conference (Coach Hall, Dawson Brown, Jackson Finley)
Around Social Media
✅ Game 1
✅ 5-0 pic.twitter.com/kgCDCJ2KyT— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 24, 2023
Pitching staff put in work today 💪
18 K's 🔥
16 swinging K's ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/0TybaMSqym— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 24, 2023
.@Nicholas9Romano walks in a run before Jackson Finley hits an RBI single
Jackets lead 12-3 in the eighth pic.twitter.com/qwajBRSDJm
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 24, 2023
ANGELO DISPIGNA, WELCOME TO FIJI ISLAND!! GRAND SLAM!!@AngeloDiSpigna | #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/VVXHxTfsvg
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 24, 2023
👋👋👋 guys pic.twitter.com/o4sRNumKAQ
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 24, 2023
5️⃣ strikeouts for King and 1️⃣7️⃣ for the staff 😯@bwking46 | #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/iJ4GlMV7Kf
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 24, 2023
Tech tacks on one more on a @stephennreid sac fly
Jackets lead 6-3 heading to the eighth pic.twitter.com/1gX3fLIe1A
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 24, 2023
The Amazing Slider-Man 😤😤@bwking46 | #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/e0kRBJj0sj
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 24, 2023
AN ABSOLUTE NUKE AND TECH LEADS!
Jackson Finley | #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/anGgAQgHcu
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 24, 2023
Make that 1️⃣1️⃣ strikeouts for Dawson 😯@DBrown3527 | #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/GCVQsvKBnW
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 24, 2023
9️⃣ strikeouts in 1️⃣3️⃣ batters 😱😱😱@DBrown3527 | #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/V2CkUMnue5
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 24, 2023
That's National Player of the Week Jake Deleo to you 🔥🔥🔥@jake_deleo | #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/gcVaCB02QR
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 24, 2023
Dawson is dealin'! Make that 7️⃣ K's through three innings 💪#DBrown3527 | #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/oCvWqKMq08
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 24, 2023
No better crew in the game 😤@GT_GroundsCrew | #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/loOmifvW3S
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 24, 2023
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