April 18, 2010
ATLANTA – Fifth-ranked Georgia Tech (31-5, 15-3 ACC) cruised to an 11-3 win over No. 16 Clemson (23-14, 10-8 ACC) behind strong pitching from Jed Bradley and four-hit performances from three different players Sunday at Russ Chandler Stadium. With the win, the Jackets picked up their sixth weekend series sweep of the season and fourth in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
“Anytime you can sweep Clemson is huge,” head coach Danny Hall said. “The first two games could have gone either way. We put a little distance between ourselves today, but they are a great team and are going to finish high on the side over there. Anytime you can beat Clemson, it is a good day.”
Jacob Esch (4-for-5, 1 RBI), Tony Plagman (4-for-5, 2 RBI) and Jeff Rowland (4-for-5, 3 RBI) picked up 12 of Tech’s 17 hits Sunday, as the Jackets scored a run in every inning for the first time this season.
Esch’s solo homer to right field in the eighth inning closed the scoring on the day, and extended the team’s consecutive home run streak to 15 games. The Chanhassen, Minn. native had a huge weekend, going 7-for-12 with four runs scored, a double, home run and two RBI in the three games. He entered the series with just six hits total (6-for-59) in 15 ACC games.
Sophomore left-hander Jed Bradley (5-2) picked up his fifth win of the season after holding the Tigers to just three runs on eight hits. He fanned eight batters in 7.0 innings of work.
“We pitched well, played good defense and hit the ball good again,” Hall added. “I thought Jed Bradley threw well, pitched out of some trouble when he had to, and then I thought our bullpen again came in and did a nice job.”
The Jackets went to work early Sunday, scoring one run in the first on a Cole Leonida single to right field and four on three hits in the second for a 5-1 lead. Rowland brought in three of the runs in the second frame with a bases-loaded triple down the right field line. It was the sixth triple of the season for Rowland.
Tech went on to score one run in each of the final six innings of the game.
Clemson starter Will Lamb was pulled with two outs in the third, and credited with the loss after allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits.
Bradley retired the side in the seventh, picking up his eighth strike of the game before giving way to the bullpen in the eighth.
Jake Davies and Taylor Wood combined for 2.0 scoreless innings of relief, not allowing a single hit to close out the weekend.
The Jackets will face Georgia Southern for a two-game midweek series on Tuesday (6 p.m.) and Wednesday (4 p.m.) at Russ Chandler Stadium.
