March 4, 2004
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ATLANTA–Georgia Tech (6-4), ranked 12th in the nation by USA Today/Baseball Weekly, looks to snap a four game losing skid when the Yellow Jackets host Rutgers (3-3) for a three-game series this weekend at Russ Chandler Stadium. The series begins on Friday at 4 p.m., and continues on Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. each day.
The Yellow Jackets opened the year 6-0 before dropping four straight games away from home against Southern California, No. 13 Cal State Fullerton, Oklahoma and No. 9 Auburn.
Following this weekend’s series, the Yellow Jackets continue their 10-game homestand next Tuesday and Wednesday against Western Carolina at 4 p.m. each day. The homestand also includes games against Virginia and Purdue.
Game Coverage: Live statistics will be available on the internet at www.ramblinwreck.com.
LEADING OFF … NEWS & NOTES ON THE YELLOW JACKETS
*** Georgia Tech is ranked as high as No. 12 in the nation by Baseball Weekly … Tech has been ranked in the preseason Top 25 by at least one of the three major polls (Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball and Baseball Weekly) in all 11 seasons under head coach Danny Hall … The Yellow Jackets have been ranked in the preseason Top 10 in seven of the last nine seasons, including a Top 5 ranking in three of the last four years.
*** Tech has struggled offensively in its current four-game losing streak. The Yellow Jackets have hit .183 and scored just seven runs in the last four games, and Tech is just 2-for-34 with runners in scoring position over that stretch. For the season, Tech’s team batting average has dipped below the .300 mark at .276.
*** Head coach Danny Hall has used nine different starting lineups in 10 games this season.
*** Tech has used 14 different pitchers in the first 10 games of the season, including 12 pitchers who have made at least three appearances.
*** Tech’s bullpen is 1-0 with three saves and a 3.60 ERA in 35 innings, holding opponents to a .183 batting average. Of Tech’s 35 innings in relief this year, a total of 20.1 have been thrown by freshmen pitchers.
GEORGIA TECH VS. RUTGERS
*** Georgia Tech leads Rutgers, 22-7, in a series that dates to 1988. All 29 games in the series have been played at Russ Chandler Stadium
*** The Yellow Jackets and Scarlet Knights have been regular opponents in recent years. This year’s series will mark the fourth time in the last six years that the two clubs have met for a three-game series.
*** Tech swept a three-game series from Rutgers last season at Russ Chandler Stadium, winning a pair of tight contests in the final two games of the series. Tech won 11-6 in the series opener behind a home run and four RBI from Mike Nickeas. The Yellow Jackets won game two of the series, 6-5 in 10 innings, after a RBI single from Nickeas tied the game in the 10th and Steven Blackwood delivered a pinch hit home run to win the game in the 10th. Tech swept the series with a 7-5 win in the finale, as Nickeas and Brandon Boggs each homered in the eighth inning to break a 5-5 tie.
*** Tech is 12-3 against Rutgers under head coach Danny Hall.
Starting Pitcher Notes
Friday: Micah Owings (rhp) 2-1, 2.84 ERA
Sophomore right-hander Micah Owings, a first-team preseason All-America selection by Baseball America, will start the series opener against Rutgers on Friday afternoon. Owings, who became Tech’s No. 1 starter over the final month of the 2003 season, will be making his 16th career start.
Owings worked seven innings and allowed just one earned run in each of his first two starts to earn wins over Georgia Southern and Villanova before struggling in his most recent start against USC last weekend (5 IP, 4 R, 4 BB, 8 K’s). For the season, Owings is 2-1 with a 2.84 ERA. In 19 innings he has struck out 18 batters and holds opponents to a .239 batting average. Owings went the first 14 innings of the year before allowing a walk.
Saturday: Brian Burks (rhp) 1-1, 3.00 ERA
Senior Brian Burks will get the starting assignment on Saturday against Rutgers. A versatile and veteran member of the Tech pitching staff, Burks has made 77 career appearances including 19 starts and 58 relief stints. He begins the 2004 season as a member of the weekend rotation after working primarily as a reliever in 2003.
For his career, Burks is 20-10 with 13 saves. He is currently ranked seventh in Tech history in both career saves (13) and appearances (77), and he is ranked third in school history in fewest walks per nine innings (2.40).
Burks struggled in his first start of the season at Georgia Southern on Feb. 15, allowing four runs in four innings of work before being removed from the game. The veteran bounced back with a solid effort two weeks ago aganist Villanova, working five innings and holding the Wildcats to just one run while tying a career high with eight strikeouts. He was a tough luck loser in his last start againt Cal State Fullerton (6 IP, 1 ER).
Sunday: Andrew Kown (rhp) 1-1, 3.00 ERA
Junior Andrew Kown will make his third start of the season in Tech’s final game of the Rutger series.
The right-hander made his first start of the season two weeks ago against Villanova. He dominated the Wildcat hitters for six innings, allowing one run on five hits in six innings. He struck out a career-high 11 batters, including 10 looking. He struggled in his most recent start against Oklahoma (5 IP, 4 R).
Kown has made seven previous starts in his career and he is 4-2 in those contests.
*** Rutgers will start RHP Jack Egbert (1-0, 4.05 ERA) on Friday, LHP Shaun Parker (1-1, 4.15) on Saturday, and RHP Erik Dial (0-1, 5.19) on Sunday.
