April 27, 2006
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ATLANTA–Fifth-ranked Georgia Tech (32-10, 13-8 ACC) visits Boston College (23-20, 4-16) for a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series this weekend in Chestnut Hill, Mass. Gametimes are 2:30 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Georgia Tech and Boston College, a first-year member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, are meeting for the first time.
Georgia Tech moved up to No. 5 in the national polls this week after sweeping a three-game seriesat fifth-ranked Florida State last weekend. Tech spent three weeks earlier this season ranked No. 1 in the nation, the 11th time in school history the Yellow Jackets have topped the national polls.
Pitching Matchups: (Georgia Tech vs. Boston College)
Friday: RHP Blake Wood (6-3, 5.61) vs. RHP Dan Houston (2-5, 4.47)
Saturday: LHP Tim Ladd (4-2, 4.11) vs. RHP Terry Doyle (3-4, 2.93)
Sunday: LHP David Duncan (5-1, 5.44) vs. LHP Nate Jeanes (1-4, 6.17)
GAME COVERAGE: Radio coverage on WREK-FM (91.1 FM in Atlanta / online at: www.wrek.org). Live statistics available at www.ramblinwreck.com.
Georgia Tech vs. Boston College
Georgia Tech and Boston College are meeting for the first time this weekend in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Georgia Tech’s trip to Boston this weekend represents the furthest north that the Yellow Jackets have traveled for a game. Tech’s previous furthest trips north were to Minneapolis for a tournament at the Metrodome in 1989 and 1993, and to Philadelphia to face Penn in 1924.
Offensive Short Hops
Third in NCAA in Scoring: Georgia Tech ranks fourth in the nation, averaging 9.3 runs per game. UNC Wilmington (9.8), Troy (9.6) and Delaware (9.5) are the top three.
Runs, Runs, Runs: The Yellow Jackets have scored 86 runs in the last seven games, averaging 12.3 runs per game.
Bats Warm With the Weather: After hitting .299 through the first 24 games of the season (though Mar. 26), Tech’s offense has exploded by batting .353 over the last 18 games. Tech scored 8.6 runs per game in the first 24 games of the year before averaging 10.2 runs per game over the last 18 games.
Record Outburst vs. Clemson: Georgia Tech scored 40 runs in three games against Clemson two weeks ago, the Yellow Jackets’ most ever in a three-game series against the Tigers. Tech scored 22 runs on Sunday, the most runs for the Jackets in the 186-game series between the schools.
Runs Keep Coming at Florida State: The Yellow Jackets erupted for 33 runs on 41 hits in a three-game sweep at Florida State last weekend. Tech reached double-figure scoring in the the first two games of the series after Florida State had not allowed a team to score 10 runs in its first 40 games of the season. Tech’s 18 hits in the series finale was the most FSU had allowed in 94 games.
Comeback Kids: Georgia Tech swept #5 Florida State last weekend, coming from behind in all three games. Tech rallied from a 6-0 deficit on Friday to win 15-8, trailed 3-2 in game two before winning 10-4, and fell behind 3-1 only to win 8-7 in the finale.
The Yellow Jackets have come from behind to win on 13 occasions this season, including 11 times when Tech has trailed in the first three innings of the game.
Starters Struggle
Georgia Tech’s starting pitchers have struggled in the month of April despite the fact that the Yellow Jackets have won nine of their last 11 games. In the last 17 games (since the series at Maryland in the first weekend of April), Tech’s starting pitchers are a combined 5-4 with a 8.37 ERA and have allowed opponents to hit .347.
Avoiding the Big Inning
Georgia Tech’s last six losses have one common theme, a big inning early in the game for the opponents which forced the Yellow Jackets to play catch-up the entire game. In each of Tech’s last five losses, the opponent has scored at least four runs in the first or second inning.
Road Warriors
Georgia Tech is near the end of a stretch where it plays 14 of its 20 games on the road. The Yellow Jackets play ACC road series in four of five weekends. Included in that stretch are road trips to Maryland, Virginia Tech, Florida State and Boston College, while Tech’s lone home series was against Clemson on Easter Weekend. Tech hosts Georgia Southern and Georgia in midweek non-conference action during this span.
The positive side to Tech’s road schedule in April is that the Yellow Jackets will not have to leave the city of Atlanta in the month of May. Tech plays 10 home games against South Florida, Duke, Wofford and Miami, and the Yellow Jackets’ lone game away from Russ Chandler Stadium is a May 10 matchup against Georgia at Turner Field.
