March 23, 2002
ATLANTA – Jason Perry went 4-for-5 with four RBI and Kyle Bakker tossed seven strong innings to lead 12th-ranked Georgia Tech (17-3) to 9-3 win over visiting Gardner-Webb (13-10) on Saturday afternoon at Russ Chandler Stadium. The win improved the Yellow Jackets’ record to 12-0 at their new home park and extended their home winning streak to 17-games overall dating back to last season.
Bakker (6-0) remained undefeated on the season after holding the Bulldogs to two runs, only one of which was earned, on eight hits in seven innings. He issued two walks and struck out six batters. Brian Burks and Victor Menocal each worked one scoreless inning in relief.
Clinging to a 5-3 lead after seven and a half innings, the Yellow Jackets put the game away with four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Perry drove in two runs with a double while Clifton Remole plated two more runs with a single.
The Yellow Jackets initially took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning on a two-run single from Perry and a RBI single from Remole. After the Bulldogs cut the lead to 3-1 with an unearned run in the top of the fifth, Tyler Parker hit a solo homer, his sixth of the season, to make the score 4-1 in the bottom of that inning.
The Bulldogs’ Cory Evans made the score 4-2 with a RBI single in the top of the sixth inning, but Tech answered in the bottom of that frame when Eric Patterson singled and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly from Menocal. A RBI single from Gardner-Webb’s Chip Watts trimmed the lead to 5-3 in the top of the eighth.
Menocal went 2-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to 18 games, while Boggs, Parker, Remole, Patterson and Wes Rynders each added two hits in the game. The Yellow Jackets outhit the Bulldogs, 17-9.
Gardner-Webb starter Justin Hulse (2-2) took the loss, surrendering four runs on nine hits in four innings of work.
Georgia Tech and Gardner-Webb will complete the two-game series at Russ Chandler Stadium at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. Live scoring for the game will be available at www.ramblinwreck.com.
