Georgia Tech Baseball Shutout 7-0 vs Northeastern
After a tough series loss to the Georgia Bulldogs, Georgia Tech was back on the field today with a midweek matchup with Northeastern. The Yellow Jackets were looking to get back in the win column ahead of a four-game weekend series vs Youngstown State, the last weekend series before ACC play begins vs NC State the following weekend.
Carson Ballard was back on the mound today and looking for another impressive showing. Here was the lineup for Georgia Tech today:
1. CF Drew Burress
2. 2B Mike Becchetti
3. SS Payton Green
4. 1B Cam Jones
DH Matthew Ellis
5. LF Trey Yunger
6. DH Matthew Ellis
7. C Vahn Lackey
8. 3B Ryan Jaros
9. RF Parker Brosius
The game started off in the exact opposite way that Danny Hall wanted his team to start.
A leadoff double gave Northeastern an early baserunner and then first baseman Tyler MacGregor launched a two-run home run to give Northeastern a 2-0 lead. To Ballard's credit, he got the next three outs easily, but the Yellow Jackets found themselves in a 2-0 to start the game.
After Georgia Tech failed to do anything in the bottom of the first, Northeastern went back to work.
After a runner reached on a fielder's choice, a bad pickoff attempt got him to third and in scoring position. A sac fly drove in the run and Georgia Tech trailed 3-0. A walk and a stolen base gave Northeastern another runner in scoring position, but Ballard recorded the final out and sent the game to the bottom of the second.
After a pop-up from Yunger, Ellis was walked and then he stole second to give Georgia Tech a runner in scoring position with one out. Lackey struck out in the next at-bat, but Jaros drew a walk to give them two runners on base with two outs and Brosius was up to the plate.
He grounded out though and the game went to the top of the third.
Ballard started the inning off with another lead-off hit and that eventually led to an RBI single from Northeastern to take a 4-0 lead. Ballard got out of the inning, but the deficit for Georgia Tech got bigger.
A single, double, and then a walk loaded up the bases for Georgia Tech and it was their best chance to get on the board and cut into Norteastern's lead. They could not get it done though and stranded three runners on base to end the inning.
The fourth inning would be Ballard's best of the day and the first inning where he did not give up a run. He only allowed a single in the inning and the lead stayed 4-0 going to the bottom of the inning.
Georgia Tech's offense remained scoreless in the bottom of the inning and it was 4-0 going to the fifth.
A leadoff double and then a walk gave Northeastern two early baserunners and that was it for Ballard. Michal Kovala came in to replace Ballard. HE got through four innings and gave up seven hits, two earned runs, two walks, and two strikeouts. Carson Kerce also replaced Jaros at third base.
Kovala was able to get out of the jam and keep the game 4-0 going to the bottom of the fifth, where Georgia Tech went down 1-2-3.
After striking out the first batter, Kovala gave up a single and then the runner advanced to second on a wild pitch. Then, disaster struck for Georgia Tech. A two-run home run made it 6-0 and it was starting to feel like this game was officially out of reach for the Yellow Jackets.
But it was only going to get worse.
A walk and then an RBI double drove in another run and made it 7-0. That would be the end of the line for Kovala and he would be replaced by Riley Stanford. He got out of the inning, but the game had been blown open in the sixth inning.
Despite getting two runners on base, Georgia Tech did not score a run in the sixth inning. The Yellow Jackets trailed 7-0 heading to the seventh inning.
That is how the score remained for the rest of the game. Georgia Tech was shutout at home vs Northeastern and falls to 7-4 on the season.
The next game for Georgia Tech will be at home against Youngstown State on Friday at 4:00 p.m.