June 3, 2006
NCAA ATLANTA REGIONAL
GAME 4 – #1 GEORGIA TECH vs. #2 VANDERBILT
RUSS CHANDLER STADIUM
ATLANTA – Left-handed pitcher Lee Hyde (5-0) threw 6.1 strong innings, scattering four hits, allowing three runs, two earned runs and struck out five, while catcher Matt Wieters went 3-for-3, with one RBI and shortstop Michael Fisher went 3-for-5, with two runs batted in, to lead top-seeded Georgia Tech (47-16) past No. 2 seed Vanderbilt (37-26), 7-3, in the NCAA Atlanta Regional at Russ Chandler Stadium on Saturday night.
Win the win, Tech advances to the regional championship game for the third consecutive season, winning the previous two. That game will be on Sunday and the Jackets will have to be beaten twice by either the Commodores or No. 3 seed Michigan who play an elimination game Sunday at 1 p.m., with the title game will following at 5 p.m.
First baseman Luke Murton hit his sixth home run of the season, fourth in the last three games, and finished 1-for-3, with two walks and one RBI. Left fielder Jeff Kindel went 2-for-5, with a double and one RBI to pace the Jackets offensively.
Left-handed pitcher David Price (9-5) worked 6.1 innings for the Commodores, allowing eight hits, seven runs, seven earned runs, striking out eight and walked five in the loss. Ryan Flaherty led the bats for Vandy, going 1-for-4, with two RBIs.
The Yellow Jackets pushed three runs across in the top of the second inning on a leadoff home run by Murton and two bases loaded walks by Steven Blackwood and Wieters with two outs as Tech led 3-0.
Kindel led off the top of the sixth inning with a double down the right field line, designated hitter Wes Hodges was then hit-by-a-pitch and both advanced to second and third on a sacrifice bunt by right fielder Wally Crancer. Fisher then delivered a base hit up the middle to plate two runs for Tech and increase its lead to five, 5-0.
VU’s David Macias broke up Hyde’s no-hitter in the bottom of the sixth inning with a double down the left field line. After a Tech error, Flaherty doubled to the right-center field gap to plate two runs and cut the deficit to three, 5-2.
Kindel drove in a run for the Jackets in the top of the seventh inning on a double to left-center field and Murton scored on a wild pitch to put the Rambling Wreck up by five for the second time in the game, 7-2.
The Commodores’ Alex Feinberg drove in a run with a double off the left field line and Vandy had the bases loaded with one out after consecutive walks by Tech left-handed reliever Tim Ladd. Ladd then retired VU’s top hitter in Pedro Alvarez on a pop out to shortstop and induced a fly out to center field to end the inning with the Jackets on top, 7-3.
Right-handed pitcher Brad Rulon entered the game for the Jackets on the mound and retired six of eight batters faced to keep the Commodores off the scoreboard over the final two innings and preserve the four-run victory.
NOTES: Luke Murton has homered in three of his last four games, coming in seven at bats … Matt Weiters has reached base in 9-of-10 at bats (six hits and three walks) in regional play … Tech is 11-1 when playing two games on the same day this season … Michael Fisher tied a career-high with three hits in a single game … Tech advances to its third straight NCAA Regional Championship game and has never lost twice heading into Sunday, winning the 2000, ’02, ’04 and ’05 regional titles … VU’s Shea Robin extends hitting streak to eight games … Steve Shea has not allowed a run in three appearances in the NCAA postseason (3.1 innings pitched) in his Commodore career.
