March 7, 2003
ATLANTA – Mike Nickeas and Davis Myers both hit home runs, and top-ranked Georgia Tech (12-0) used a seven-run first inning to defeat visiting Rutgers (1-5) on Friday afternoon at Russ Chandler Stadium in the opener of a three-game series.
Georgia Tech’s 12-game winning streak to open 2003 stands as the second best mark to start a season. The Yellow Jackets set a school record with a 16-0 start in 1987.
The Yellow Jackets broke through for 13 hits after collecting just nine hits in their previous two games combined. Jeremy Slayden and Tyler Greene led the Tech attack with three hits apiece, while Nickeas and Eric Patterson added two hits each.
Rutgers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a solo home run from Matt Wolski, his first of the season, before Georgia Tech answered with seven runs in the bottom of the inning. Davis Myers belted a two-run homer, his first of the season, Jeremy Slayden hit a RBI triple, Mike Nickeas drove in two runs with a single and Matt Murton added a RBI single.
The Scarlet Knights added two runs in the top of the third on a pair of RBI singles from Johnny Defrendes and Nick Cerulo, cutting the lead to 7-3. Tech answered with in the bottom of that inning when Eric Patterson drew a bases loaded walk to make the score 8-3. Canuso hit a solo home, his second of the season, to make the score 8-4 in the top of the fourth inning.
The Yellow Jackets stretched their lead to 11-3 with a RBI double from Slayden in the fifth inning and a two-run homer from Mike Nickeas, his second of the year, in the sixth inning. Rutgers’ Jason Grover walked and scored in the seventh inning and Graig Badger doubled and scored on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth inning to provide the final 11-6 margin.
Nickeas drove in a career high four runs in the game, while Myers tied a personal high with three RBI.
Tech starter Kyle Bakker improved to 4-0 in four starts despite a rocky outing in which he allowed four runs on 12 hits in five innings. Rutgers’ starter Jack Egbert (0-2) took the loss, surrendering eight runs in two-plus innings.
Georgia Tech and Rutgers will continue the three-game series on Saturday at 12 noon and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Live statistics for the entire series will be available at www.ramblinwreck.com.
