March 2, 2006
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ATLANTA–Top-ranked Georgia Tech (10-0) hosts Big East foe Rutgers (3-2) for a three-game series this weekend at Russ Chandler Stadium. The Yellow Jackets, who have the longest active winning streak in the nation, ascended to the No. 1 national ranking in the USA Today/ESPN coaches’ poll this week. Tech is ranked No. 1 in the nation for the 11th time in school history.
The Yellow Jackets are off to a 10-0 start in 2006, and most recently defeated sixth-ranked Tennessee and Virginia Commonwealth last weekend in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
After allowing 25 runs in the its first three games, the Georgia Tech pitching staff has allowed just 15 runs in the last seven games (2.10 ERA; 60 IP, 14 ER). The weekend starting rotation of Blake Wood, Lee Hyde and Tim Ladd has allowed just five runs in its last 27.1 innings.
Tech’s offense has been led by 1B Whit Robbins (.375-2-20), 3B Wes Hodges (.417-1-7) and RF Jeff Kindel (.359-2-12).
Pitching Matchups (GT vs. Rutgers)
Fri. vs. Tennessee: RHP Blake Wood (3-0, 3.94) vs. RHP Steve Holt (1-0, 4.63)
Sat. vs. VCU: LHP Lee Hyde (1-0, 2.57) vs. RHP Matt Giannini (0-1, 9.00)
Sun. vs. Coastal Carolina: LHP Tim Ladd (1-0, 3.52) vs. LHP Matt Pustay (0-0, 27.00)
GAME COVERAGE: Live statistics on the internet will be available at www.ramblinwreck.com.
Georgia Tech vs. Rutgers
Georgia Tech leads Rutgers, 25-9, in a series that dates to 1988. All 34 games in the series have been played in Atlanta.
The Yellow Jackets and Scarlet Knights have played on a regular basis since Danny Hall arrived as Tech’s head coach in 1994. The two teams have played seven three-game series in the last 12 years. This year’s series will be the fourth straight year that the two clubs have played.
Last year in Atlanta, Tech and Rutgers split a rain-shortened two-game series. The Yellow Jackets won the opener, 11-6, and the Scarlet Knights took game two, 10-9, in 13 innings.
Georgia Tech is 8-3 against Rutgers since 2000. Three of those 11 games have gone to extra innings.
Jackets Achieve No. 1 National Ranking
Georgia Tech is ranked as the No. 1 team in the nation in the latest USA Today/ESPN coaches’ poll released on Monday. The Yellow Jackets are 10-0 to start the 2006 season, and Georgia Tech has the longest active winning streak in the nation.
Georgia Tech is ranked as the top team in the country for the 11th time in school history, including six times in 13 years under head coach Danny Hall. Tech’s last No. 1 ranking came on March 28, 2005. The Yellow Jackets are ranked No. 1 for the fifth time since 2000. .
Pitching Staff Shines in Last Seven Games
After allowing 25 runs in its first three games, Georgia Tech’s pitching staff excelled in the last seven games. The Yellow Jackets have allowed just 15 runs in that span, one of which was unearned (2.10 ERA, 60 IP, 14 ER).
Tech’s starting rotation of Blake Wood (11 IP, 3 R), Lee Hyde (11.2 IP, 2 R) and Tim Ladd (5 IP, 0 R) have combined to work 27.2 innings and have allowed just five earned runs over the last two weekends.
Swinging the Big Sticks
The Yellow Jackets led the ACC with a .319 team batting average during the 2004 season and a .333 team average in 2005. Tech has hit over .300 as a team in 19 of the last 21 years, and has averaged at least seven runs per game every year since 1981. Tech has led the ACC in batting in six years (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005) under Danny Hall.
The Jackets are batting .301 in their first 10 games of 2006. Tech has scored 82 runs in 10 games (8.2 runs per game).
