April 22, 2018
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Georgia Tech baseball scored on run in the fourth and two runs in the eighth, but couldn’t overcome a seven-run seventh inning by the No. 8 North Carolina Tar Heels in a 10-3 road loss on Sunday afternoon at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C.
At the plate for Tech, outfielders Chase Murray (2-for-3, BB, RBI, run) and Colin Hall (2-for-4, 2B) both recorded two hits apiece, as did lead-off hitter Wade Bailey (2-for-4). Starting pitcher and designated hitter Tristin English (1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBIs) drove in two RBIs in the loss.
For the Heels, who doubled up the Jackets in hits on the day, five players picked up two hits apiece and a total of nine players had at least one hit in the win. Cody Roberts (2-for-4, 2 2B, 3 RBIs, run) and Zack Gahagan (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBIs, run) tied for a team-high three RBIs, while shortstop Ike Freeman (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBIs, run) drove in two runs for the game.
English (2-1) suffered the loss, the first of his career, as the righty gave up four runs on seven hits, three walks and three strikeouts over 6.0 innings of work.
North Carolina’s Cooper Criswell (3-2) earned the win, as he went a career-long 7.0 innings, allowing just one run on four hits and one walk, while striking out five Tech batters.
Again the Jackets got off to a slow start on Sunday, as the Tar Heels scored two runs in the bottom of the second on an RBI double and a run-scoring single, and then added one more in the bottom of the third on a Michael Busch solo home run to take a 3-0 lead over Tech into the fourth inning.
Tech’s first hit of the game came in the top of the fourth, a Bailey single up the middle. However, after a fielder’s choice allowed Joey Bart to reach base safely, upon a replay challenge, the junior moved up a base on a balk call on the UNC pitcher.
Bart then advanced to third on a ground ball to second base, before a two-out RBI single by Murray drove in Bart from third to put the Jackets on the scoreboard down 3-1.
English pitched around a lead-off single in the fourth with the help of a 6-4-3 double play and then threw a clean fifth inning, before the Tar Heels loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth with one out.
A great diving stop by Luke Waddell on a ball hit to his left at third base started a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning, leaving three UNC runners on base in the frame to head to the seventh down just two at 3-1.
The Tar Heels blew the game open in the bottom of the seventh with a seven-run frame, highlighted by a two-run home run from Gahagan, a sacrifice fly by Brandon Riley, and two-run doubles by both Freeman and Roberts to push the home team in front by nine at 10-1 with two innings to play.
Georgia Tech got two runs in the top of the eighth on a two-out, two-run double down the third base line off the bat of English to put the Jackets down seven at 10-3.
The Yellow Jackets (22-19, 9-12 ACC) opens up a seven-game home stand on Tuesday night, April 24, versus nationally ranked Georgia (27-13, 10-8 SEC) at 7 p.m. at Russ Chandler Stadium.
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