May 14, 2002
ATLANTA – Clifton Remole drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning as eighth-ranked Georgia Tech (42-11) defeated visiting Georgia (30-22), 12-11, in a wild see-saw affair on Tuesday night at Russ Chandler Stadium. The game featured six lead changes and three ties.
The victory gave the Yellow Jackets a 3-1 mark in the four-game series with the Bulldogs, marking the 15th time in the last 16 years that Tech has either won or split the regular season series.
With the score knotted at 11-11 heading into the bottom of the tenth inning, Tyler Parker led off with a single up the middle and moved to second base when Matthew Boggs was hit by a pitch. The Yellow Jackets loaded the bases after Brandon Boggs attempted to bunt the runners over, but then singled to right field after the count fell to 1-2. With the bases loaded and no outs, the Bulldogs drew the infield in. Remole drove in Parker with the winning run after he lined a ball to second base that was fumbled by Georgia’s Marshall Szabo.
Tech reliever Jeff Watchko (9-1) earned the win after working 1.2 scoreless innings and working out of a jam in the top of the ninth inning. After entering the game with one out, runners on first and second base and a 2-0 count to David Coffee, Watchko worked out of the inning by inducing two ground ball outs. He worked a perfect 10th, striking out the first two batters of the inning.
Georgia’s Matt Woods (2-1) took the loss after surrendering two runs in 1.2 innings.
The two teams combined for 41 hits, including six home runs, and Parker led the Tech offense with a 4-for-5 performance. Victor Menocal and Matt Murton each had three hits in the game, while Remole, Matthew Boggs, Brandon Boggs, and Jeremy Slayden added two hits apiece.
Georgia belted four home runs in the game, including two from David Coffey, his 13th and 14th of the season. Every starter on both teams had at least one hit in the game, while all nine Tech starters had at least one RBI.
With the score knotted at 7-7 after five innings, Tech took a 9-7 lead in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run homer from Murton, his ninth of the season. Georgia immediately answered with three runs in the top of the seventh to take a 10-9 lead, scoring on a two-run homer from Lee Mitchell, who had five RBI in the game, and a sacrifice fly from Chaz Lytle. The Bulldogs added another run in the top of the eighth on a RBI single from Mitchell to push their lead to 11-9.
Tech rallied with two runs in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 11-11. Slayden led off the inning with his team leading 15th home run of the year, while Brandon Boggs plated the tying run when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and two outs.
Georgia Tech will wrap up the 2002 regular season when the Yellow Jackets host North Carolina for a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series beginning Friday at 7 p.m. at Russ Chandler Stadium. Saturday’s game will begin at 1 p.m. and will be televised live on the ACC Regional Network (Fox Sports Net South, Sunshine, and Comcast Sports Net). Sunday’s series finale will begin at 1:30 p.m. All three game will be carried live on WREK-Radio (91.1 FM in Atlanta) and on the internet at www.ramblinwreck.com. Live scoring for the games will be available at www.ramblinwreck.com.
