April 15, 2003
ATLANTA – Eric Patterson and Matt Murton each drove in two runs, and Georgia Tech used a six run third inning as the fifth-ranked Yellow Jackets (29-6) defeated visiting Georgia Southern (21-15), 8-4, on Tuesday evening at Russ Chandler Stadium. The win was Tech’s 20th straight in the series with Georgia Southern, dating back to the 1998 season.
The Yellow Jackets improved to 7-0 against teams from the state of Georgia in 2003, and Tech is 49-8 against its in state foes since 1999.
Tech starter Andrew Kown (3-1) earned the win in his first start since Mar. 29, working six innings to tie for his longest career outing. He allowed four runs, three earned, on seven hits and one walk while striking out five batters. Kown worked out of trouble in the third and fourth innings, and retired seven of the final eight batters he faced.
Reliever Brian Burks allowed one run over the final three innings to close out the game and earn his fourth save of the season.
A solo home run from Carlos Love, his second of the year, gave Georgia Southern a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. The Eagles added two more runs in the third on a sacrifice fly from Brandon Long and a RBI double from Rocky Baker.
Trailing 3-0, the Yellow Jackets broke through for six runs in the bottom of the third inning when they sent 10 batters to the plate and collected five hits. After Tech loaded the bases with one out, Patterson drove in Micah Owings with a fielder’s choice ground ball that was mishandled by GSU second baseman James Payne. Murton followed with a two-run double to score Jake Hall and Brandon Boggs, and Jeremy Slayden plated Patterson with a sacrifice fly. A RBI double from Clifton Remole and a RBI single from Mike Nickeas capped the inning.
The Eagles clawed back to within 6-4 in the top of the sixth inning with a solo home run form Brent Stephens, his sixth of the season and his third in the last four games. Georgia Tech immediately answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning when Jake Hall drew a bases loaded walk and Boggs delivered a sacrifice fly to make the score 8-4.
A solo home run from A.J. Zickgraf, his sixth of the year, pulled the Eagles to within 8-5 in the top of the ninth inning and Brandon Long followed with a single, but Burks worked out of the jam to preserve the Tech victory.
Remole had two hits in the game to extend his current hitting streak to a career-long 16 games, while Boggs, Greene and Owings also had two hits. Georgia Southern was led by two hits each from Baker, Long and Payne.
Georgia Southern starter Brian Rogers (2-5) took the loss after allowing six runs, only two earned, on six hits in three innings.
Tech’s 20 straight wins over Georgia Southern is the longest winning streak against any one opponent in school history. The Yellow Jackets have won 10 straight over the Eagles in Atlanta, and 27 of the last 29 games in the series overall.
Georgia Tech and Georgia Southern will conclude the two game series on Wednesday at 4 p.m. Live statistics will be available on the internet at www.ramblinwreck.com.
