March 6, 2026

Tech Rolls to a 16-1 Run-Rule Win over Virginia Tech

THE FLATS – Georgia Tech baseball continued its record-breaking offensive pace on Friday night, working around a nearly two-hour weather delay in the first inning to defeat Virginia Tech (7-6, 0-1 ACC) in seven innings, 16-1 (7) inside Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium. The Yellow Jackets (13-1, 1-0 ACC) needed only six innings to deliver their 16 runs, the most runs scored in an ACC opener since 1995.

The Jackets jumped on Virginia Tech from the start, chasing the Hokies starter in the first inning after seven of the first eight Jacket bats reached base. Kent Schmidt made his return to the lineup after missing two weeks with an injury, driving in the first two runs of the game with a bases-loaded single before Ryan Zuckerman (1 RBI single) and Caleb Daniel (2-RBI single) chased the VT starter from the game. The tarp was pulled onto the field before the relief pitcher could warm up as both teams settled into what would become a 1:53 weather delay as GT had runners at the corners with one out and a 5-0 lead.

After the delay, Carson Kerce brought the Tech faithful to their feet by smashing the second pitch he saw through the infield, driving in Zuckerman and setting the pace for what would eventually become an eight run first inning. The Jackets would go onto add five more runs in the bottom of the third, two more in the fifth and the 16^th run of the day in the sixth inning to polish off yet another dominant display of offense. All nine Tech starters reached base in the first inning alone. Nine different Jackets delivered hits, led by three from Kerce. Eight different players recorded an RBI, led again by three from Kerce. Tech accomplished its 16 runs with only two extra base hits (two doubles).

On the mound, Tate McKee delivered a scoreless first inning before enduring the delay and emerging again to battle through the second and third innings with only one run surrendered. He would give way to Carson Ballard who pitched 3.0 scoreless innings with a season-high five strikeouts and only one hit allowed before Kayden Campbell put the final nail in the coffin with a scoreless 7^th inning.

Coach Ramsey after a 16-1 (7) victory to start ACC play.#StingEm🐝 x #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/d11FsVSdcw
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) March 7, 2026

QUICK HITS: TEAM

Tech improves to 13-1, the best start to a season since 2013 and tied for the best start since 2006.
Tech has scored 194 runs through their first 14 games. It’s the most runs Georgia Tech has ever recorded after 14 games in the program’s 131-year history and the most runs any Power 4 team has scored through 14 games in the BBCOR era (since 2011).
The Jackets scoring average now stands at 13.86 runs/game this season. The program record is 10.3, set back in 1984.
GT is outscoring its opponents 194-53 through 14 games, that +141 margin is the highest through 14 games in program history.
The Jackets recorded 16 runs tonight, the most in an ACC opener since scoring 25 against Maryland in 1995.
The 15-run margin of victory is the most in an ACC game since outscoring Clemson, 18-2, last season.
Tech has scored 10 or more runs in 11 of the 14 total games played this season (78.6% of games). It’s the most double-digit run games through the first 14 games in program history.
James Ramsey now holds the best record by any first-year head coach in GT Baseball history through 14 games, 13-1.
The Jackets have recorded 205 hits, a new Power 4 record for the BBCOR era (since 2011) through 14 games.
The Jackets have hit a Division I best leading 45 doubles this season Drew Burress and Kerce added to the total today. The Jackets are hitting doubles at a 3.21/game rate, which would put them on pace for 173 doubles this season. The program record is 164, set back in 1994.
Tech leads the all-time series with Virginia Tech 47-25, after tonight, including a dominant 29-11 record in Atlanta.
GT pitching recorded its second straight one run outing, dropping the season ERA to 3.60, the lowest through 14 games since 2019.
Tech has held its opponents to one run in two straight games for the first time this season and first time since holding Louisville to just one run over a doubleheader at the end of last season.
GT has allowed three or fewer runs against in four of its last five games for the first time since doing so in four of the first five games of the 2025 season.

QUICK HITS: THE BATS

Junior Carson Kerce led the charge offensively, going 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and three RBI, leading the team in hits and RBI.
He was the only Tech starter who didn’t get to the plate before the rain delay, making up for it by driving in a run on the second pitch he saw once the game resumed.
This was his second three-hit game of the season (also Feb. 20 (game one) vs. Stony Brook). It was the eighth three-hit game of his career, one shy of the career high he set in his freshman season (2024).
This was his seventh game with at least three RBI over his career and his second of the season after driving in four vs. Stony Brook (Feb. 20, game one).
He hit his ninth double of the season, the most on the team and tied for the most in Division I.
Junior Kent Schmidt returned to the lineup after missing the last two weeks, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and a walk. He extends his career-best on-base streak to 23 games.
Junior Ryan Zuckerman stayed hot at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a walk, two RBI and two runs scored.
He has recorded multiple hits in each of his last four games, the longest multi-hit streak of his career, going 9-for-14 (.643 avg.) over his last four games, hitting four home runs and two doubles while driving in eight RBI and scoring seven runs.
Zuckerman now leads the team with 22 RBI on the year, claiming the mantle from junior Vahn Lackey.
Lackey drew three walks in four plate appearances tonight, scoring two runs in the process to extend his team-leading on-base streak to 24 games, just three shy of his career long set last season.
Sophomore Will Baker drove in two more runs today. He has recorded 11 RBI over his last five games to bring his season total to 18, just eight shy of his total season output last season.
Sophomore Caleb Daniel drove in two runs with a single in the first inning to chase the VT starter from the game. He has now driven in 11 RBI this season, one of now 10 Yellow Jackets with double-digit RBI this season.
It was his second multi-RBI game of the season and first since setting a career high with six RBI on his two home run day on Opening Day this year.
Sophomore Drew Rogers delivered an RBI in the sixth inning to bring his season total to 19, already surpassing his RBI total from last season (18) which he accomplished over 30 games, less than half of the 14 games he has played in this year.
Sophomore Cade Brown secured his second hit of the season in the sixth inning, giving all 18 hitters on the GT roster multiple hits this season.

QUICK HITS: THE ARMS

Junior Tate McKeemade his 20^th consecutive series opening start, pitching 3.0 innings, including pitching after more than two hours between his first inning and second inning thanks to the delay and an eight-run bottom of the first.
He would strike out three batters while allowing four hits and one earned run.
He becomes the first Tech pitcher to eclipse the 15.0 innings mark, now leading the way with 16.1 innings pitched and tying Dylan Loy for the team lead with 18 strikeouts.
Tech improves to 16-4 in series openers started by McKee (.800 win %).
R-junior Carson Ballard was the first out of the bullpen, pitching the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. He delivered 3.0 scoreless innings, keeping Virginia Tech from gaining any momentum while striking out a season high five, including striking out the side in the sixth inning.
He would get credit for the win, bringing his record to 2-0 and matching his career high for wins in a single season, tied with 2024 when he was 2-2.
Senior Kayden Campbell came in to pitch the seventh inning, retiring the side in order and adding a strikeout to the tally.

Up Next

Georgia Tech will try to win the series, when they host Virginia Tech for the second game of the weekend, tomorrow at 2 p.m. The Jackets will start junior LHP Dylan Loy (1-0) against Virginia Tech’s Brett Renfrow (0-2). The game will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra. Standing room only tickets are available at ramblinwreck.com/tickets.

Full Steam Ahead

Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.

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