ATLANTA – Center fielder Wes Rynders’ two-out RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted third-ranked Georgia Tech (27-8) to a 5-4 win over Georgia Southern (22-13) on Tuesday night at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Trailing 4-2 after six and a half innings, Georgia Tech began its rally in the bottom of the seventh. Rynders tripled with one out and scored on Richard Lewis’ RBI groundout to third base to make the score 4-3.
The Yellow Jackets took the lead with two more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Jason Perry led off the inning with a single and took second base on a wild pitch. After Jason Basil struck out, Brad Stockton delivered a RBI double to right field. Stockton took third base on a flyout before coming around with the go-ahead run on Rynders’ RBI single.
Tech’s Matt Lorenzo (3-0) picked up the win in relief of starter Brian Sager, who was removed after just one inning due to stiffness in his arm. Lorenzo went seven innings and allowed four runs, two earned, on nine hits and one walk while striking out five batters. Jeff Watchko worked a scoreless ninth inning for his fifth save of the season.
Georgia Southern starter Jared Comstock (4-3) took the loss in his first career start. Comstock allowed five runs on 11 hits and one walk and registered four strikeouts in a career-long 7.1 innings of work.
The Yellow Jackets took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after Lewis led off with a double and scored on Victor Menocal’s RBI double.
The Eagles knotted the score at 1-1 in the top of the second when Chad Hall singled and eventually scored on Jemel Spearman’s RBI groundout. Georgia Southern scored three runs in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead. Brendan Gilligan led off with a bunt single and took third on Hall’s single. After Gilligan scored on a wild pitch, Spearman drove in Hall with a RBI groundout. Chris Walker, who reached on an error, scored when Scott Henley doubled to left field.
Menocal paced the Tech offense with a 3-for-4 effort, while Lewis, Rynders and Jason Perry each had two hits in the game. Henley, Gilligan and Chris Walker each had two hits for Georgia Southern.
Georgia Tech and Georgia Southern will wrap up the two-game series on Wednesday at 4 p.m. The game will be broadcast on WREK-Radio (91.1 FM in Atlanta) and on the internet at www.ramblinwreck.com.
