March 9, 2003
ATLANTA – Mike Nickeas and Brandon Boggs both hit solo home runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift top-ranked Georgia Tech (14-0) to a 7-5 victory over visiting Rutgers (1-7) on Sunday afternoon at Russ Chandler Stadium. The win gave the Yellow Jackets a three-game sweep of the Scarlet Knights in the weekend series.
Georgia Tech’s 14-game winning streak to open 2003 stands as the school’s second best mark to start a season. The Yellow Jackets set a school record with a 16-0 start in 1987.
With the score tied 5-5 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Nickeas belted a solo home run to right field, his third of the season. Two batters later, Boggs hit a solo homer inside the right field foul pole, his fifth of the year, to give the Yellow Jackets a 7-5 lead.
Tech reliever Aaron Walker (1-0) earned the win by working three scoreless innings to close out the game. The southpaw allowed two hits and did not walk a batter, allowing just three Rutgers’ hitters to reach base over the final three innings.
Rutgers’ Sean Atchison (0-1), who allowed just one run on one hit in 3.1 innings, took the loss.
Boggs, Steven Blackwood, Tyler Greene and Matt Murton each had two hits in the game for the Yellow Jackets, who outhit the Scarlet Knights, 12-8. Vinny Esposito and Nick Cerulo paced the Rutgers attack with two hits apiece.
The Yellow Jackets jumped to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with a RBI double from Jeremy Slayden and a two-run homer form Murton, his third of the season. The Scarlet Knights scored two runs in the top of the third inning when Cerulo singled and scored on a RBI groundout from Graig Badger and Lee Moskowitz walked and scored on a wild pitch.
Tech answered with a run in the bottom of the third inning when Blackwood led off with a double, took third on Slayden’s groundout and scored on Murton’s sacrifice fly to center field. Eric Patterson singled to lead off the fifth inning, then stole second and third bases before Blackwood drove him in with a RBI single to right field.
Trailing 5-2, Rutgers tied the game in the top of the sixth inning with a three run homer from Cerulo, his first of the season.
Neither starting pitcher figured in the decision. Tech’s Jason Neighborgall allowed three runs on three hits in five innings, while Rutgers’ Tom Malifronte surrendered five runs on 10 hits in four innings.
The Yellow Jackets improved to 8-0 at home in 2003, and they are now 44-4 at Russ Chandler Stadium since the facility was rebuilt prior to the 2002 season.
Georgia Tech will return to action on Tuesday when the Yellow Jackets visit Auburn at 7 p.m. EST. Radio coverage will be available on WREK-Radio (91.1 FM in Atlanta). The radio broadcast and live statistics for the game will be available on the internet at www.ramblinwreck.com.
