May 31, 2006
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ATLANTA–Earning a national seed in the NCAA baseball field of 64 for the fourth year in a row, Georgia Tech will host Vanderbilt, Michigan and Stetson in the NCAA Atlanta Regional, Friday through Monday at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Georgia Tech (45-16), the No. 8 national seed and the No. 1 seed in the Atlanta regional, opens against Atlantic Sun champion and No. 4 seed Stetson (38-22) Friday at 7 p.m. Friday’s other first-round matchup, scheduled for 3 p.m., pits No. 2 seed Vanderbilt (36-25) of the Southeastern Conference against Big Ten champion Michigan (42-19), the No. 3 seed.
The winner of the Atlanta Regional will be matched up with the champion of the Lexington Regional, hosted by Kentucky and also featuring College of Charleston, Notre Dame and Ball State, in an NCAA Super Regional, scheduled for June 9-11 or 10-12 at a campus site to be determined.
Georgia Tech has earned its 21st NCAA bid in the last 22 years and is making its 23rd NCAA appearance overall, posting a 49-45 record in NCAA play. The Jackets won regionals in 1994, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2005, advancing to the College World Series in 1994 and 2002.
Georgia Tech is hosting a NCAA Regional for the fifth straight year.
GAME COVERAGE
All games in the NCAA Atlanta Regional will air live on CSS-TV in the Atlanta area. Radio coverage for all Georgia Tech games is available on WREK 91.1 FM. Live statistics for all games are available at ramblinwreck.com.
Georgia Tech vs. the NCAA Tournament Field
Georgia Tech is making its 21st NCAA Regional appearance in the last 22 years, and its 23rd overall appearance in this weekend’s NCAA Atlanta Regional. The Yellow Jackets have captured five regional championships (1994, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2005) and have two College World Series appearances (1994 and 2002). Tech is 49-45 in NCAA postseason play.
Georgia Tech went 16-10 against the NCAA Tournament field during the 2006 season.
vs. Regional Opponents
STETSON — Georgia Tech leads, 21-10-1, including an 8-6 mark in Atlanta … The last three meetings have come in NCAA Regional play … #4 seed Stetson upset #1 seed Georgia Tech, 5-4, in the first round of the 2003 NCAA Atlanta Regional … Tech won two games in the 2000 NCAA Atlanta Regional by scores of 24-1 and 16-11.
VANDERBILT — Georgia Tech leads 56-35-1, including a 37-15-1 record in Atlanta … The former SEC opponents have not met since 1964, Tech’s final year in the SEC.
MICHIGAN — Michigan leads, 3-2 … First meeting in 1912, a 5-4 Michigan win at Atlanta’s Ponce de Leon Park … The Wolverines won two of three games in a weekend series in Atlanta (1995) … Last meeting came in 2003, a 7-6 Tech win in Savannah, Ga.
Tech Makes 21st NCAA Appearances in Last 22 Years
Georgia Tech is making its 21st NCAA Regional appearance in the last 22 years in 2006. The Yellow Jackets have played in the NCAA tournament every year since 1985 with the exception of 1999, and Tech is making its 22nd overall NCAA appearance. Georgia Tech is the only school in the nation to earn a National Top 8 seed in each of the last four years.
After missing out on the NCAA Tournament in 1999 for the first time in 15 years, the Yellow Jackets bounced back in 2000 with a 50-win season and an ACC Championship to return to the NCAA Regionals and Super Regionals. Tech returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2001 and then advanced to the College World Series in 2002. With regional appearances in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006, Tech has earned a berth in the NCAA Regionals 21 times in the last 22 years.
Prior to the recent streak, Tech had participated in the NCAA playoffs twice, in 1959 and 1971, with an additional play-in tournament appearance in 1948. Georgia Tech made its first trip to the College World Series in 1994, advancing to the championship game before losing to Oklahoma, 13-5. Tech returned to the College World Series for the second time in 2002.
