THE FLATS – Georgia Tech baseball battled back and forth but ultimately fell in the slugfest to No. 9 Duke, 14-10, on Saturday afternoon at Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium.
The Yellow Jackets (29-19, 13-13 ACC) recorded 15 hits and scored in four different innings, but four home runs and timely hitting late for the ninth-ranked Blue Devils’ (34-15, 15-11 ACC) offense was too much to overcome.
Tech battled out to a 6-1 lead in the second, as Mike Becchetti, Bobby Zmarzlak, Carson Kerce and Matthew Ellis combined to drive in four runs before Trey Yunger belted a two-run homer.
Duke would slowly fight back before exploding the nine runs over the fourth, fifth and sixth. Tech would respond as Ellis would drive in another in the fourth, Payton Green would launch a solo home run in the fifth and John Giesler would tie up the game in the sixth with a two-run single. Tech’s offense would then be stymied after the sixth.
Overall at the plate, Zmarzlak led the way with three hits, while Green, Becchetti, Kerce and Drew Burress all recorded two hits apiece. Both Yunger and Giesler drove in multiple runs on the day.
Starter LHP Cam Jones battled through four innings with four runs crossing against him before four runs scored against RHP Carson Ballard. RHP Ben King and RHP Terry Busse allowed a run apiece in the offensive game before RHP Mason Patel (2-3) went 2.0 innings with two runs scoring in the eighth. Two runs then scored in the ninth on RHP Michal Kovala.
Duke was led by Alex Stone, who drove in four runs on two hits. LHP Gabriel Nard (2-2) received the win, pitching a scoreless seventh. RHP Charlie Beilenson earned his 11th save of the year with 2.0 hitless to close.
Georgia Tech and No. 9 Duke will battle on Sunday, May 12 in the rubber match. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra. Georgia Tech Senior Day festivities begin at 12:30 p.m.