The Catamounts (8-7), who earned a split in the two-game series, scored nine runs on nine hits, and capitalized on six walks and four hit batters by Yellow Jacket pitchers. Tech (9-6) outhit the Western Carolina, 11-9, in the game.
The Catamounts scored five times with just two hits in the second inning to take an early lead. McKown was credited with a two-run single despite hitting a ball that cleared the right field fence after passing baserunner Alex Gary between first and second bases. Edick had an RBI single, Davis added a sacrifice fly and Roper drove in a run when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and the Yellow Jackets contributed to the rally by issuing four walks and hitting two batters.
Tech answered in the bottom of the second with three runs to cut the lead to 5-3. The first four hitters in the inning all reached base safely - Micah Owings singled, Tyler Greene doubled, Steven Blackwood drove in two runs with a double and Jake Hall added an RBI single.
Western Carolina added two runs with a two-out RBI double from Davis and an RBI single from Edick to extend the lead to 7-3. An RBI single from McKown gave the Catamounts an 8-3 lead in the seventh inning, while Matt Nelson doubled and scored on Roper's RBI single to make the score 9-3 in the eighth.
The Yellow Jackets loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the eighth inning. But WCU reliever Derrick Hawk escaped the jam and allowed just one run on a sacrifice fly from Blackwood while recording a strikeout and a flyout to end the inning. Tech mounted another rally in the ninth with three straight hits to open the inning, including an RBI single from Brandon Boggs that made the score 9-5, but Hawk escaped another jam with a strikeout and a double play to end the game.
Brandon Nash (1-0) picked up the win in relief by working 2.2 scoreless innings and allowing just one hit. The Catamount bullpen of Nash, Clint Ramsey, Eryk McConnell and Hawk combined for 7.2 innings and allowed just two runs.
Tech starter Jason Neighborgall (0-1) took the loss, allowing five runs on one hit and four walks in 1.1 innings.
The Yellow Jackets went 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position, while the Catamounts were 5-for-9 in the same situations.
Blackwood went 2-for-3 with three RBI in the loss, while Eric Patterson and Wes Hodges added two hits apiece.
Georgia Tech opens Atlantic Coast Conference play this weekend when the Yellow Jackets host Virginia for a three-game series beginning on Friday at 4 p.m.
2004 GEORGIA TECH BASEBALL
WESTERN CAROLINA at #17 GEORGIA TECH
March 10, 2004 at Atlanta, Ga. (Russ Chandler Stadium)
WESTERN CAROLINA 9 (8-7) GEORGIA TECH 5 (9-6)
Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI
--------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------
Todd Roper 2b.............. 4 0 1 2 Eric Patterson 2b.......... 4 1 2 0
Chris Davis ss............. 4 1 1 2 Wes Hodges 3b.............. 5 0 2 0
Denver Edick 3b............ 4 1 2 2 Brandon Boggs cf........... 5 0 1 1
Jared Greenwood 1b......... 3 1 1 0 Mike Nickeas c............. 4 1 1 0
Alex Gary rf............... 3 1 0 0 Clifton Remole 1b/rf....... 4 0 0 0
Chad McKown lf............. 3 0 2 3 Micah Owings dh............ 3 1 1 0
Mike McGowan dh............ 3 1 0 0 Tyler Greene ss............ 3 1 1 0
Brian Sigmon c............. 3 1 0 0 Steven Blackwood lf........ 3 1 2 3
Matt Nelson cf............. 3 3 2 0 Jake Hall rf............... 1 0 1 1
Matt Teague p.............. 0 0 0 0 Whit Robbins ph/1b........ 3 0 0 0
Brandon Nash p............ 0 0 0 0 Jason Neighborgall p....... 0 0 0 0
Clint Ramsey p............ 0 0 0 0 Lee Hyde p................ 0 0 0 0
Eryk McConnell p.......... 0 0 0 0 Tim Gustafson p........... 0 0 0 0
Derrick Hawk p............ 0 0 0 0 Ryan Self p............... 0 0 0 0
Jordan Crews p............ 0 0 0 0
Jared Hyatt p............. 0 0 0 0
Totals..................... 30 9 9 9 Totals..................... 35 5 11 5
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
WESTERN CAROLINA.... 050 200 110 - 9 9 1
GEORGIA TECH........ 030 000 011 - 5 11 0
-------------------------------------------
E - Sigmon(2). DP - W. CAROLINA 2; GEORGIA TECH 2. LOB - W. CAROLINA 5; GEORGIA TECH
9. 2B - Davis(8); Greenwood(4); Nelson(2); Hodges, W.(7); Greene, T.(4); Blackwood,
S(1). HBP - Roper; Edick; Greenwood; Sigmon. SF - Davis(1); Blackwood, S(1). SB -
Patterson, E 2(6); Nickeas, M.(1); Greene, T.(6). CS - Roper(1).
WESTERN CAROLINA IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO NP
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matt Teague ............... 1.1 4 3 3 2 2 0 0 0 0 8 10 2 0 39
Brandon Nash W,1-0........ 2.2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 8 8 3 4 26
Clint Ramsey .............. 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4 2 1 13
Eryk McConnell ............ 2.0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 7 8 0 4 28
Derrick Hawk .............. 2.0 4 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 8 11 2 1 40
GEORGIA TECH IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO NP
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jason Neighborgall L,0-1.. 1.1 1 5 5 4 1 0 0 1 0 4 9 0 3 48
Lee Hyde .................. 2.2 4 2 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 9 13 4 2 42
Tim Gustafson ............. 2.1 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 9 11 2 5 34
Ryan Self ................. 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 6
Jordan Crews .............. 1.0 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 4 1 0 13
Jared Hyatt ............... 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 3 1 1 9
WP - Nash(3). HBP - by Neighborgall (Sigmon); by Hyde 2. (Roper, Greenwood);
by Gustafson, T (Edick). Inherited runners/scored: Nash 1/0; Hyde, L. 3/3;
Self, R. 3/0. Pitches/strikes: Teague 39/20; Nash 26/19; Ramsey 13/10; EMcConnell 28/16;
Hawk 40/22; Neighborgall 48/19; Hyde, L. 42/29; Gustafson, T 34/20; Self, R. 6/3; Crews,
J. 13/10; Hyatt, J. 9/6.
Strikeouts - Davis; Edick 2; Patterson, E; Boggs, B.; Nickeas, M.; Remole, C.;
Greene, T.; Blackwood, S. Walks - Greenwood; Gary 2; McKown; McGowan; Nelson;
Patterson, E; Nickeas, M.; Remole, C.; Owings, M.; Greene, T..
Umpires - HP: Ken Couch 1B: Steve Manders 3B: Tony Thompson
Start: 4:03 pm Time: 2:36 Attendance: 1132