ATLANTA (Feb. 20) – Sophomore third baseman Mark Teixeira blasted a solo home run and drove in a pair while going 4-for-4 at the plate as No. 8 Georgia Tech defeated Oakland 9-5 on Sunday, February 20, at Russ Chandler Stadium.
The Jackets (5-1) were forced to rally from a 4-0 deficit, as the Golden Grizzlies plated two runs in the top of the first off Tech starter Steve Kelly (1-0) courtesy of a sacrifice fly by third baseman Rob Brockman and a double by catcher Chuck Van Robays.
Oakland scored twice in the top of the third to build the lead to 4-0 on a two-run single by Van Robays, before Tech got on the board in the bottom half of the inning. An RBI single by shortstop Victor Menocal plated the first Jackets’ run, and the first of a pair of two-run doubles by catcher Jason Basil cut the deficit to 4-3.
Tech scored twice in the bottom of the fourth off Golden Grizzlies’ starter Jeff Gatch (0-1) to take the lead for good, with runs coming via a sacrifice fly by Brad Stockton and an RBI single by Richard Lewis.
Teixeira’s home run led off the bottom of the fifth to increase the Tech lead to 6-4.
The Golden Grizzlies scored their final run in the top of the sixth, before Tech’s relief combination of Ben Sheeter, Jeff Watchko and Andy Mitchell shut out Oakland over the final 3-2/3 innings to preserve the Tech win.
Basil added his second two-run double of the day in the bottom of the sixth opening the Jackets’ lead to 8-5, while Teixeira’s fourth hit of the day, an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth, capped off the scoring for the day.
The two teams complete their three game series in Atlanta on Monday afternoon at 4 p.m.
