May 8, 2011
CHICAGO – The 10th-ranked Georgia Tech baseball team (33-14) pounded out 18 hits, and clinched its 10th series of the season with a 10-2 victory over Illinois-Chicago (22-21) Sunday afternoon at Les Miller Field. Monday’s finale has been moved to a 1 p.m. (EST) start.
All nine Tech starters recorded at least one hit to lead the Yellow Jackets to their second largest output of the season. The 18 hits were the most since the squad lashed out 19 against Rutgers on March 4th.
“We swung the bat well today, especially early on,” head coach Danny Hall said. “I thought I saw it coming late in the game last night. We made some adjustments in practice this week [mainly shortened our swings] and it was good to see all our guys get in there and get some hits.”
Junior Jacob Esch (4-for-5, 1 RBI) and freshman Mott Hyde (3-for-3, 2 RBI) paced the team at the plate. Esch’s four hits tied a career-high and included his team-leading 19th double of the season.
The Jackets recorded 12 of the 18 base-knocks through the first three innings to jump out to a 7-0 advantage against UIC starter Matt Heaslip.
Freshman catcher Zane Evans brought across the game’s first run with a bases loaded single to the middle infield before freshman Mott Hyde drove in the next two with a single to right field in the first inning.
Junior Matt Skole’s team-leading 46th RBI of the season, a sacrifice fly to center field in the second frame, and 2-out RBI singles by Hyde, sophomore Brandon Thomas and freshman DeAndre Smelter in the third accounted for the rest of the early scoring.
Junior left-hander Jed Bradley earned the win on the mound, his third straight victory, after scattering two runs on five hits over six innings. Bradley improved to 6-2 on the year while working on a pitch count.
“Jed was real good early. He had the one inning he didn’t pitch like I wanted him to, but once we got the lead I wanted to get him out and get those other guys in there for an inning here and there and it worked out great.”
His only faulty inning came in the bottom of the fourth as Illinois-Chicago loaded the bases on back-to-back singles by Alex DeLarosa and Jason Ganek, followed by walk by Bradley issued to Matt Serna. UIC first baseman Joe Betcher drove a single to left field for the Flames first run of the game. The home side scored another run on the next at-bat with a sacrifice fly to centerfield by John Ryan that cut the lead to 7-2.
Tech added two more runs in the sixth inning on a sacrifice from junior Jake Davies and an infield single by Evans that lifted Heaslip from the game.
Heaslip (2-5) was credited with the loss after allowing nine runs on 16 hits over 5 2/3 innings.
The Jacket bullpen was solid for the second straight game, as sophomore Clay Dalton and seniors Taylor Wood and Kevin Jacob held the Flames hitless in three innings of relief.
Tech’s relievers have not allowed any hits in six innings of work this weekend.
Wood and Jacob received their diplomas on Sunday despite being absent from graduation in Atlanta.
Game Notes:
Tech’s 18 hits were its second most this season, and the mostsince the team had 19 against Rutgers on March 4.
Junior Jacob Esch tied a career-high in hits with four; it was thesecond time this season, third in his career that he had fourhits.
Esch’s 19 doubles this season are the second most in the ACC.
Junior Jed Bradley has won three straight games.
Bradley has allowed just four runs (three earned) in his last threestarts (22 IP), good for an ERA of 1.23 during the stretch.
Head coach Danny Hall was tossed from the game in the top of the 7thinning for arguing a questionable fair ball call at first base.
-RamblinWreck.com-
