Feb. 11, 2004
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ATLANTA–Fourth-ranked Georgia Tech lifts the lid on the 2004 season with its annual season opening trip to Statesboro for a two-game series against Georgia Southern. The Yellow Jackets (0-0) and Eagles (2-1) square off on Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. each day. GSU opened its season last weekend by winning two of three from High Point.
Tech returns eight of nine position starters and 20 letterwinners overall from the 2003 team that captured the Atlantic Coast Conference championship. Headlining that group are five players who were named to Baseball America’s preseason All-America team – P/DH Micah Owings (1st team), 2B Eric Patterson (1st team), RF Jeremy Slayden (1st team), C Mike Nickeas (2nd team) and SS Tyler Greene (2nd team).
Following the two-game set in Statesboro, the Yellow Jackets return to Atlanta for a four-game homestand against Savannah State (Wed. 2/18) and Villanova (Fri.-Sun. 2/20-22).
Game Coverage: Live statistics will be available on the internet at www.ramblinwreck.com.
LEADING OFF … NEWS & NOTES ON THE YELLOW JACKETS
*** Georgia Tech begins the season ranked as high as No. 4 in the nation … Tech has been ranked in the preseason Top 25 by at least one of the three major polls (Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball and Baseball Weekly) in all 11 seasons under head coach Danny Hall … The Yellow Jackets have been ranked in the preseason Top 10 in seven of the last nine seasons, including a Top 5 ranking in three of the last four years.
*** Tech 2004 opening day lineup will feature seven of the nine players who were in the 2003 opening day lineup … The newcomers are LF Steven Blackwood, who started in center field for much of the final month of 2003, and 3B Wes Hodges, a highly touted freshman who has won a starting job at the hot corner with a solid fall and spring practice.
*** Tech had a 20-game winning streak against Georgia Southern snapped in the final meeting of the 2003 series, which ranked as the longest win streak against one opponent in school history … However, Tech enters the 2004 season with a 14-game winning streak over GSU in Statesboro, having not lost at J.I. Clements Stadium since the 1996 season.
*** Tech is opening its season at Georgia Southern for the third time in the last four years.
Georgia Tech vs. Georgia Southern
GEORGIA TECH LEADS, 65-21
*** Georgia Tech leads Georgia Southern, 65-21, in a series that dates to 1947. The Yellow Jackets and Eagles have played every year since 1984, playing at leasat four times annually since 1986.
*** Tech had a 20-game winning streak against Georgia Southern snapped in the final game of the 2003 series when the Eagles claimed an 8-7 decision. The Yellow Jackets won 20 straight games in the series from 1996 through 2003.
*** Tech has 14 straight games over Georgia Southern at J.I. Clements Stadium dating back to the 1997 season. The Yellow Jackets have an all-time record of 27-10 in games played in Statesboro.
*** Tech is 33-9 (.786) against Georia Southern since 1994 under head coach Danny Hall. The Tech skipper owns a 16-4 record against the Eagles in Statesboro.
*** Last season, Tech won three of four games in the series. The Yellow Jackets won 8-1 and 8-3 in Statesboro and won 8-5 in the first game in Atlanta before Georgia Southern snapped Tech’s streak with an 8-7 win in the series finale.
*** Since the 2000 season, Tech has outscored Georgia Southern 183-76, an average of 10.8 to 4.5 per game.
TECH PICKED FIRST IN ACC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
For the second consecutive season, the Atlantic Coast Conference’s nine head coaches selected Georgia Tech as the top pick to win the conference championship in 2004 with six first place votes and a total of 77 points. Florida State finished second with 61 points and one first place vote. Clemson finished in third place tallying 60 points and one first place vote. North Carolina filled the fourth place slot with 58 points, while NC State placed fifth in the balloting with 52 points. The Wolfpack was followed by Wake Forest (36) and Virginia (28), Duke (17) and Maryland (16).
YELLOW JACKETS CRACK PRESEASON TOP 25 FOR 11th TIME UNDER HALL
Georgia Tech has been ranked in the preseason Top 25 by at least one of the major polls (Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball and Baseball Weekly) in each of Danny Hall’s 11 seasons as the Yellow Jackets’ skipper. Tech has been a preseason Top 10 pick in five of the last six years and a top five selection in three of the last four seasons.
Tech in the Preseason Polls Under Danny HallYear BA CB BW Final Rank Notes2004 5 4 62003 1 5 2 17/14/16 ACC Champions, NCAA Regional2002 13 22 19 5/8/5 College World Series2001 1 1 1 -/-/21 NCAA Regional2000 9 9 8 6/10/10 ACC Champions, NCAA Super Regional1999 9 2 7 -/-/-1998 14 12 19 19/15/20 NCAA Regional Runner-Up1997 6 10 10 17/10/11 NCAA Regional1996 5 6 6 22/18/20 NCAA Regional Runner-Up1995 - 23 25 -/-/- NCAA Regional1994 1 2 3 2/2/2 College World Series Runner-Up
FIVE NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
Five Yellow Jackets were named to various preseason All-America teams for the 2004 season. Sophomore pitcher/DH Micah Owings and junior second baseman Eric Patterson were both first-team selections by Baseball America and a second-team picks by Collegiate Baseball. Junior outfielder Jeremy Slayden was a first-team selection by Baseball America, while sophomore shortstop Tyler Greene and junior catcher Mike Nickeas were both second-team picks by Baseball America.
In addition, Patterson and first baseman Clifton Remole were both named to Baseball America’s college “Gold Glove” team as the top defensive players at their position in the nation.
BEST TOOLS
In Baseball America’s annual college preview issue, the publication broke down the best tools and players in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Six Yellow Jackets were tabbed to the preseason All-ACC team, including first baseman Clifton Remole, shortstop Tyler Greene (as the team’s DH), second baseman Eric Patterson, outfielder Jeremy Slayden, utility player Micah Owings, and catcher Mike Nickeas.
Owings was tabbed the ACC’s No. 3 prospect for the 2004 draft, while Patterson (4), Slayden (5) and Nickeas (6) were also listed among the top 10. Greene and pitcher Jason Neighborgall were tabbed as the top two prospects for the 2005 draft. Freshman third baseman Wes Hodges was named as the No. 2 newcomer to the ACC this season.
In the best tools categories: Owings (best raw power), Patterson (fastest runner, best defensive second baseman), Nickeas (best defensive catcher, best arm/catcher), Remole (best defensive first baseman), Greene (best arm/infielder) and Neighborgall (best fastball).
BEST PLAYERS BY CLASS
Baseball America ranked the top 50 collegiate players in each class for the 2004 season, and Georgia Tech was well represented on that list. Seven different Yellow Jackets were named to the top 50 lists, including three of the top seven sophomores, three of the top 22 juniors and the No. 6 freshman.
The sophomores included Tyler Greene (No. 1), Micah Owings (No. 3) and Jason Neighborgall (No. 7). Juniors included Eric Patterson (No. 14), Jeremy Slayden (No. 20) and Mike Nickeas (No. 22). Freshman Wes Hodges was listed as the No. 6 freshman.
BEST PLAYERS BY CLASS
Baseball America has listed its Top 100 College and High School Prospects for the 2004 June Draft. Five current Yellow Jackets are listed among the collegiate players: Micah Owings (No. 12); Eric Patterson (No. 16); Mike Nickeas (No. 23); Jeremy Slayden (No. 30); and Brandon Boggs (No. 67).
