April 25, 2018
THE FLATS – The Yellow Jackets scored the first run of the game and the last run of the game, but were outscored 8-1 over six innings in between to fall to the No. 20 Georgia Bulldogs 8-3 at Russ Chandler Stadium on Wednesday night.
Two-strike and two-out hitting proved to be the difference in the game, as the Bulldogs had five base hits with 0-2 counts and scored five of their eight runs with two outs in the inning. Tech had just one run with two outs for the game.
Georgia Tech did record double-digit hits on the night, however, all 10 were singles. A quartet of Jackets in Colin Hall (2-for-4, 2 RBIs, run), Chase Murray (2-for-4, run), Joey Bart (2-for-4, BB) and Oscar Serratos (2-for-3, BB, run) all had two hits apiece in the loss, while Kyle McCann (1-for-4, RBI, BB) had one RBI in the contest.
Georgia, which had five extra base hits, including a pair of home runs, was led offensively by LJ Talley (2-for-3, HR, 2 RBIs, run), Tucker Maxwell (2-for-3, HR, 2B, BB, 3 RBIs, run), Aaron Schunk (4-for-5, 2B, RBI, run) and Keegan McGovern (2-for-4, RBI, 2 runs).
Freshman pitcher Brant Hurter (4-3) suffered the loss for the Jackets. The tall-lefty allowed four runs on eight hits and three walks, while striking out six in 6.0 innings of work.
The win fell to Georgia reliever Zak Kristofac (3-1), as the righty gave up just one run on one hit, two walks and one strikeout over 1.2 innings out of the bullpen.
Both teams looked to get on the scoreboard first, as the visiting Bulldogs stranded a runner on second in the first inning and two men on in the second, while the Jackets left one on third in the bottom half of the first inning when a line drive double play back to the pitcher ended the inning.
However, the Jackets broke through in the bottom of the second on a two-out RBI single off the bat of Hall to put the White and Gold in front 1-0 after two innings of play.
The visitors in red and black would score the next run of the game, tying the score up at 1-1 on a solo home run to right field from Maxwell in the top of the fifth.
The scoring continued for the Bulldogs in the next inning, as Georgia took advantage of an infield single, a single to left field and a hit batter to pick up a sacrifice fly and then back-to-back two-out RBI base hits to take the lead at 4-1 midway through the sixth.
The Jackets got one run back in the bottom half of the inning on a fielder’s choice RBI ground out by Hall to cut the Georgia lead to two at 4-2 heading into the seventh.
In the top of the seventh, UGA came through with another two-out base hit, this time an RBI single off the bat of Schunk to push the visitors back out in front by three at 5-2.
The Bulldogs pulled away late with a three-run eighth highlighted by a two-run home run by Talley to extend its lead to six at 8-2.
Tech pushed across one run in the bottom of the ninth on an RBI single by McCann, but couldn’t overcome the deficit in the 8-3 home loss.
Georgia has now won five-straight over the Jackets. It is the longest winning streak by either team in the series since Tech won five-straight over the Bulldogs from 2010-11.
Georgia Tech (22-20, 9-12 ACC) will remain at home to host Wake Forest (19-23, 10-11 ACC) this weekend in ACC play. Friday night’s game has been moved to a 7 p.m. start time. Saturday’s contest is set for a 4 p.m. start, while first pitch for Sunday’s game is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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