DH-1 Box Score (.pdf) | DH-2 Box Score (.pdf)
BLACKSBURG, Va. – No. 11 Georgia Tech baseball swept the Saturday doubleheader to take its seventh-straight ACC series, downing Virginia Tech 7-5, 4-3 at English Field.
The Yellow Jackets (27-13, 13-8 ACC) picked up two saves for its bullpen and manufactured offense in key moments to outlast the hard-nosed Hokies (22-18, 7-14 ACC).
Georgia Tech will now return home to play its next seven games in Atlanta. First up is the Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate rubber match on Tuesday at SunTrust Park, the home of the Atlanta Braves. First pitch against nationally ranked UGA is set for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra.
Game 1: Georgia Tech 7, Virginia Tech 5
Georgia Tech opened the day by grinding out a 7-5 victory over Virginia Tech, leading by as many as four runs before the Hokies scored two in the seventh to make things interesting.
Starter LHP Connor Thomas (6-1) worked a containable day, allowing four earned runs on 10 hits over eight innings of work, punching out nine on the day and issuing just one walk. With just a two-run lead, the Jackets turned to RHP Tristin English to close and he did so by retiring the side, getting his fourth save of the season.
The Hokies used eight pitchers total on the day with LHP Chris Gerard (3-1) receiving the loss after surrendering two earned runs on four hits, issuing three walks on the day.
At the plate, the Yellow Jackets got three multi-hit performances and RBI from five of nine in the lineup. Colin Hall continues to string together quality at-bats, finishing 2-for-3 with two walks and also three runs himself. Baron Radcliff and Jackson Webb also finished with two hits with Webb knocking in a run as well.
VT’s offensive production came from the top of the order where Jack Owens and Nick Biddison combined for six hits.
Game 2: Georgia Tech 4, Virginia Tech 3
Senior RHP Micah Carpenter continued his recent impressive play by entering the ninth inning with bases loaded and managing to get out of the jam and power Georgia Tech to a 4-3 nail-biting win over Virginia Tech in a rainy game two of the doubleheader.
The Yellow Jackets took a no-hitter into the eighth inning, thanks largely to five outstanding innings of work from relief RHP Jonathan Hughes (6-2), who struck out six overall, and a hitless 2.2 innings to start for LHP Brant Hurter. The Hokies used six pitchers on the afternoon with Ryan Metz (1-5) receiving the loss.
Offensively, Tech scored all of its runs over the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to give it a 4-0 lead. The Jackets got great production from Baron Radcliff, who went 3-for-4 on the night with an RBI, run and walk, while Nick Wilhite also went 2-for-3 for the go-ahead RBI in the fifth. The Hokies were held to just three hits total on the day.
Probably the biggest moment of the afternoon was when Charlie Benson pinch hit for Chase Murray mid-count, who was the designated hitter all day, and singled to left center to score what would be the deciding run in the seventh.
Postgame Notes:
- #CardiacJackets improved to 8-4 in one-run ballgames.
- Georgia Tech is 7-3 in its last 10 games.
- Georgia Tech won its sixth-consecutive ACC series, accomplishing the feat for the first time since 2005.
- Michael Guldberg made his second and third starts of the year in the field, playing at first.
- Micah Carpenter got his first career save when he entered the ninth inning of game two with the bases loaded and retired three of the four batters he faced (walk).
- Jonathan Hughes received two decision wins this week after receiving the win against No. 23 Auburn on April 16.
Multimedia:
Head Coach Danny Hall Postgame Interview
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