Feb. 21, 2006
ATLANTA – Matt Wieters drove in three runs in game one and Steven Blackwood had a key seventh inning two-run double in the nightcap to lead third-ranked Georgia Tech (8-0) to a doubleheader sweep of East Tennessee State (4-5), 7-3 and 5-2, on Tuesday at Russ Chandler Stadium.
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IN GAME ONE, Ryan Turner (1-0) pitched six strong innings to lead Georgia Tech to a 7-3 victory. Turner held the Buccaneers to two runs on eight hits and struck out two batters.
Jared Hyatt earned his first career save by pitching the final three innings and striking out four batters.
Danny Payne paced the Tech offense with three hits, while Matt Wieters drove in three runs. Jeff Kindel added two hits.
The Buccaneers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a two-out RBI single from Anthony Russell. The Yellow Jackets answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning, scoring on a RBI single from Payne, a bases loaded walk to Steven Blackwood, and sacrifice flies from Wieters and Michael Fisher.
After ETSU pulled within 4-2 in the third inning, the Yellow Jackets added three runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by a two-run single from Wieters, to extend the lead to 7-2.
A solo home run from Stephen Douglas, his second of the year, made the score 7-3 in the eighth inning.
Douglas, Russell, Michael Courtney and C.J. Lee each had two hits for the Buccaneers.
East Tennessee State starter Tony Lombardi (0-3) took the loss after allowing seven runs, only two of which were earned, in four innings.
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IN GAME TWO, Steven Blackwood broke a 2-2 tie with a two-run double in the seventh inning to lead Georgia Tech to a 5-2 victory.
With the score tied at 2-2, the Yellow Jackets scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a 5-2 lead. After the first two hitters of the inning were quickly retired, Ryan Tinkoff sparked the rally with a two-out single. Danny Payne reached on a fielder’s choice when Tinkoff beat the play at second base before Blackwood drove in two runs with a double off the left field wall. Jeff Kindel added a RBI double for the third run of the inning.
Payne and Tinkoff each had two hits for the Yellow Jackets.
Freshman Chris Hicks (1-0) earned the win in relief. Tim Gustafson earned his second save of the season by pitching two scoreless innings to close out the game.
Tech’s David Duncan, making his first start, pitched well but did not figure in the decision. The freshman went six-plus innings and allowed two runs on six hits.
Wally Crancer singled, stole second base and scored on a two-out single from Danny Payne to stake the Yellow Jackets to a 1-0 lead in the third inning.
The Buccaneers had a scoring opportunity on the top of the third when a single and two errors loaded the bases with one out. But Duncan worked out of the jam by getting a double play ground ball to end the inning. A double and hit batter put two on with only one out in the fifth inning, but Duncan retired the next two hitters on fly balls to end the threat.
The Yellow Jackets loaded the bases with one out in the sixth inning. A sacrifice fly from Whit Robbins made the score 2-0, but the Jackets could score no more in the frame.
East Tennessee State scored twice in the seventh inning to tie the game at 2-2. Stephen Douglas led off the inning with a single, and moved to third base on C.J. Lee’s check swing single down the third base line. A throwing error from Tech first baseman Whit Robbins allowed Douglas to score, while Lee came around to score after a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly.
East Tennessee State starter Jeremy Hall (2-1) took the loss, allowing five runs in 6.2 innings.
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Georgia Tech returns to action this weekend at the Baseball at the Beach tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The Yellow Jackets face Tennessee, Virginia Commonwealth and host Coastal Carolina in the round-robin event.
