May 15, 2008
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Matt Packer held Georgia Tech to one run through seven innings and the Virginia pitching staff recorded 10 strikeouts en route to a 4-2 win over the Yellow Jackets Thursday night at Davenport Field.
Georgia Tech (36-17, 14-14 ACC) was limited to just six hits on the night, with Packer (6-2) giving up five while striking out seven to pick up his sixth win of the season. Andrew Carraway worked a scoreless eighth inning before the Yellow Jackets scratched for a run in the ninth off closer Michael Schwimer.
Virginia (36-17, 15-13 ACC) collected nine hits, four of which were bunt singles, and had runners on base in every inning in the series opener. The Cavaliers stranded 15 runners on base on the night, including four innings with the bases loaded.
Packer retired the first eight batters he faced in order before the Yellow Jackets scratched for a run in the top of the fourth when Luke Murton doubled and scored on an RBI single by Derek Dietrich. Murton and Dietrich finished with two hits apiece on the night.
A single to centerfield by Phil Gosselin followed by bunt singles by Franco Faldes and John Barr loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fourth before a sacrifice fly by Tyler Cannon tied the game at 1-1. After Greg Miclat notched the Cavs’ third bunt single of the inning, Yellow Jacket starter David Duncan retired Patrick Wingfield with a strikeout and forced David Adams to ground out to get out of the jam.
Virginia loaded the bases again in the sixth inning before Duncan struck out Wingfield for the second out of the frame. Dietrich then made an excellent fielding play on a ground ball up the middle by Adams and Duncan looked like he’d escape a jam again, but an errant throw by the Yellow Jacket shortstop allowed two runs to score, giving the Cavaliers a 3-1 edge in the game.
Duncan (7-3) took the loss despite holding the Cavaliers to three runs, only one of which was earned, on eight hits in six innings of work. Andrew Robinson worked the seventh inning, giving up one run on a hit and a walk, and Brad Rulon tossed a scoreless eighth.
Murton reached on a leadoff double in the ninth inning, moved to third on a groundout by Patrick Long and scored on Tony Plagman’s sacrifice fly, but Schwimer finished off the game with a strikeout to pick up his 12th save of the season.
Tech and Virginia continue the season-ending series Friday at 6 p.m. at Davenport Field. Right-hander Eddie Burns (6-4, 5.20 ERA) will take the mound for the Yellow Jackets, and the Cavaliers will counter with left-hander Pat McAnaney (4-3, 2.52). Fans can watch the game live on ACC Select (gatech.playonsports.tv) or listen to the call on WREK Radio (91.1 FM in Atlanta/www.wrek.org). Live stats for all Tech baseball games are available at Ramblinwreck.com.
–GT–
