March 12, 2017
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — No. 16 Georgia Tech scored two runs in the top of the 11th to outlast the Miami Hurricanes for a 7-5 extra innings win on the road in ACC play on Saturday night at Mark Light Field in Coral Gables, Fla. The win was the Jackets’ 500th win in ACC regular season play.
With two outs in the top of the 11th and two runners on, freshman Chase Murray hit a sharp ground ball down the right field line just inside the base which was mishandled by the Miami first baseman. The error allowed both Jacket baserunners to score what would prove to be the game winning runs in the 7-5 extra inning win.
Senior Zac Ryan (1-0) was big for the Jackets out of the bullpen, as the righty picked up the win going 4.0 innings. He allowed just one run on five hits and three walks, while striking out five over the seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th innings.
Fellow Jacket reliever Burton Dulaney (1) picked up his first save of the season striking out two and pitching around a hit batsman in the 11th to secure the win.
Joey Bart paced the Jackets at the plate once again, as the sophomore catcher was 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored, while Coleman Poje was 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Off the bench, Keenan Innis was 1-for-2 with a sacrifice fly, an RBI and a run scored, while fellow senior Ryan Peurifoy was 1-for-4 with an RBI.
After both teams combined to strand five runners on base over the first two innings of play, the Jackets broke through in the top of the third on a two-out double by Bart and an RBI double by Poje to plate Bart to put the visitors on top at 1-0.
Miami followed with a run of its own in the bottom half of the inning on a hit batsman, two walks and a sacrifice fly to tie the game up at 1-1 after three complete.
In the fourth, the Jackets stranded the bases loaded then saw the Canes jump out in front on back-to-back ground outs following a Christopher Barr lead-off double and on a solo home run by Joe Gomez to put the score at 3-1.
The Canes threatened again in the fifth, however, the Jackets’ Ben Schniederjans was able to pitch out of trouble, allowing just one run and getting the last two outs with the bases loaded to keep the score at 4-1 in favor of the home team.
Getting out of the inning allowing just one run proved to be huge, as the Jackets plated four in the top of the seventh to take the lead.
Third baseman Trevor Craport led off the inning with a walk. Bart and Kel Johnson followed with back-to-back singles with Johnson’s scoring Craport for the first run of the inning. After a fielder’s choice got the lead runner out at third and a passed ball allowed both Bart and Poje to move up 90 feet, pinch hitter Innis singled through the left side to drive in Johnson from third.
Murray followed with a sacrifice fly to center to plate Poje from third and tied the game up at 4-4. On the play, the throw got away from the right fielder which allowed Innis to move up to second on the error.
Tech took advantage of the miscue, as Peurifoy singled to right field to score Innis from second for the go ahead run.
Miami would tie the game up again in the eighth on an RBI single by Carl Chester, before the Jackets posted two in the 11th to escape with 7-5 win.
The Jackets stranded 13 runners on base on the night, but helped the Hurricanes leave 17 runners on base in the 11 inning contest.
Tech (10-3, 1-1 ACC) and Miami (5-9, 1-1 ACC) return to Mark Light Field tomorrow for the final game of the three-game conference series. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. ET.
Tech Tidbits
*The conference win was the program’s 500th ACC regular season win (500-354-2).
*Joey Bart has recorded a hit in each of his last 10 games, a new career long hitting streak.
*Wade Bailey extended his hitting streak to 13 straight games. He has hit safely in every game this season.
*Coleman Poje has totaled three doubles over the last two games.
*Zac Ryan pitched the longest outing of the season in the contest on Saturday night.
*Zac Ryan recorded his first win of the season in the relief appearance.
*Burton Dulaney registered his first save of the season in the win.
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