May 10, 2004
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ATLANTA–No. 15 Georgia Tech (30-17, 12-5 ACC) will face No. 12 Georgia (33-15, 15-9 SEC) at Turner field Tuesday at 7 p.m. to decide the yearly series winner in the Spring Baseball Classic for Kids, with all proceeds to benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets and Bulldogs split the home-and-home games earlier this season, with Tech earning a 4-3 win in Athens on March 30 and Georgia taking a 6-5 victory in Atlanta on April 14.
The streaking Yellow Jackets have won nine straight games overall and 10 straight against ACC opponents to jump to second place in the ACC standings. Tech is percentage points behind conference leader Virginia (15-6), while Clemson stands in third place with a 12-6 record in ACC play.
Following the game, Georgia Tech will face Clemson in a key three-game ACC series this weekend.
GAME COVERAGE: Live statistics will be available on the internet at www.ramblinwreck.com. Fox Sports Net South will broadcast the game with Wes Durham providing the play-by-play and Larry Conley providing the color analysis. Radio coverage for the game will be available on WREK-FM (91.1 FM in Atlanta) and on the internet at www.wrek.org.
TICKETS:Available by calling Ticketmaster at (404) 249-6400.
LEADING OFF … NEWS & NOTES ON THE YELLOW JACKETS
WEB GEMS: The Yellow Jackets are fielding .973 as a team in 2004, committing 50 errors in 47 games. Tech’s best fielding percentage since records were kept in the 1950’s is .968, which was accomplished by the 1994 team that played for the national championship and featured Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Varitek and Jay Payton. The Yellow Jackets have committed one error or less in 33 of 47 games, including 18 errorless games. In 14 conference games, Tech is fielding .983 (nine errors in 14 games).
THE LINEUP CARD: Head coach Danny Hall has used 38 different batting orders in 47 games this season.
IN THE BULLPEN: Tech has used 15 different pitchers this season, including 12 pitchers who have made at least 11 appearances. All 15 pitchers have made at least eight appearances, and eight different pitchers have started at least one game.
THE OFFENSE: After seeing the team batting average briefly drop below the .280 mark in early March, Tech has returned to its familiar ways of a potent offensive attack. The Yellow Jackets lead the ACC with a .312 team batting average, and Tech is averaging 8.5 runs per game. Tech has hit over .300 as a team in 19 of the last 21 years, and the Jackets have averaged at least seven runs per game every year since 1981. Tech has led the ACC in batting in four years (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001) under head coach Danny Hall.
GEORGIA TECH VS. GEORGIA
*** Georgia leads Georgia Tech, 184-140-2, in a series that dates to 1898. The Yellow Jackets hold an 80-66-1 advantage in games played in Atlanta, while the Bulldogs hold a 49-106 edge in Athens. Tech and Georgia have played every year since 1946 when the series was suspended for three years during World War II.
*** The 326-game series is Tech’s longest against any opponent. The Yellow Jackets’ next longest series are 222 games against Auburn and 176 games against Clemson.
*** Tech won the first meeting of 2004, a 4-3 decision in Athens on Mar. 24. Trailing 3-2, Eric Patterson drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single in the top of the ninth inning. Patterson went 3-for-5 in the game, and Micah Owings added a home run. Georgia freshman Josh Morris had a three-run homer. Georgia won game two, a 6-5 decision in Atlanta on Apr. 14 when Josh Morris broke a 5-5 tie with a solo home run in the eighth inning.
*** Tech has had the upper hand in the series in recent years, posting a 38-23 record against Georgia since 1988. The Yellow Jackets either won or split the annual regular season series every year from 1988-2000 until the Bulldogs took four of five games in 2001.
*** Georgia Tech is 25-16 against Georgia under head coach Danny Hall.
STREAKING JACKETS
Georgia Tech has won nine straight games overall and 10 straight against ACC opponents. The Yellow Jackets’ current win streak has been highlighted by a resurgence from the pitching staff, including starters working more innings and relievers holding the lead. The Yellow Jackets’ 10 consecutive wins against conference opponents is the most since the 1997 team won 11 straight to open conference play.
YEAR CONSECUTIVE ACC WINS FINAL ACC RECORD1997 11 19-42004 10 ???2000 9 18-61993 8 16-6
VERSUS THE STATE OF GEORGIA
Georgia Tech is 6-2 against teams from the state of Georgia in 2004, posting a 3-1 record vs. Georgia Southern, a 1-1 record vs. Georgia, and a 1-0 mark vs. Savannah State and Georgia State. Since 1999, Georgia Tech owns a 56-13 (.823) record against its in-state foes. The Yellow Jackets are 98-30 (.772) against teams from Georgia in 11 years under head coach Danny Hall.
Probable Starting Pitching
GT: Lee Hyde Fr., LHP (3-2, 6.19)UGA: Matt Woods Sr., RHP (2-1, 5.87)
