Eagles Walk Away with Georgia Tech Series Opener
2/23/2011 2:02:00 AM | Baseball
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern won the series opener 6-5 over 21st-ranked Georgia Tech after Kevin Jacob gave up three straight walks in the bottom of the ninth, including a full-count walk to Victor Roache (Ypsilanti Mich.), scoring the game-winning run. A stadium record crowd of 3,088 witnessed the thriller at J.I. Clements Stadium.
The Eagles took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fourth and held it until the top of the ninth when the Yellow Jackets took a 5-4 lead. Freshman Ben Morgan (Evans, Ga.) led off the bottom of the ninth with a hit and was sent to third base after a hard hit ball by Jesse Piccolo (Flagler Beach, Fla.) was missplayed by the shortstop. Jacob recorded back-to-back outs with runners on second and third and elected to intentionally walk Eric Phillips (Carrollton, Ga.) to load the bases. Steve Cochrane (Mooresville, N.C.) and Roache walked in back-to-back plate appearances to drive in the tying and winning runs.
Andy Moye (Alpharetta, Ga.) started the game at third base and legged out a base hit on a bunt down the third-base line for his first career hit. Moye also picked up the win on the mound, allowing two hits and a run in 2.2 innings of work. The senior captain recorded two strikeouts but was tagged with a tough run in the top of the ninth.
Tech's Brandon Thomas reached base on a double that was nearly caught by a ranging Phillips. The shortstop chased the ball all the way to the left field line and laid out in an attempt to make the out. Sam Dove moved Thomas over on a sacrifice bunt, before Jake Davies struck out looking. Kyle Wren drove in the run on another hit that was nearly caught by a jumping Piccolo at third base.
Georgia Tech left 15 runners on base and left the bases loaded in the first and third innings. Jarret Leverett (Eatonton, Ga.), who started the game for Georgia Southern, worked out of a jam in the first inning. The junior pitcher struck out two batters and coaxed a fly out to exit the inning without allowing a run.
The Eagles struck first in the contest scoring two runs in the second inning. Tom Richardson (Lilburn, Ga.) loaded the bases in the second inning after being hit by a pitch, and Moye plated the first run of the inning with a sacrifice fly. Morgan reloaded the bases after hitting the ball off the pitchers glove for an infield hit, but GSU was only able to score one more run on a balk called against the Yellow Jackets' starter Luke Bard.
Bard gave up four runs on six hits in 3.2 innings of work. He faced 20 batters, but struck out only two on 56 pitches. Dusty Isaacs was stellar out of the bullpen in relief of Bard, allowing only one hit and no runs in 4.1 inning.
Georgia Southern tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning to take a 4-3 lead. Richardson doubled to left field and moved to second on a bunt hit by Moye. Morgan drove in the first run of the inning with a fielder's choice. Michael Burruss (Marietta, Ga.) drove in a two-out run with a single through the right side of the infield to give the Eagles a 4-3 lead, which they held until Georgia Tech tied the game at 4-4 in the seventh inning.
The same two teams will meet again tomorrow at 4 p.m. at J.I. Clements Stadium. Georgia Southern will be back in action following the mid-week series on Friday at 6 p.m. against North Carolina Central.
To order baseball tickets for upcoming games call the Georgia Southern Athletic Ticket Office at 800-GSU-WINS. Single games tickets are available at the gate for $8 for adults and $4 for youth (3-12).
All games can be heard on 102.9 FM in Statesboro and online at GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com/Eaglevision beginning 30 minutes prior to first pitch. Ryan Chambers of the Georgia Southern Radio Network will have the call live from J.I. Clements Stadium Tuesday and Wednesday.
Fans may follow Georgia Southern Baseball by visiting GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com/baseball or check in at twitter.com/GSAthletics or facebook.com/GSAthletics for short updates.
