March 1, 2007
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech’s 14th-ranked baseball team returns to Atlanta to host Rutgers (4-2) in a three-game series beginning Friday at 4 p.m. The Yellow Jackets and Scarlet Knights will continue the series Saturday at 1 p.m. before meeting Sunday at 12 noon. **Sunday’s game time is different from previously published schedules due to the influx of traffic and timing surrounding Georgia Tech’s final home basketball game of the season.**
The Jackets (6-5) are looking to turn the tide after suffering midweek losses to both Western Carolina and Georgia State over the last two weeks. Tech did have a strong showing in its last weekend series, sweeping Duquesne at Russ Chandler Stadium a week ago, and is looking to follow that up with a solid performance this weekend. Much of the Jackets’ success will depend on the following Tech starters:
Pitching Matchups (GT vs. Rutgers) Friday: LHP David Duncan (2-1, 4.50) vs. RHP Matt Giannini (1-1, 5.25) Saturday: RHP Chris Hicks (1-0, 6.75) vs. RHP Casey Gaynor (1-0, 0.84) Sunday: LHP Ryan Turner (1-1, 4.50) vs. RHP Steve Healing (0-1, 5.23)
The Yellow Jacket offense is led by outfielders Wally Crancer (.469-4-13) and Danny Payne (.439-1-10) and shortstop Michael Fisher (.354-2-9), while three other Yellow Jackets are hitting over .300 for the season. Georgia Tech, as a team, is hitting .307 on the year.
GAME COVERAGE: Live online video of all three games on ACC Select (gatech.playonsports.tv) and radio coverage available on WREK-Radio (91.1 FM/www.wrek.org). Livestats at www.ramblinwreck.com.
Georgia Tech leads Rutgers, 29-9
Georgia Tech leads Rutgers, 29-9, in a series that dates back to 1988. All 38 of the previous meetings have been held at Russ Chandler Stadium.
The Jackets and Scarlet Knights have played at least two games every year since 2002. Tech swept Rutgers in 2006, outscoring the Scarlet Knights 48-14, in the three-game series in early March. Rutgers earned its last win over the Jackets on March 26, 2005, 10-9, in a 13-inning affair.
Georgia Tech has won five of the last six, and 10 of the last 12, meetings between the two schools.
The Yellow Jackets have scored in double figures in five of the last six meetings, including an 11-4 victory in the last meeting.
Georgia Tech is 18-5 against the Scarlet Knights under head coach Danny Hall, with three of those wins coming in extra innings.
Home, Sweet Home
Georgia Tech is 6-3 within the friendly confines of Russ Chandler Stadium in 2007, and is 0-2 in games away from home. The Yellow Jackets have won three of their last four home games.
Tech’s pitching staff has performed much better at home in 2007:
Site ERA Opp/Avg. BB/9 IPHome (6-2) 4.61 .278 3.7Road/Neu. (0-2) 9.00 .417 2.8
Tech’s hitters are batting .326 at home while posting a .217 average in road games.
Team to Go Bald for Charity
The 2007 Georgia Tech baseball team has joined forces with the St. Baldrick’s foundation to raise money to fund cancer research for kids. The team has set the goal of raising at least $5,000 by St. Patrick’s Day, or St. Baldrick’s Day, as coined by the organization. For every $250 raised by March 17, one Georgia Tech baseball player will shave his head in a head-shaving “ceremony” after the game. To date, fans have donated over $4,100 to the cause, resulting in at least 16 players to have their heads shaved after the Boston College baseball game on 3/17. For more information, go to http://www.stbaldricks.org/events/event_info.html?EventID=121.
