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In Cole Pitts' first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery, the Jackets' offense provided all the support he needed in a dominant 15-2 win over Indiana State on Saturday.
It was a promising outing from the Georgia Tech pitcher as he looks to bounce back from Tommy John surgery and emerge as one of the best starters for the Jackets. He allowed just one run on one hit and three strikeouts in three innings to get his first win of the season.
That performance was out shined though by the unleashing of the Georgia Tech offense. After two straight games with just one run scored, the bats were reawakened to their original form to pound the Sycamores for 15 runs and 16 hits.
Headlining the offense were second baseman Wade Bailey and catcher A.J. Murray. They combined for seven hits and six runs scored. Murray also hit his third home run in the young season.
The Jackets came flying out of the gates with two runs in the first inning, two runs in the second inning, and three runs in the third inning to hand an 8-1 lead to the bullpen after Pitts reached his predetermined pitch count.
The bullpen did more than enough to preserve that lead as Ben Parr came on to allow just one run in five innings of relief. Matt Phillips closed it out with a scoreless ninth inning.
After going scoreless for three innings, the offense capped off the night with a massive eighth inning. They brought 11 batters to the plate and scored six runs.
With the help of the ninth inning, all nine Georgia Tech starters reached the basepaths and seven reached base with a hit.
The young lineup continues to impress with some huge outbreaks of runs so far this season. They've now scored 15 or more runs in three different games. The bounce back after a couple of tough games shows this should be an extremely scary lineup for opposing staffs to face as the season moves forward. The noticeable statistic so far has been the improved power. With freshman Kel Johnson already hitting as many home runs as anyone hit all last year, A.J. Murray has now knocked three out of the park himself. That component could be an integral part in pushing the Jackets over the top.
The last two games have showcased two starting pitchers with positive performances coming back from Tommy John surgery. After a very slow start from the pitching staff, the series against Indiana State has begun with just two total runs allowed. Hopefully the momentum from the series can carry over as the Jackets face tougher competition in the batter's box.
The win improves the Jackets to 7-3 on the season. The Sycamores fall to 3-5 with the loss.
Tech will look for the series sweep when the two meet in the finale of the series at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Russ Chandler Stadium.