No. 17 Baseball Heads South to Statesboro

Feb. 23, 2016

LEADING OFF: STORYLINES TO KNOW

1. Sophomore Trevor Craport, sophomore Kel Johnson and senior Matt Gonzalez have accounted for more than one third of Georgia Tech’s offensive production through three games. The trio hit .484 with two home runs and 15 RBI over the weekend.
2. Since 1999, the Yellow Jackets own a 146-53 (.737) record against their in-state foes. In 22 years under Hall, Tech is 190-70 (.734) against teams from Georgia.
3. Tech enters Wednesday’s contest at Georgia Southern riding a seven-home road winning streak in the state of Georgia. Tech went 5-0 in true road games in 2015 at Georgia schools.
4. The Yellow Jackets enter the week ranked No. 17 by Collegiate Baseball and No. 23 by Baseball America. Georgia Tech is also receiving votes in the latest NCBWA poll.
5. Through three games, Georgia Tech leads the ACC and ranks sixth nationally with six double plays turned. Since 2012, the Yellow Jackets have turned 255 double plays – the second-highest total nationally during that span. Only Mississippi State (268) has turned more since 2012.
6. During the season’s opening weekend, Georgia Tech pitchers posted a combined 0.33 ERA, allowing only one earned run in 27.0 total innings. Tech’s 0.33 ERA leads the ACC and ranks second nationally behind only Michigan (0.26).
7. Seven Georgia Tech pitchers saw action during the Yellow Jackets’ opening weekend sweep of Purdue, Western Michigan and VCU. The seven rookies combined to allow one unearned run on nine hits in 14.0 innings of work, while earning two victories.
8. Georgia Tech’s opening day roster includes 35 players – 32 of which are from the Peach State. Additionally, eight members of the current freshman class played in last year’s Georgia High School state championship series, and five of them won Georgia state titles.
9. Five players part of Georgia Tech’s current freshman class were drafted. The Yellow Jackets’ 2016 recruiting class was ranked as high as No. 3 nationally.
10. Georgia Tech has played in 27 NCAA Regionals in the last 30 years – tied for the third-highest number among Division I programs.

SERIES HISTORY
• Georgia Tech leads 96-31
• Streak: Georgia Tech, 3 wins
• GT in Statesboro: Georgia Tech leads 42-15
• Last Meeting: March 10, 2015 (Georgia Tech, 22-6)
• Danny Hall vs. Georgia Southern: 64-19
• GT in Last 5 Meetings: 3-2
• GT in Last 10 Meetings: 7-3

A TECH WIN WOULD…
• Give the Yellow Jackets’ their first 4-0 start since 2013 (started 5-0).
• Snap a three-game road losing streak and snap a streak of five straight losses away from home – both dating back to the end of the 2015 season.
• Extend its series win streak to four games against Georgia Southern.
• Be the Jackets’ eighth straight true road win in the state of Georgia.
• Be head coach Danny Hall’s 1,135th career victory and 927th at Georgia Tech.
• Be Coach Hall’s 65th victory against Georgia Southern.
• Improve Tech’s record to 157-48 all-time in the month of February under Danny Hall.

NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP
• Sophomore utility player Trevor Craport made quite the first impression at the plate during opening weekend. Craport, who never batted during the 2015 season, led the Jackets at the plate, hitting .600 (6-for-10) with one home run and five RBI.
• Craport went 3-for-3 with a solo shot Feb. 19 against Purdue. Two games later, he went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI in a Feb. 21 win over VCU.

HOMEGROWN SUCCESS
• Head coach Danny Hall has had a history of building a wall around the Peach State and keeping the best prep talent close to home.
• 32 of this year’s 35-member opening weekend roster (91%) hail from the state of Georgia, which is home to some of the best high school baseball talent in the nation. Every freshman in this year’s class hails from Georgia.
• Eight members of the current freshman class played in last year’s Georgia High School state championship series, with five winning state titles (Bart, Gibson, Galloway, Hall, Stallings).
• Since 1999, the Yellow Jackets own a 146-53 (.737) record against their in-state foes. In 22 years under Hall, Tech is 190-70 (.734) against teams from Georgia.
• Tech has won the regular-season series from rival Georgia in four of the past five seasons and is 12-6 over the last 18 games versus the Bulldogs. Under Hall, Tech is 43-33 versus UGA.

(PEACH STATE) ROAD WARRIORS
• Georgia Tech enters Wednesday’s contest at Georgia Southern riding a seven-home road winning streak in the state of Georgia. Tech went 5-0 in true road games in 2015 at Georgia schools, picking up wins at Georgia Southern, Kennesaw State, Georgia, Georgia State and Mercer.
• The Yellow Jackets’ current streak began with back-to-back road wins at Kennesaw State and Georgia State in 2014.

THE FRESHMEN 14
• Seven Georgia Tech pitchers saw action during the Yellow Jackets’ opening weekend sweep of Purdue, Western Michigan and VCU. The seven rookies combined to allow one unearned run on nine hits in 14.0 innings of work.
• Two of Tech’s three winning pitchers last weekend were freshmen. RHP Burton Dulaney pitched 3.0 innings of two-hit scoreless relief to notch the victory against Purdue. Sunday starter Jonathan Hughes allowed one run on three hits in 6.0 innings of work for the win over VCU.

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