THE FLATS – Senior first baseman John Giesler launched a go-ahead three-run homer in the sixth, paving the way for Georgia Tech baseball to down Georgia Southern, 5-4, on Wednesday afternoon at Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium. Sweeping the two-game series, Tech is now 16-1 in its last 17 matchups against Southern.
The Yellow Jackets (20-11) battled on the mound for four innings before the Eagles (18-15) struck first, hitting two solo home runs in the fifth.
Payton Green then responded with a solo home run of his own in the bottom of the fifth before Matthew Ellis kicked off the four-run sixth with an RBI single through the right side to knot it up at 2-2. Ellis drove home Drew Burress, who reached on his ninth double of the season.
Giesler then delivered the final blow as he launched the 1-0 pitch for his second home run in as many games.
On the mound, Tech was able to turn to a variety of arms for quality appearances on the staff day. RHP Logan McGuire got the start and went the first two innings with two strikeouts. Freshman RHP Michal Kovala then struck out two more in the third and fourth innings without surrendering a run before the two runs scored against RHP Terry Busse in the fifth.
RHP Brett Thomas (2-0) got his second win of the season pitching the sixth and striking out the side, while redshirt freshman RHP Riley Stanford worked a clean seventh. RHP Ben King closed the final two innings, getting the first save of his career, holding steady through a two-run attempted rally by the Eagles.
Georgia Southern was led by Cade Parker, who went 4-for-4 with two home runs. RHP Garrett Mackowiak (0-1) received the loss, allowing three runs on three hits in 1.2 innings of work.
Georgia Tech continues its homestand by hosting No. 16-ranked Virginia Tech in a three-game series, beginning Friday, April 12. First pitch on Friday is set for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra.
Multimedia:
Postgame Press Conference (Coach Hall, John Giesler)
Around Social Media
✅ 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐩#WreckHavoc x #StingEm pic.twitter.com/3oN12wEO4g
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) April 10, 2024
King keeps dealin'!@bwking46 | #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/2AABPsGSQ3
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) April 10, 2024
Nasty pitch to get out of trouble for @rileystanford15!#WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/Fdq6RdsZRj
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) April 10, 2024
TALK TO ME GOOSE!! 💣💣💣@john_giesler | #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/5jsFV2QLl6
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) April 10, 2024
Stay 🔥 Ellis! @matthew_ellis35 laces one through the right side to tie up the game! pic.twitter.com/6jq2PK3XZR
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) April 10, 2024
Brett Thomas with back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the inning 😤 pic.twitter.com/aLFsHkGuPH
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) April 10, 2024
ON THE BOARD!! @PaytonG08 blasts one outta here!#WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/KVfiPUDYuQ
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) April 10, 2024
.@mynameismiggi gets the lineout double play and a strikeout to keep it scoreless in the third! pic.twitter.com/j5KcVRcE6F
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) April 10, 2024
White pinstripes tonight 😍#WreckHavoc x #StingEm pic.twitter.com/f5DNkXJmEN
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) April 10, 2024
