March 1, 2004
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ATLANTA–After dropping three straight games at the Kia Baseball Bash in Fullerton, Calif., last weekend, No. 13 Georgia Tech (6-3) looks to regroup in a non-conference matchup at No. 9 Auburn (9-1) on Tuesday evening. First pitch at Samford Stadium-Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park is set for 7 p.m. (EST). Tuesday’s game is the first of two meetings between the Yellow Jackets and Tigers during the 2004 season. The two clubs will meet in Atlanta on Mar. 30.
The Yellow Jackets had a season opening six game win streak snapped at the hands of USC, Cal State Fullerton and Oklahoma last weekend. Tech opened the year 6-0 against Georgia Southern, Savannah State and Villanova.
Following Tuesday’s game at Auburn, the Yellow Jackets return to Russ Chandler Stadium to host Rutgers for a three-game series on Friday (4 p.m.), Saturday (1 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.).
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. 13 in the nation by Baseball America … 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 hit nine home runs in nine games this season, although only freshman Wes Hodges has hit more than one. Further evidence of a balanced offensive attack, eight different players have at least five RBI and no player has more than eight.
*** Tech struggled offensively in the three-game, round robin Kia Baseball Bash last weekend in Fullerton, Calif. The Yellow Jackets hit .168 and scored just five runs in three games against USC, Cal State Fullerton and Oklahoma. For the season, Tech’s team batting average has dipped below the .300 mark at .283.
*** Head coach Danny Hall has used eight different starting lineups in nine games this season.
*** Tech has used 14 different pitchers in the first nine games of the season, including 12 pitchers who have made at least three appearances.
Georgia Tech vs. Auburn — Auburn leads, 113-102-5
*** Auburn leads the all-time series with Georgia Tech, 113-102-5; the series dates to 1897.
*** Tech is 38-60-2 in games played in Auburn. The Yellow Jackets have won two straight meetings at Plainsman Park, however, winning 4-2 in 2003 and 9-5 in 2002.
*** The Yellow Jackets and Tigers split a pair of meetings last season, each team winning on the opponent’s home field. Tech took a 4-2 win at Plainsman Park on Mar. 11 behind a strong starting effort from Micah Owings (6 IP, 1 R) and home runs from Owings, Matt Murton and Tyler Greene. Auburn won 7-5 at Russ Chandler Stadium on Mar. 18 after jumping to a 6-0 lead through the first four innings.
*** Tech’s 220-game series with Auburn is the second longest in school history behind only Georgia (324 games). Tech’s third longest series is 176 games against Clemson.
*** Tech and Auburn have renewed the long-standing series in recent years. After not playing an on-campus series since 1989, the two schools resumed an annual home-and-home series in 2001. Since that time, the Yellow Jackets hold a 4-2 edge in the series. The two teams split in both 2001 and 2003, and Tech swept the series in 2002.
*** Tech is 4-3 against Auburn under head coach Danny Hall.
*** The Yellow Jackets and Tigers will meet again in Atlanta on Mar. 30.
