April 20, 2003
ATLANTA – Micah Owings carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and Brandon Boggs delivered a two-out, two-run double in the seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie as No. 5 Georgia Tech (32-7, 11-1 ACC) defeated No. 22 Wake Forest (23-15, 7-10 ACC), 5-3, on Sunday afternoon at Russ Chandler Stadium. The win completed the Yellow Jackets’ three-game sweep of the Demon Deacons in the weekend series.
With the three-game sweep, Georgia Tech maintained its hold of first place in the ACC standings, three games up in the loss column on both NC State (11-4) and Florida State (11-4).
Owings (6-1), who also hit a home run and went 2-for-4 as Tech’s designated hitter, retired 18 of the first 19 Wake Forest hitters in the game before finally allowing a hit in the top of the seventh inning. He surrendered three runs on five hits and one walk over seven innings of work. Brian Burks went the final 1.2 innings, including working out of a bases loaded, one out jam in the eighth, to earn his teal-leading sixth save of the season.
Wake Forest reliever Adam Hanson (5-3) took the loss after surrendering two runs over the last two innings. Starter Tim Morley pitched well, allowing three runs on five hits in six innings, but did not fare in the decision.
The Yellow Jackets broke up a scoreless game in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 1-0 lead. Matt Murton led off the inning with a single and stole second base. After Jeremy Slayden flew out, Murton took third base on Owings’ infield single. Clifton Remole grounded into a double play, first base to second base, but Murton scored before the Demon Deacons could tag out Owings between first and second bases.
Tech extended the lead to 2-0 in the fifth when Tyler Greene and Jake Hall led off the inning with consecutive singles to put runners on first and third bases, and Andy Hawranick plated Greene with a sacrifice fly to right field. A solo home run from Owings, his team-leading 13th of the season, gave the Yellow Jackets a 3-0 lead in the sixth.
The Demon Deacons broke up the no hitter and shutout in the top of the seventh inning when Ryan Hubbard doubled off the first base bag and Jamie D’Antona followed with his team-leading 15th home run of the season to pull within 3-2. Wake Forest tied the score at 3-3 with three consecutive two-out hits – a double from Jeff Ruziecki, a single from Chris Getz and a RBI single from Ben Ingold.
Georgia Tech scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a 5-3 lead. Tyler Greene singled and Eric Patterson reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second base before Boggs drove in both runners with a two-out double to right center field.
Wake Forest mounted a rally in the eighth inning, loading the bases with one out on a single, hit batter and walk off Tech reliever Jeff Watchko, but Burks came out of the bullpen to strike out Steve LeFaivre and Jeff Ruziecki and work out of the jam.
Tech freshmen Owings and Greene led the Yellow Jackets with two hits each. Ryan Hubbard had two hits for the Demon Deacons.
Georgia Tech returns to action on Wednesday when the Yellow Jackets host Georgia at 7 p.m. at Russ Chandler Stadium. The game will be televised regionally by Comcast Sports Southeast, and radio coverage will be available on WREK-Radio (91.1 FM in Atlanta). Live statistics and the radio broadcast will be available on the internet at www.ramblinwreck.com. Wake Forest hosts Liberty on Tuesday at 3 p.m.