Most NCAA Regional Appearances, Last 22 Years
1. Florida State 22 Miami 223. GEORGIA TECH 214. Louisiana State 20 Clemson 20 Stanford 20 Texas 20
Tech Hosts NCAA Regional Six Times in Last Seven Years
Georgia Tech is a host site in the NCAA Championship for the fifth straight year and for the sixth time in the last seven years in 2006. Prior to this recent streak, the Yellow Jackets hosted a regional just twice in its first 16 NCAA Regional appearances.
The Yellow Jackets have hosted a NCAA Regional on eight occasions – 1987, 1993, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
NCAA Nuggets
Regional Host for Fifth Straight Year: Georgia Tech is hosting a NCAA Regional for the fifth consecutive year, tied with Texas for the longest active hosting streak in the nation.
National Seed Streak: Georgia Tech earned a national top-eight seed for the fourth consecutive year, the longest active streak in the nation. Cal State Fullerton and Nebraska have earned a national seed in each of the last two seasons.
Most National Seeds in Last Four Years: Georgia Tech has been awarded four national seeds in the last four years, the most in the nation. Cal State Fullerton and Rice have three national seeds in that stretch, while Stanford, Nebraksa and Miami have earned two national seeds in the last four years.
All Time National Seeds: Stanford leads the nation with six national seeds since the current tournament format was adopted for the 1999 season.
Rank School National Seeds 1. Stanford 6 2. GEORGIA TECH 5 Cal State Fullerton 5 Rice 5 5. Florida State 4 Miami 4
Four Yellow Jackets Named All-ACC
Outfielder Danny Payne was named to the 2006 All-Atlantic Coast Conference first team, while 3B Wes Hodges, OF Jeff Kindel and catcher Matt Wieters have earned second-team all-conference honors. This marks the 12th straight season that Tech has had four or more players on the all-ACC team.
Payne earned all-ACC honors for the first time in his career while Hodges, Kindel and Wieters were named to the all-conference team for the second straight season.
Murton Ties HR Record; Earns ACC All-Tournament Honors
Georgia Tech freshman first baseman Luke Murton tied a Georgia Tech record with three home runs in the ACC Tournament semifinal game against Clemson on May 27. After failing to record a hit in his first two at bats of the game, Murton homered in his final three at bats, hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning, a two-run shot in the eighth and a grand slam in the ninth.
Eight previous players had hit three homers in a game, most recently by Scott Byers in 1996. Murton is the third Tech player to homer in three consecutive at bats, joining Jason Varitek (1993) and Ryan Rytter (1995).
After hitting just one home run in the first 55 games of the season, Murton homered in the final game of the regular season and now has four homers in the last six games.
Murton was named to the ACC All-Tournament team.
Wieters Named Brooks Wallace Award Semifinalist
Georgia Tech catcher/pitcher Matt Wieters has been named one of 30 semifinalists for the 2006 Brooks Wallace College Player of the Year Award. The Wallace Award is presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate baseball player. The selection committee will slash the list to three finalists following the NCAA Super Regionals and make that announcement in Omaha on Thursday, June 15, 2005.
Blackwood Named Academic All-America
Georgia Tech senior outfielder Steven Blackwood has been named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America baseball team, announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America. The Biology major from Roswell, Ga., already a three-time Academic All-District selection, was named to the Academic All-America third team.
Blackwood is Georgia Tech’s fifth Academic All-America, joining former stars Nomar Garciaparra, L.J. Yankosky, Mark Teixeira and Matthew Boggs.
Fourth in the Nation in W’s
Georgia Tech enters the NCAA Atlanta Regional with the fourth most wins in the nation this season. Rice leads the nation with 49 wins against Division I opponents, while four of the seven winningest schools in the country are from the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Rank School Record 1. Rice 49-10 2. Clemson 47-14 3. Virginia 46-13 4. GEORGIA TECH 45-16 North Carolina 45-13 Troy 45-14
