Feb. 10, 2002
STATESBORO, Ga. – Jason Perry, Tyler Parker and Jeremy Slayden hit consecutive home runs to lead 13th-ranked Georgia Tech (2-0) to a 7-4 victory over Georgia Southern on Sunday afternoon at J.I. Clements Stadium, completing a two-game series sweep for the Yellow Jackets.
The win was Tech’s 15th straight victory in the series with Georgia Southern, and it marked the Yellow Jackets’ 12th straight win over the Eagles in Statesboro.
Tech’s Jeff Watchko (1-0), making his first start in two years, picked up his first victory of the season after allowing two runs on five hits in five innings of work. He struck out three batters and issued one walk. Brian Burks picked up his first save of the season after tossing the final four innings of the game and allowing two runs. Burks retired 10 batters in a row to close out the game.
The Yellow Jackets took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning without the aid of a hit. Matthew Boggs led off the game with a walk, took second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored when Matt Murton reached on an error. The Eagles immediately answered in the bottom of the first inning, trimming the lead to 2-1 with a RBI single from Matt Herring.
Tech’s Brandon Boggs led off the fourth inning with a double off the right field wall and eventually scored on a wild pitch to make the score 3-1.
The Yellow Jackets added three more runs in the fifth inning, pushing the lead to 6-1. Jason Perry, Tyler Parker and Jeremy Slayden hit back-to-back-to-back solo home runs to lead off the inning, marking the first time the Yellow Jackets accomplished the feat since May of 2000.
The Eagles responded with three runs in their half of the sixth, cutting the Tech lead to 6-4. Carlos Love delivered a RBI groundout before Matt Hammond belted a pinch hit, two-out, two-run homer over the right-center field fence.
Tech immediately answered with a run in the top of the seventh, making the score 7-4. Brandon Boggs belted a double down the left field line with one out before coming around to score on Eric Patterson’s two-out triple to right field. Boggs finished the afternoon with three hits, including two doubles, in five at bats.
GSU starter Dennis Dove (0-1) took the loss, allowing two runs before being removed after just one inning of work.
Georgia Tech will return to action next weekend when the Yellow Jackets host Tennessee Tech in the first regular season games at the new Russ Chandler Stadium. The series begins on Friday at 3 p.m., and continues on Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. each day.
