ATLANTA-Georgia Tech (14-10, 2-4 ACC) hosts in-state rival Georgia Southern (13-14, 6-3 SoCon) this weekend in a two-game series beginning Saturday with a 1 p.m. start at Russ Chandler Stadium and concluding Sunday at 1 p.m. The Jackets earned a pair of victories over the Eagles in Statesboro to open the season and have won their last two games on the road at Wake Forest and Georgia.
In their most recent outing, the Yellow Jackets came from behind to score a pair of runs in the top of the ninth to earn a 4-3 win against Georgia in Athens Wednesday night. In the last two weeks, the Jackets have swept a two-game series from the Boilermakers, taken two of three from the Demon Deacons in Winston-Salem, and downed the Bulldogs in Athens. Tech has won five of six games after being swept in a three-game series against Virginia two weeks ago. The Eagles enter this weekend’s games after sweeping Coppin State 14-0 and 15-2 this week.
Following the games against Georgia Southern, the Jackets will host 13th-ranked Auburn Tuesday night in a game that will be televised on Comcast Sports Southeast. First pitch is set for 7:06 p.m.
GAME COVERAGE: Live statistics will be available on the internet at www.ramblinwreck.com. Radio coverage can be found on WREK-Radio (91.1 FM in Atlanta) and on the internet at www.wrek.org.
LEADING OFF … NEWS & NOTES ON THE YELLOW JACKETS
WEB GEMS: The Yellow Jackets are fielding .974 as a team in 2004, committing 24 errors in 24 games. Tech’s best fielding percentage in the 10 previous years under Danny Hall is .968, which was accomplished by the 1994 team that played for the national championship and featured Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Varitek and Jay Payton. The Yellow Jackets have committed one error or less in 17 of 24 games, including 11 errorless games. In six conference games, Tech is fielding .982 (four errors in six games).
THE LINEUP CARD: Head coach Danny Hall has used 22 different starting lineups in 24 games this season.
IN THE BULLPEN: Tech has used 15 different pitchers this season, including 13 pitchers who have made at least five appearances.
MOUND MATCHUPS: The pitching matchup for Saturday is Tech RHP Brian Burks (1-2, 3.78) vs. Georgia Southern RHP Dustin Evans (3-4, 4.87) and on Sunday, Yellow Jacket RHP Andrew Kown (3-1, 3.19) will face Southern’s RHP John Carroll (1-3, 2.43).
GEORGIA TECH VS. GEORGIA SOUTHERN GEORGIA TECH LEADS, 67-21
*** Georgia Tech leads Georgia Southern, 67-21, in a series that dates to 1947. The Yellow Jackets and Eagles have played every year since 1984, playing at leasat four times annually since 1986.
*** Tech had a 20-game winning streak against Georgia Southern snapped in the final game of the 2003 series when the Eagles claimed an 8-7 decision. The Yellow Jackets won 20 straight games in the series from 1996 through 2003.
*** Tech is 37-11 against Georgia Southern in games played in Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets had won 10 straight games over the Eagles in Atlanta before Georgia Southern won 8-7 in the final game of the 2003 series.
*** Tech is 35-9 (.795) against Georgia Southern since 1994 under head coach Danny Hall. The Tech skipper owns a 18-4 record against the Eagles in Statesboro.
*** Earlier this season, Tech swept a doubleheader from the Eagles, 15-6 and 5-4, on Feb. 15 in Statesboro. In the first game, Tech’s Micah Owings worked seven innings and allowed just one run while Steven Blackwood went 3-for-4 with three RBI and Wes Hodges hit a grand slam. In the second game, Brandon Boggs hit a two-run homer in the ninth to tie the score at 4-4 and Hodges delivered the game-winning single in the 10th inning.
*** Since the 2000 season, Tech has outscored Georgia Southern 203-86, an average of 10.7 to 4.5 per game.
STARTING PITCHER NOTES
Saturday: Brian Burks (rhp) 1-2, 3.78 ERA
Senior Brian Burks will get the starting assignment on Saturday in the series opener against Georgia Southern. A versatile and veteran member of the Tech pitching staff, Burks has made 80 career appearances including 22 starts and 58 relief stints. He begins the 2004 season as a member of the weekend rotation after working primarily as a reliever in 2003.
For his career, Burks is 20-11 with 13 saves. He is currently ranked seventh in Tech history in both career saves (13) and appearances (80), and he is ranked third in school history in fewest walks per nine innings (2.36).
Burks has pitched well in his last three starts but is just 0-2 in that stretch, allowing ten earned runs in 24.1 innings (3.69 ERA). In his most recent start, he took the loss against the Demon Deacons, working 5.0 innings, allowing a season-high 11 hits and six runs. He also struck out six and walked none.
Sunday: Andrew Kown (rhp) 3-1, 3.19 ERA
Junior Andrew Kown will make his fifth start of the season in Tech’s final game against Georgia Southern.
The right-hander pitched one of the best games of his career a week ago at Wake Forest, tossing the first complete game of his career, while allowing just two runs on four hits. He also struck out eight Demon Deacon batters while walking just three.
Kown made his first start of the season a month ago against Villanova. He dominated the Wildcat hitters for six innings, allowing one run on five hits in six innings. He struck out a career-high 11 batters, including 10 looking.
After struggling in his next two starts against Oklahoma and Rutgers, Kown bounced back with a strong effort against Virginia two weeks ago. Although he did not get a decision in that game, he worked a then-career-high seven innings and allowed just two runs.
OFFENSE RETURNS FROM HIBERNATION
Tech has won five of its last six games, largely thanks to an offensive resurgence after a 12 game cold stretch. Of note, there is a direct correlation between the success of Eric Patterson, Tech’s leadoff hitter, and Micah Owings, Tech’s top power hitter, and the success of the team. A breakdown of Tech’s offensive production:
Games Record Avg. SLG% OBP% runs/gm Patterson BA/OBP Owings BA/SLG (1-6) 6-0 .332 .514 .421 10.2 .391/.444 .300/.500 (7-18) 3-9 .252 .372 .333 4.1 .222/.314 .143/.286 (19-24) 5-1 .368 .587 .452 9.7 .464/.516 .444/1.037
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