April 29, 2007
CLEMSON, S.C. – Ryan Turner worked 5.2 strong innings to lead No. 19 Georgia Tech (27-17, 14-9 ACC) to a 6-3 victory over No. 17 Clemson (29-15, 13-8 ACC) Sunday afternoon at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
The win helped the Jackets avoid a series sweep by the Tigers after the home team earned a comeback, 11th-inning victory over the Jackets Friday night and a 10-3 win on Saturday.
Turner (4-3) worked out of jams in the second and third innings to earn his fourth win of the season. The lefty gave up just two runs on six hits while striking out three. Yellow Jacket reliever Brad Rulon tossed the final 1.2 innings to earn his second save of the year.
Georgia Tech collected just seven hits in the game, but was aided by 10 walks and two HBP’s by the Clemson pitching staff. Michael Fisher, Wally Crancer and Brad Feltes all collected two hits for the Jackets, while Clemson’s Doug Hogan led all batters with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate.
The Jackets loaded the bases in the top of the first inning on a pair of walks and a single by Crancer, but managed just one run on a bases-loaded walk by Luke Murton before Clemson starter Ryan Hinson struck out Tony Plagman and forced Curtis Dupart to ground out to get out of the jam.
Tech added three unearned runs in the fourth inning to push its lead to 4-0. The Yellow Jackets were aided by a pair of walks and a Clemson error while two Tech players reached on HBP’s. Chris House notched the Jackets’ only hit in the inning with a two-out double, while Crancer and Patrick Long both had RBI in the frame.
Hinson (4-2) lasted just 3.2 innings after walking six Yellow Jacket batters and hitting two others in his 11th start of the season. He gave up four runs, only one of which was earned, on three hits and struck out two in the contest.
A two-out RBI single by Matt Wieters gave the Yellow Jackets a 5-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning. House reached on an error by second baseman J.D. Burress to lead off the frame, moved to second on a single by Fisher and scored on Wieters’ hit through the right side of the infield.
Turner ran into problems in the sixth inning after hitting the first two batters he faced before giving up a single to Doug Hogan, which loaded the bases for the Tigers. The Yellow Jacket senior then forced a pop up by Alex Burg before an RBI fielder’s choice by pinch hitter Ben Paulson plated Andy D’Alessio for the Tigers’ first run of the inning. Clemson scored its final run of the frame when D.J. Mitchell walked with the bases loaded, but Yellow Jacket reliever Jared Hyatt struck out Wilson Boyd to end the Tigers’ scoring threat.
With one out in the eighth inning, Fisher doubled, moved to third on a single by Crancer and scored on a wild pitch by Clemson reliever Alan Farina to push the Jackets’ lead to 6-2, but Farina forced Plagman to hit into a bases-loaded double play, ending the Jackets’ scoring threat.
David Bunnell’s RBI single made the score 6-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning, but Brad Rulon came on in relief of Hyatt and forced Mitchell to ground into an inning-ending double play to preserve Tech’s three-run lead.
Tech will take the week off for final exams before traveling to Tampa next weekend, where they will meet South Florida in a three-game series beginning Saturday night and continuing through Monday afternoon.
