April 19, 2016
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THE FLATS – Mercer used a pair of home runs and timely hitting Tuesday night to knock off the 26th-ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 9-8 at Russ Chandler Stadium.
After taking a 6-5 lead in the 5th inning, Georgia Tech (24-12) squandered its second lead of the game as Mercer (23-15) scored four runs in the 6th.
Georgia Tech is now 14-4 in its last 18 games against in-state rivals, including a 5-2 record this season.
Sophomore Trevor Craport set a career high with four hits, going 4-for-4 with 3 RBI.
THE BASICS
• Georgia Tech is now 17-7 at home this season.
• Georgia Tech is 14-4 in its last 18 games against in-state rivals. Georgia Tech is 5-2 against in-state rivals this season.
• Georgia Tech is 3-11 when allowing six or more runs this season. Offensively, the Jackets are 18-4 when scoring five or more runs in a game.
• While Georgia Tech leads the nation with 54 double plays, it’s been 2B Wade Bailey and SS Connor Justus involved in most of them. Bailey and Justus have combined to turn 32 of Tech’s 54 double plays. Either Bailey or Connor has been involved in 49 of Tech’s 54 double plays.
• Georgia Tech fell to 109-55 all-time vs. Mercer.
• Tuesday marked the 30th different lineup for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in 36 games.
• Georgia Tech is 4-8 in games played in more than three hours.
QUOTEBOARD
“You can’t win games (when you walk 11 batters). It’s unfortunate and, even in doing that, we still had a chance. We stayed in the game. Bailey Combs did a nice job to give us a chance to win. We’re making it way too easy for teams to score runs.” – Georgia Tech head coach Danny Hall
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Tech opened the scoring in the 2nd to take a 2-0 lead. Joey Bart drilled a one-out RBI single up the middle to take a 1-0 lead. Three batters later, Arden Pabst drove in Tech’s second run with an RBI single through the left side.
• Mercer responded with a 5-run 3rd to take a 5-2 lead. Charlie Madden hit a one-out solo home run to center field. After a double and two walks, Blaise Lezynski hit a grand slam to right-center for the 5-2 lead.
• In the bottom of the 3rd, Georgia Tech tied the game at 5-5. Tristin English’s RBI double to right made it 5-3. Two batters later, Craport rapped a 2-RBI single to left-center to push across the tying run.
• Craport’s second RBI single of the night gave Georgia Tech a 6-5 lead in the 5th.
• Mercer took the lead for good in the 6th. Kyle Lewis’ RBI double to center tied the game at 6-6. Madden then gave the Bears a 7-6 lead on an RBI groundout. Ryan Hagan’s RBI double made it 8-6 and Hagan later scored on a wild pitch for a 9-6 lead.
• Georgia Tech took advantage of two walks and passed ball for cut the Mercer lead to 9-7. Gonzalez’s sacrifice fly pulled the Jackets to within one run, 9-8.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Freshman RHP Micah Carpenter made his career-first start on the mound Tuesday night.
• Connor Justus (75 games), Wade Bailey (58 games), Kel Johnson (29 games) and Tristin English (20 games) each extended their career-best consecutive starts streaks Tuesday vs. Mercer.
• Matt Gonzalez made his second start of the season in centerfield. He started in center in Tech’s March 5 win vs. Western Carolina.
• Gonzalez hit his 19th career sacrifice fly which is tops among NCAA active players.
• Georgia Tech recorded 10+ hits for the 21st time this season.
• Sophomore Trevor Craport recorded a career-high four hits.
UP NEXT
No. 26 Georgia Tech will face cross-town rival Georgia State on Wednesday in Panthersville. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. on WREK 91.1 FM.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on Twitter (@GTBaseball), Facebook (facebook.com/GTbaseball) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.
