Pair of Three-Run Home Runs Lifts Georgia Tech Past Georgia Southern
Georgia Tech hit the road for the first time this season after sweeping Miami (OH) at home to start the season 3-0 and looked to beat Georgia Southern to get to 4-0. The Yellow Jackets went to South Georgia to take on an in-state rival and hopefully come out of the game undefeated.
Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech played some very entertaining games last season and both made the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles are 2-1 early in this 2023 season after winning two of three games against West Virginia.
Georgia Tech is now 4-0 this season after defeating Georgia Southern
Luke Schmolke was the starting pitcher tonight for the Yellow Jackets. Here was the lineup that Tech went with tonight.
1. CF- Jake DeLeo
2. IF- Angelo Dispigna
3. RF- Stephen Reid
4. 1B- John Geisler
5. DH- Jack Rubenstein
6. 2B- Nicholas Romano
7. 3B- Brant Baughcum
8. SS- Jadyn Jackson
9. C- Tyler Minnick
Schmolke may have started the game tonight, but it did not take long for him to exit the game. After giving up four straight walks and giving Georgia Southern a 1-0 lead. With the bases loaded and no outs, a 2RBI double gave the Eagles a 3-0 lead, and just like that, Schmolke was pulled from the game.
Aeden Finateri came in to replace Schmolke and after he hit a batter to load the bases and then give up two more runs, the inning was finally over and Georgia Tech found themselves in a 5-0 hole.
Good thing for the Yellow Jackets, they have a very good offense that can strike quickly. After Rubenstein singled and Romano walked to give Georgia Tech runners on first and second with one out, Jackson hit an RBI single to put Tech on the board and make it 5-1. Then, Minnick got up to bat and cleared the bases with a three-run home run that cut the lead to 5-4.
Georgia Southern did add another run in the bottom of the 2nd to make it 6-4, but it was at least better than the 1st inning.
In the top of the 3rd, Rubenstein was hit by a pitch and Romano singled to left to put runners on the corners with one out. A sacrifice fly from Baughcum made it 6-5.
Fast forward to the bottom of the 4th inning and it was still 6-5, but the Yellow Jackets were going to make another pitching change. Cody Carwile came in for Finateri and proceeded to strike out three in a row to take it to the top of the 5th.
Finateri pitched three innings and gave up four hits
The top of the 5th inning is where Georgia Tech would grab the lead for the first time all night. Giesler and Rubenstein walked to set up a three-run home run for Romano and the Yellow Jackets led 8-6.
The Eagles would proceed to get two runners on, but Carwile would get his third and fourth strikeouts of the game and end the inning.
Joseph Mannelly would come in to replace Carwile in the 6th inning. He put a couple of runners on base but got out of the inning without giving up a run.
Georgia Tech had an opportunity to extend the lead in the 7th inning. Rubenstein, Romano, and Jackson walked with two outs, but Minnick was not able to cash in and the inning was over.
Mannelly remained in the game at the bottom of the 7th and he struck out two batters to take it to the 8th inning.
Tech did nothing at the top of the inning and Terry Busse was called on to replace Mannelly at the bottom of the 8th. He would give up a single, but the Yellow Jackets turned a double play and sent the game to the 9th inning.
Tech went down 1-2-3 and we were going to the bottom of the 9th with Georgia Tech still holding an 8-6 lead.
Busse came back in the game and had runners on the corners with two outs. He struck out the last at-bat and picked up his second save of the season. It was a huge moment for Busse and got the Yellow Jackets to a 4-0 record.
Georgia Tech is back in action at home this Friday as the Yellow Jackets have a three-game series with Tennessee Tech. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m.
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