Georgia Tech Baseball: Yellow Jackets finish season sweep of Kennesaw

The day after beating Kennesaw State 10-7 at their home, the Jackets finished a sweep of the season’s series on a cold evening in Atlanta with a 9-1 victory over the Owls. Freshman RHP Jared Rine faced Freshman RHP Cort Roedig (0-1, 3.38 ERA) for Tech.

It only took until the bottom of the 1st for Kyle McCann to go deep to right center with Michael Guldberg on first base, and it was 2-0. Kyle had also hit one out in Kennesaw Tuesday.

In the bottom of the 3rd, Senior LHP Brian Exley came in to pitch for the Owls.

Roedig pitched very well through four, but the fifth was interesting. The first “hit” off Cort was a pop up that fell between home and first. That runner was thrown out stealing by McCann, but the next two batters walked and singled, putting runners on the corners with one out. Fortunately, a 4-6-3 DP ended the inning, still 2-0. The Jackets added in their half of the fifth when they loaded the bases on two singles and an error. Waddell nearly laid down a bunt for a hit, but had to settle for an RBI. Next, Guldberg singled in two and Tech led 5-0.

After Roedig hit a batter and gave up an infield single with one out, Joseph Mannelly relieved him in the KSU sixth. Cort had pitched very well, only allowing three hits, including the popup. Mannelly got out of the inning and preserved the shutout by getting a shallow fly ball, then bizarrely by throwing two wild pitches: the first moved the runners to 2nd and 3rd , and the second bounced off the wall back to McCann, who threw to Mannelly for the out at home.

Sophomore RHP Rhian Mann pitched a 1-2-3 inning for the Owls in the Tech 6th . In the 7th, Mannelly had to come out with an arm issue after two outs and with a 2-2 count. Hugh Chapman relieved him and got a fly ball for out three.

Sophomore RHP Ryan Wesley pitched for the Owls in the 7th and gave up a run when Waddell walked and moved all the way around on a stolen base and two wild pitches. Next, McCann hit his second homer of the game after English walked and it was 8-0. After Colin Hall doubled down the left field line with two outs, another sophomore RHP, Jared Staples came in and finished the inning.

Chapman pitched himself into plenty of trouble in the 8th, walking in a run after two singles and a walk loaded the bases. The coaches wanted him to get out of it on his own, and he did with two gutsy strikeouts to keep it 8-1. Austin Thompson, a sophomore RHP, came in for the Tech 8th . He also got himself into trouble by loading the bases on a single and two walks. Paxton Rigby got his first RBI of the year with a sacrifice fly to center and restored the eight-run lead.

Jonathan Hughes then pitched the top of the ninth, and retired the Owls 1-2-3 to seal the sweep of the second metro Atlanta opponent in as many weeks. Roedig got the well earned win and Rine the loss.

Now, on to Miami.