Baseball sweeps Maryland

The Tech baseball team (19-11, 8-4 ACC) picked up their first series sweep in Atlantic Coast Conference play last weekend, taking three games from the visiting Maryland Terrapins (18-11, 5-7 ACC).

The Jackets had to use a two-run ninth inning rally to comeback and take the first game of the series last Friday night, 5-4 at Russ Chandler Stadium.

After falling behind 2-0, Tech scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI double by freshman Tony Plagman, a balk committed by Maryland's Casey Baron and a run scoring single by Danny Payne.

Tech starter David Duncan was pitching well going into the ninth inning with the game tied, 3-3. With one out in the ninth, Duncan gave up a solo homerun to Maryland's ninth-place hitter Steve Braun, just Braun's second homerun in 262-career at bats and first of the season.

The Jacket bats, however, were able to help out the starter and rally in the bottom of the ninth. Freshman Patrick Long grounded into a fielder's choice after Chris House walked to lead off the inning, advanced to second on a single by fellow freshman Jeff Ussery and scored on a bloop single by Danny Payne to tie the game.

Luke Murton followed with a ground ball through the left side which scored Ussery from second base to complete the come-from-behind victory for Tech.

Brad Rulon, who picked up the win for Tech, finished off the Terrapins in the top of the ninth.

The second game of the season was not as close as the first as the Jackets walloped Maryland, 16-6.

Leading the way offensively was freshman Tony Plagman, who set career-highs in hits with four, RBIs with four, doubles with two and tied a career high in runs scored with three.

Long also had a big day for Tech. He tied a career-high with four RBIs and three hits including a single, a triple and a solo homerun.

Tech scored a run in each of the first five innings and led 14-5 after five innings.

Starter John Goodman pitched well through the first four innings, but ran into some trouble in the fifth, allowing four runs in the frame. He finished just one out shy of being eligible for the win.

Redshirt senior Jared Hyatt notched his fifth win on the year as he went 1 1/3 innings and allowed one hit while striking out two.

In the finale last Sunday, Tech pulled out a 4-2 grinder of Maryland to earn the series sweep.

Senior lefthander Ryan Turner faced the minimum 15 batters through the first five innings setting the table for the bullpen to shut the door.

Turner allowed two runs with only one earned run on six hits in six innings while striking out three to even his record at 3-3 on the year.

Brad Rulon and Danny Payne combined to shut out the Terrapins in the final three innings with Payne picking up his third save of the season.

Matt Wieters led the offense with three hits, including a solo homerun and two runs driven in while Michael Fisher hit a solo homerun in the bottom of the first inning to stake Tech to an early 1-0 lead.

Tech scored two runs and took a 3-0 lead in the fifth when Payne's double scored Long from second and Wieters' single Murton from third.

On Tuesday, the Jackets extended their winning streak to seven games when they beat the visiting Wofford College Terriers 11-8 at Russ Chandler Stadium.

The Jackets have now won 11 out of their last 13 contests while the starting pitchers have allowed just 10 earned runs in those 13 games.

The first pitch of the game was delayed 50 minutes due to severe thunderstorm warnings and threats in the downtown Atlanta area. The infield was tarped even though no rain fell.

When the game did start, Wofford's Brandon Waring hit a two run homerun in the top of the first inning off of Tech starter Eddie Burns to take a 2-0 lead.

The Jackets responded in their half of the first inning with six runs, partly due to the five walks issued by Chip Hunt of the Terriers.

Hunt walked the first three batters he faced before Wieters hit a bases clearing triple, the second of his career, to give Tech a 3-2 lead.

The Jackets added three more runs in the half inning on a fielders choice and a two-run double by Payne. In the second inning, Tech extended their lead with a run scored on an error and a run-scoring single by Long.

Tech added a run in each of the next three innings to assume an 11-3 lead. However, the Terriers struck for five runs in the sixth inning including a pair of two-run homeruns to pull within three, 11-8.

The Jackets' bullpen shut the door in the final three innings as Jared Hyatt and Wieters combined to pitch the final three innings and allowed just one hit and struck out five.

Wieters earned his third save of the season while Burns picked up his third win of the year on the designated staff pitching game.

Tech will next take to the diamond tonight as they open up a three game ACC series in Miami against the Hurricanes at 7 p.m. The series continues on Saturday and Sunday at 1p.m.