ATLANTA (March 25) – Senior catcher Bryan Prince collected three hits and drove in three runs on March 25 to lead third-ranked Georgia Tech past Maryland, 11-9, at Russ Chandler Stadium, as the Jackets completed a three-game sweep of the Terrapins.
Trailing 8-7 after five innings, Tech (20-6, 4-2 ACC) scored three times in the bottom of the sixth to build a 10-8 lead which they held onto the rest of the afternoon. After a walk and stolen base by shortstop Victor Menocal, Prince tied the game at 8-8 with an RBI single. Jason Basil and Brad Stockton followed with run-scoring singles of their own to give the Jackets the lead.
Maryland (5-15, 0-6 ACC) closed to within one in the seventh as Chuck Easter scored on a sacrifice fly by Sean Lomas which narrowed the Tech lead to 10-9. The Jackets added an insurance run in the bottom half of the inning as a sacrifice fly by Matthew Boggs scored Wes Rynders to provide the final 11-9 margin.
Yellow Jacket closer Jeff Watchko pitched two scoreless innings to close out the victory and pick up his fourth save of the season.
Brian Burks (2-0) earned the victory on the mound for the Jackets, in relief of Tech starter Kevin Cameron. Burks allowed two runs in 2.1 innings of work. Cameron lasted just 3.2 innings having allowed seven runs, only two of which were earned.
Terrapin right hander Mark Martin (2-3) suffered the defeat, after yielding three runs in two-thirds of an inning. Maryland starter Steve Schmoll went five innings on the hill, allowing seven runs and eight hits, but did not figure in the decision.
Maryland took an early 1-0 lead on an RBI double by Steve Oursler in the first. The Jackets answered back with three of their own, keyed by a two-run double by Prince and a sacrifice fly by Jason Perry. The Terps took the lead back in the top of the second, as a three-run home run by Matt Swope gave Maryland a 4-3 lead.
Tech gained the lead back in the bottom half of the second, scoring on a sacrifice fly by Boggs and an error by Terrapin center fielder Daryl Whitmer. Maryland knotted the score at 5-5 in the top of the third on a solo home run by Oursler.
The Jackets responded in kind once again, retaking the lead at 6-5 in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Stockton. The Terrapins plated a pair in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Anthony Buffone and an RBI single by Brian Patenaude to take a 7-6 lead. Richard Lewis’ run-scoring single in the bottom half of the inning again tied the score, this time at 7-7. Maryland answered with a solo home run by Sean Lomas in the fifth to take an 8-7 lead, and set the stage for the Jackets’ three-run rally an inning later.
Georgia Tech will return to action on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. against Mercer at Russ Chandler Stadium.
