Drew Burress, Matthew Ellis Provide Late-Inning Heroics As Georgia Tech Defeats Georgia State and Wins 9th Straight Game
After sweeping No. 13 NC State over the weekend, Georgia Tech went for the season series win over Georgia State. Not only that, but the Yellow Jackets were looking for their ninth straight win.
It looked like it was going to come to an end today right up until the 9th inning. Trailing 4-3, Georgia Tech got an RBI double from superstar Drew Burress and then a go-ahead home run from Matthew Ellis. The Yellow Jackets remain one of the hottest teams in the ACC and take the season series from the Panthers.
Let's recap a thrilling game from Atlanta.
Carson Ballard has settled into his midweek role as the starter and the Yellow Jackets did not make any lineup changes going into today's game vs the Panthers:
1. LF Trey Yunger
2. CF Drew Burress
3. C Matthew Ellis
4. 2B Mike Becchetti
5. SS Payton Green
6. 1B Cam Jones
7. RF Parker Brosius
8. DH Bobby Zmarzlak
9. 3B Carson Kerce
Both teams went 1-2-3 in the first inning and the game was quickly in the second.
The top of the second started with a leadoff walk to Becchetti, the game's first base runner. However, Green struck out and Jones grounded into a double play and Ballard was quickly back out there for bottom of the second inning.
Ballard allowed a single in the inning, but got another strikeout and easily go to the top of the third. It was a great first two innings for Ballard on the mound, continuing his strong season. It was the first hit of the game for either team.
Georgia Tech's first hit of the game came when Kerce singled in the top of the third. Georgia State made an early pitching change and then gave up a single to Yunger and the runners got to second and third, Burress was intentionally walked, loading the bases for Matthew Ellis. Ellis struck out though and the game went to the bottom of the third 0-0. It was a missed opportunity for the Yellow Jackets.
A runner got in scoring position for the Panthers in the bottom of the third. A single and then a balk got a runner on second, but Ballard struck out two more to get his strikeout total up to four and the game remained 0-0 going to the fourth.
The fourth inning was more of the same though. Neither team got a hit and Ballard got another strikeout. Going to the fifth inning, both teams had combined to go 4-27 at the plate.
The 5th inning started off great. Parker Brosius was hit by a pitch, Zmarzlak walked, and Kerce got a bunt down to load the bases with no outs. It started off great but ended in disaster. Yunger reached on a fielders choice, but Brosius was out at home. Then, with the bases still loaded, Burress grounded into a double play and the inning was over. It was another chance with the bases loaded, but Georgia Tech's offense could not take advantage.
The bottom of the 5th inning is where things came unraveled for Ballard. Ballard gave up a leadoff walk, then a two-run home run to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead. It was the first runs that Georgia State had scored in either game against Georgia Tech this year.
Georgia State got another runner on due to an error and that was the end of the line for Ballard. Ben King came in to replace him and try to limit the damage. King got two quick outs, but a wild pitch scored another for the Panthers and it was 3-0 Georgia State. An RBI single on the next at bat gave Georgia State a 4-0 lead and it was starting to look like Georgia State was going to pull away. King got a line out to end the inning and the Yellow Jackets had a lot of work to do the rest of the way to keep their winning streak alive.
The top of the 6th inning started with back-to-back singles from Ellis and Becchetti, then Green was walked. The bases were loaded yet again and this time, there were no outs. Down 4-0, it was a great chance for the Yellow Jackets.
They finally broke through and got some runs. Cam Jones hit a 2-RBI single to cut the lead to 4-2 and the Yellow Jackets had runners on the corners with no outs. The Panthers made a pitching change after the single.
A sac bunt from Brosius got Green to second and scored Green to make it 4-3. Kerce struck out to end the inning.
Dawson Brown came in the bottom of the 6th inning and struck out two batters to keep Georgia State off the board. It was 4-3 going to the seventh.
Burress was able to reach on an error, but Georgia Tech could not get anything going on offense. They remained behind by one run going to the bottom of the inning. It was then a 1-2-3 inning for Brown and the game went to the 8th inning.
Payton Green walked to start the eighth inning and then Jones struck out. Green stole second to get himself into scoring position and then Brosius flew out. It was up to Bobby Zmarzlak to keep the inning going for Georgia Tech. He grounded out and Georgia Tech went to the bottom of the inning trailing 4-3.
Cam Hill came in to replace Brown on the mound and he got through the inning quickly. Kerce, Yunger, and Burress were due up for Georgia Tech and this was their last chance to tie or take the lead and keep their winning streak alive. A
After Kerce grounded out, Yunger walked to give the Yellow Jackets a baserunner and giving Drew Burress a chance to tie the game or give Georgia Tech the lead. Burress hit four home runs in the last matchup with Georgia State, but he had been relatively quiet in this game.
Burress delivered. He hit a one-out RBI double to tie the game. When they needed him, Georgia Tech's most talented player came through.
Burress was not the only hero of the ninth inning for Georgia Tech.
After he hit a double, Matthew Ellis stepped up to the plate and launched a two-run home run to give Georgia Tech their first lead of the game.
Cam Jones came into the game to try and close the Panthers out and give Georgia Tech its ninth straight win.
Jones got it done. Georgia Tech got the win and kept their winning streak alive, as well as taking the season series from Georgia State.
The Yellow Jackets stay on the road this weekend with a big matchup with No. 20 North Carolina. It will be a big chance to continue a great start in ACC play.
