April 12, 2006
ATLANTA – Matt Wieters homered and drove in four runs and Steven Blackwood added four hits to lead No. 10 Georgia Tech (26-8) to an 8-2 win over No. 25 Georgia (21-11) on Wednesday night at Russ Chandler Stadium.
The game was the first of three scheduled meetings between Georgia Tech and Georgia. The teams play on Apr. 26 in Athens and on May 10 at Turner Field.
Tech starter David Duncan (3-1), one of four pitchers on a designated staff day, teamed with three relievers on a six hitter. Duncan worked three innings and allowed two runs on three hits while striking out three batters.
Tech’s Brad Rulon pitched three shutout innings and struck out five batters. Tim Ladd worked a scoreless seventh inning, and Chris Hicks pitched two scoreless innings to close out the game.
Wieters went 2-for-5 with a home runs and four RBI, while Blackwood finished 4-for-5 with two RBI and three runs scored. Luke Murton had two hits and two RBI, while Danny Payne added two hits and three runs scored.
Georgia starter Iain Sebastian (0-1) allowed three runs in one inning of work and took the loss.
The Yellow Jackets batted around and took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Payne doubled and scored on a RBI single from Blackwood. After walks to Jeff Kindel and Wes Hodges loaded the bases, Murton delivered a two-out, two runs single.
Georgia answered with two runs in the top of the second inning to pull within 3-2. Jason Jacobs was hit by a pitch and Matt Robbins singled before Gordan Beckham followed with a two-run double to left field.
Payne singled, took second base on a wild pitch and scored on a RBI single from Blackwood to give Tech a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the second inning.
Tech added two runs in the sixth inning to extend the lead to 6-2. After the first two hitters of the inning were retired, Payne walked, Blackwood singled, and Wieters delivered a two-run double down the right field line.
Wieters added a two-run homer, his fifth of the year, to make the score 8-2 in the eighth inning.
Beckham led Georgia with three hits, including two doubles, in three at bats.
Georgia Tech hosts Clemson for a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series this weekend at Russ Chandler Stadium. Gametimes are 7 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
