Feb. 21, 2009
ATLANTA – Matt Skole drove in three runs on three hits to pace a 11-hit attack for Georgia Tech, and the 12th-ranked Yellow Jackets used a six-run third inning to coast past Lipscomb, 13-3, Saturday afternoon at Russ Chandler Stadium.
The Yellow Jackets (2-0) will go for the weekend sweep over the Bisons (0-2) Sunday at 2 p.m.
Zach Von Tersch (1-0) scattered six hits in five innings to pick up the win, giving up three runs and a walk while striking out five batters. Brandon McClurg (0-1) took the loss after giving up seven runs, only two of which were earned, in three innings. He walked five and hit two batters.
With the game tied at 1-1, Tech scored six runs in the third inning, aided by a pair of Lipscomb errors, to break open the game. Jeff Rowland doubled and Patrick Long walked to start the frame before Derek Dietrich and Luke Murton reached on errors to force home the first run.
Tony Plagman singled home the second run, and the Jackets added four more with the aid of two walks and two hit batters to take a 7-1 lead.
Skole, a freshman from Woodstock, Ga., belted his first career homer in the second inning, tying the game at 1-1. The third baseman singled home runs in the fourth and fifth innings as Tech added five runs over the two frames to make the score 12-3.
“Matt is a very accomplished hitter for a freshman,” head coach Danny Hall said. “He had a great day with very good at-bats to get us going. His home run tied the game, and he had two very good at-bats after that.”
Allen Boldin drove in two of the Bisons’ three runs with a homer and a single.
Freshmen Jacob Esch, Jed Bradley and Jake Davies, as well as sophomore Zach Brewster, each tossed a scoreless inning in relief of Von Tersch.
Rowland joined Skole with three hits against the Bisons, falling a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. The sophomore center fielder also scored two runs and drove in another. Murton added two hits on the afternoon, going 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.
The Lipscomb pitching staff issued 12 walks to Yellow Jacket batters, including three to junior infielder Patrick Long, who had a double, three walks, and was hit by a pitch. He has reached base safely in his first nine plate appearances of the season.
Sunday’s game can be heard on WREK Radio’s HD2 channel, and at www.wrek.org. Live stats for the game will be available at Ramblinwreck.com.
