Feb. 26, 2017
THE FLATS — The No. 17 Yellow Jackets suffered their first loss of the 2017 season on Sunday afternoon, as Georgia Tech was doomed by an eight-run second inning by the visiting Youngstown State Penguins who went on to earn the 12-3 win over the Jackets in the three-game weekend series finale at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Offensively, Tech was unable to get that big inning that has aided them all season long, as the Jackets posted three runs on just seven hits for the contest.
Sophomore Brandt Stallings was 1-for-3 with a solo home run, his first of the season, while third baseman Trevor Craport was 2-for-4 on the day. Austin Wilhite was 1-for-3 with a run scored, while Wade Bailey was 1-for-4 with a run scored, as both Tech infielders scored on a two-run single in the fifth by Joey Bart (1-for-4, 2 RBIs).
Tech starter Keyton Gibson (1-1) was handed the loss, as the righty struggled with his command all day, allowing eight runs on five hits, two walks and a hit batsman. He did strike out two over his 1.2 innings of work.
Youngstown State took advantage of four hit batsmen, four walks, a grand slam and a pair of two-run home runs to score its 12 runs on just nine hits in the road win.
The Penguin’s Andrew Kendrick was 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored, while Anthony Rohan was 2-for-5 with a grand slam. The other two-run home run came off the bat of Trey Bridis who was 1-for-4 on the day.
The Jackets fell behind for the first time all season long in the top of the second, as the Penguins plated eight runs in the frame, highlighted by the grand slam from Rohan and a two-run shot off the bat of Kendrick.
Tech got one run back in the bottom half of the inning on a Stallings solo shot over the right center field wall for his first home run of the season, before the Penguins hit another two-run home run in the fifth to push its lead out to nine at 10-1.
The Yellow Jackets answered with two runs of its on in the bottom half of the fifth on a two-run single up the middle by Bart that scored both Wilhite and Bailey, yet saw the inning end one batter later on a 6-4-3 double play to put the score at 10-3 in favor of the Penguins through five complete.
YSU added two more runs in the sixth on two hit batsmen, a walk, a passed ball and a sacrifice fly to extend its lead to nine at 12-3.
The scoring would end there for both teams, as the Jackets couldn’t find that two-out hitting that helped carry them over the first two games of the weekend series versus the Penguins in the 15-6 win on Friday and 14-6 victory on Saturday.
The win went to YSU’s Collin Floyd (1-1), as the lefty allowed just three runs on seven hits and struck out five Tech hitters over 5.0 innings of work.
The Jackets (6-1) continue its eight-game homestand with Georgia State on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 4 p.m. ET at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Tech Tidbits
* The loss was the first of the year for the Jackets.
* The Jackets are now 5-1 all-time versus Youngstown State.
* Georgia Tech’s winning streak of non-conference weekend series wins was snapped at 24 victories with the loss to Youngstown on Sunday afternoon.
* Brandt Stallings hit his first home run of the season in the second inning.
* Freshman Kyle McCann made his first career start at catcher on Sunday.
* Freshman Garrett Gooden made his Tech debut out of the bullpen.
Senior hurler Zac Ryan had 2 Ks in the loss on Sunday but is ready to turn the page to the Jackets’ busy week of five home games next week. pic.twitter.com/vLlPNdR7TZ
— GeorgiaTech Baseball (@GTBaseball) February 26, 2017
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