April 17, 2004
ATLANTA – Zach Clem homered and drove in three runs to lead Washington (20-13-1) to a 7-3 win over Georgia Tech (21-16) on Saturday night at Russ Chandler Stadium. The Huskies win evened the three-game series at one win apiece.
Washington starter Matt Kasser (2-0), who entered the game with a 7.84 ERA, earned the win by working 6.2 innings and allowing three runs. He allowed seven hits and issued four walks while striking out four. David Dowling worked 1.1 innings of shutout relief, while Will Fenton tossed a scoreless ninth inning to close out the game.
Tech’s three runs were its fewest in 20 games dating back to Mar. 13.
The Huskies built a 4-0 lead through the first three innings off Tech starter Lee Hyde. Brent Lillibridge led off the game with a walk before scoring on John Otness’ RBI groundout. Kyle Larsen doubled and scored on Lillibridge’s RBI single in the second, and the Huskies scored twice in the third on Zach Clem’s RBI double and Larsen’s RBI single.
Washington extended the lead to 5-0 with an unearned run in the fourth when Lillibridge doubled and scored on Tech third baseman Wes Hodges’ throwing error.
Kasser faced just five batters over the minimum through the first five innings until the Yellow Jackets finally broke through for two runs in the sixth. Steven Blackwood led off with a single and scored on Micah Owings’ RBI double. A wild pitch and walk put runners on first and third with no outs, but Kasser minimized the damage by inducing a double play ground ball from Mike Nickeas that scored Owings but ended the rally.
The Yellow Jackets manufactured a run in the seventh inning to pull within 5-3. Tyler Greene led off the inning with a bunt single, took second on a wild pitch, moved to third on Hodges’ groundout and scored on Eric Patterson’s sacrifice fly.
Clem answered with a two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning, his 10th of the year, to push Washington’s lead to 7-3. Clem went 2-for-5 in the game, while Lillibridge, Larsen and Nick Batkoski added two hits each.
Hyde (3-2) took the loss, allowing four runs on six hits in two-plus innings. Owings went 2-for-4 and also pitched well in relief, working six innings and allowing two runs on just two hits while striking out six.
Blackwood went 1-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to a career-long 13 games, but Clifton Remole was 0-for-3 to snap his hitting streak at 12.
Georgia Tech and Washington will conclude the three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m.
