March 15, 2014
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech rallied three different times to pull even with No. 22 Miami, but the Hurricanes broke an 8-8 tie with a pair of runs in the ninth and escaped Russ Chandler Stadium Friday night with a 10-8 win over the Yellow Jackets.
A.J. Murray finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and a stolen base, Connor Justus had three hits and Mott Hyde drove in three runs to pace the Jackets (9-8, 1-3). Tyler Palmer’s two-run single with two outs in the top of the ninth was the difference for the Hurricanes (11-7, 4-0).
Tech pounded out 15 hits, drew eight walks but left a season-high 14 runners stranded on base, including 10 in scoring position.
“It seemed like we gave up a run or two every time we tied it,” said head coach Danny Hall. “We need somebody to step up and get that hit. We kept coming back and coming back, but we needed somebody to get us the lead and we couldn’t get it. To their credit, Palmer had a big hit their in the ninth.”
Miami broke the ice in the second, taking advantage of two Tech errors to push across five runs (three unearned) and seize a 5-0 lead.
But the Jackets came roaring back in the fourth thanks to Murray’s lead-off double down the left-field line to get things started. Daniel Spingola’s RBI single in the next at bat put Tech on the board, Ryan Peurifoy followed with a bunt single and Arden Pabst’s RBI single made it 5-2. It was a 5-3 game after Hyde’s sac fly to right.
Matt Gonzalez went the opposite way for his first home run of the season, a lead-off blast to right in the fifth, and the hosts got the equalizer later than inning when Thomas Smith walked and eventually scored from second on a Murray single that was misplayed in right field.
Palmer put Miami back in front when he launched a two-run homer to left in the sixth, but the Jackets pulled even again in the seventh as Hyde went gap shopping to right and his two-run double scored Spingola and Peurifoy.
Dale Carey smacked his fourth home run of the season leading off the eighth, making it 8-7 Canes, but the Jackets tied it again in the bottom half thanks to an RBI single from Spingola.
Senior Dusty Isaacs pitched the ninth inning for Tech and was hung the loss (2-2), while Bryan Garcia tossed the final two innings for the Hurricanes and picked up his first win (1-0).
Brandon Lopez had three of Miami’s 13 hits. Dale Carey had two hits, two RBI and scored three times.
Thomas Smith, who drew a pair of walks, had his hitting streak halted at 12 games.
With rain in the forecast on Sunday, the teams will play a doubleheader Saturday. The first game begins at 3 p.m., with the finale set for 7:30 p.m. on CSS and ESPN3.
