Feb. 17, 2015
TECH STARTERS: Spingola/CF, Smith/1B, Johnson/RF, Gonzalez/LF, Murray/DH, Justus/SS, Pabst/C, Gold/3B, Bailey/2B, Schniederjans/SP.
GA SOUTHERN STARTERS: Adams/CF, Mizell/RF, Griffin/C, Cleveland/1B, Hudgins/3B, Thomas/LF, Busby/SS, Duffie/DH, Howard/2B, Frederick/SP.
THE BASICS:
• Georgia Tech improved to 3-1 this season with a come-from-behind, 7-4 victory at Georgia Southern (3-1) Tuesday night at J.I. Clements Stadium in Statesboro, Ga.
• Tech trailed 4-1 in the seventh before freshman Kel Johnson launched a towering, grand-slam home run off the scoreboard in left field.
• Freshman Wade Bailey tacked on insurance with a two-run double in the eighth.
• The Yellow Jackets drew first blood when Bailey’s squeeze bunt scored A.J. Murray in the second inning.
• The hosts seized control with four runs over the middle three innings.
• Sophomore Zac Ryan pitched a shutout over the final 3.1 innings to earn the win (1-0).
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
• The grand slam by Johnson gives the rookie three home runs in his first four games as a Yellow Jacket. He becomes the first Tech rookie to hit a grand slam since Matt Simonds on March 7, 2009 versus Maryland.
• The reigning ACC Player of the Week, Johnson’s four-game hitting streak to open the season has included at least one extra-base hit in every game. He’s hitting .474 (9-for-19) with three doubles, three homers and nine RBI.
• Bailey finished the night 3-for-3 with a walk and three RBI. He is off to a 5-for-9 start in his career.
• Sophomore Brandon Gold had Tech’s other multi-hit game. He was 2-for-4 and is six for his first 10 this season.
• Nine of the 11 runs in the game were scored with two outs.
• Sophomore Ben Schniederjans earned his first career start and allowed three runs with four strikeouts over four innings.
• Ryan was credited with his second career win by pitching the final 3.1 innings of scoreless relief. He also earned the save in Tech’s 7-4 win over Fordham on Saturday.
• Tech has trailed at some point in all three of its wins this year.
QUOTEABLE:
• “Both freshmen had huge hits tonight. Kel got a hanging breaking ball to put us ahead and I thought Wade’s hit with the bases loaded was huge to just give us some breathing room. I was really happy with Zac Ryan. I thought he was outstanding tonight.”
UP NEXT:
• The Yellow Jackets are in Myrtle Beach this weekend for the 17th annual Caravelle Resort’s Baseball at the Beach. Tech battles FIU Friday at 12 p.m., Albany at 11 a.m. on Saturday and host Coastal Carolina Sunday at 3 p.m.
