ATLANTA (March 18) – First baseman Jason Perry homered and drove in three runs as Georgia Tech (17-5) used a six run third inning en route to a 7-4 win over visiting Kent State (3-9) on March 18 at Russ Chandler Stadium. The win capped the Yellow Jackets’ three-game series sweep of the Golden Flashes.
Tech starter Kevin Cameron (3-1) picked up his third victory in four starts after holding the Golden Flashes to four runs on seven hits in seven innings of work. The right hander issued three walks and struck out eight batters. Closer Jeff Watchko earned his third save of the season by tossing two scoreless innings to close out the game.
Dustin Sampson (0-1) took the loss for Kent State after surrendering seven runs, six of which were earned, on five hits and three walks in three innings.
The Yellow Jackets took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a solo home run from Perry, his fifth of the season, before exploding for six runs in the third inning. Tech loaded the bases to start the frame when Matthew Boggs reached on an error, Victor Menocal singled and Richard Lewis walked. Bryan Prince drove in Boggs with a RBI single to left field before Perry delivered a two-run double to center that plated Menocal and Lewis. Matt Murton followed with a double down the left field line that drove in Lewis and Prince, while a RBI groundout from Jason Basil drove in Murton with the final run of the inning.
The Golden Flashes trimmed the lead to 7-4 with a two-run homer from Dave Mettle in the sixth inning and a RBI single from Eric O’Brien in the seventh, but Watchko came out of the Tech bullpen to close the door on the Kent State rally.
Perry paced the Tech offense with two hits in three at bats, while Kent State’s Chris Welsh had three hits in the loss.
Georgia Tech will host Georgia on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Russ Chandler Stadium, while Kent State will visit Youngstown State on Saturday at 2 p.m.
