Feb. 13, 2007
Box Score
ATLANTA, Ga. - Matt Wieters did it all for the Yellow Jackets on Tuesday night including a walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the tenth inning as No. 14-ranked Georgia Tech overcame a 5-0 deficit to down Kennesaw State, 11-8, on Tuesday evening at Russ Chandler Stadium.
In addition to his game-winning home run, Wieters also was the winning pitcher for Georgia Tech, as the battle of I-75 went to the Yellow Jackets for the fourth straight time.
The Owls (0-1) jumped out to a 5-0 lead with a five run first inning, but the Jackets (1-2) chipped into the Owls lead and took an 8-7 in the bottom of the seventh inning before Kennesaw State tied the game in the top of the ninth inning.
In the bottom of the tenth inning a Justin Freeman pitch to begin the frame hit Curtis Dupart. With one out, Michael Fisher lined a two-strike pitch into right field on a perfectly executed hit and run to put runners on the corners before Wieters first home run of the season.
Martin Baker led off the top of the ninth inning with a ground single through the right side. A wild pitch by Wieters moved Baker to second, but Matt Dallas struck out swinging for the first out. Jay Morrow then lined a single up the middle and Baker's headfirst slide beat the tag by Tech's Nick Scherer to tie the game.
Right-fielder Adam Cross made a diving catch with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to rob Jeff Ussery of a potential game-winning single as Patrick Long, who had singled and stole second, would have easily scored the game-winning run.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Dan Dale replaced Chad Jenkins and with runners on first and second pitched and walked Jeff Ussery. Then, Georgia Tech freshman Dupart came up big when he skied a triple that bounced off the warning track and against the right-field wall, emptying the bases and erasing a 7-5 Owls lead.
It didn't take long for the Owls to get on the board and for sophomore Jacob Robbins to continue his hitting streak from last season. Robbins grounded the second pitch of the game past the glove hand of Georgia Tech shortstop Michael Fisher into center field to move his consecutive game hit streak to 23 games.
The Owls, who ended up sending nine batters to plate, rallied in the first inning when Baker followed Robbins' hit with a single to right field. He then stole second and Dallas promptly lined a single to left field scoring Robbins and Baker for a 2-0 lead.
Georgia Tech starter Chris Hicks recovered and struck out Morrow. After another single by Cross, freshman Jace Whitmer hit a sacrifice fly to right field, giving Kennesaw State a 3-0 lead.
Martin then fisted a single to right field and Ray Redden, who hit just .178 last season, went the other way and doubled to the wall in right center field for a 5-0 advantage, knocking Hicks out of the box.
The Yellow Jackets sophomore, who was 4-1 last year, lasted only two-thirds of an inning and was charged with five earned runs and allowed six hits. The outing was the shortest in his five collegiate starts.
In the bottom of the second inning Ussery singled to right-center field scoring Tony Plagman and Long, both of whom walked, as the Kennesaw State lead was cut to 5-2.
The hit knocked out starter Matt Eckardt and Cacey Rogers relieved. The Owls starter lasted just one inning and allowed three runs and allowed a pair of hits in addition to two walks.
Rogers, who pitched four effective innings, got out the inning with little damage as the Yellow Jackets pushed a run across without the benefit of a hit. Tech would add a run in the bottom of the third inning to cut the lead to 5-4.
Kennesaw State quickly answered in the top of the fourth inning with a pair of runs courtesy of a two-run single by Robbins.
The Owls will have Opening Day at Stillwell Stadium on Friday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. when they begin a three-game series with the Catamounts of Western Carolina.
