March 31, 2006
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Blake Wood pitched seven strong innings and Luke Murton had four hits to lead third-ranked Georgia Tech (22-4, 6-4 ACC) to an 15-4 win over Maryland (11-17, 4-9) in the opener of a three game Atlantic Coast Conference series on Friday night at Shipley Field.
The Yellow Jackets, who won their third straight ACC game, have scored 34 runs in their last two games.
Wood (6-2), who held the Terrapins to one run on six hits in seven innings, struck out a season high seven batters. The junior right-hander improved to 16-3 over the last two seasons.
Murton went 4-for-5 with a RBI, while Danny Payne and Jeff Kindel had three hits each. Matt Wieters and Michael Fisher drove in three runs apiece. Whit Robbins, Andy Hawranick and Steven Blackwood added two hits as the Yellow Jackets had a season-high 20 hits in the game. Tech outhit Maryland, 21-11.
After the Terrapins took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a two-out RBI single from Chad Durakis, the Yellow Jackets erupted for six runs in the second inning to take a 6-1 lead. Tech’s first four hitters in the inning singled and the Jackets sent 10 batters to the plate. Wieters had a three-run double, Trapani had a RBI single, Fisher forced in a run with a bases loaded walk and Wes Hodges added a sacrifice fly.
The Yellow Jackets extended the lead to 7-1 in the third inning when Murton singled and scored on a RBI groundout from Fisher. Robbins doubled and scored on a RBI single from Kindel to make the score 8-1 in the fourth inning. A RBI groundout from Blackwood extended Tech’s lead to 9-1 in the sixth inning.
Tech added two runs in the eighth inning to make the score 11-1. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with one out before Trapani hit a sacrifice fly and Fisher added a RBI single.
Maryland scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning off Tech reliever Chris Hicks, cutting the lead to 11-4. The Terps loaded the bases with one out before pinch hitter Wink Nolan laced a double down the right field line
The Yellow Jackets answered with a four run ninth inning to provide the final 15-4 margin. Tech sent eight batters to the plate in the inning, including a RBI double from Murton, and RBI singles from Hawranick and Wally Crancer.
Maryland starter John Dischert (3-3) lasted just two innings and allowed seven runs on nine hits.
Georgia Tech and Maryland continue the three-game series on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 12 noon.
