Wednesday, April 02, 2008

ATLANTA, Ga. (April 2, 2008) - The Bucs rallied late after falling behind early in the game against 14^th ranked Georgia Tech, but the rally would fall short as ETSU fell to the Yellow Jackets at Russ Chandler Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. Wednesday night, 5-4.

ETSU (6-21, 6-9) out hit Georgia Tech 10-5 as the Bucs pitching combined to strike out ten batters. The Bucs stranded nine runners in the game including two in the ninth.

The Yellow Jackets took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third on a two-run double to right. In the bottom of the fourth, Georgia Tech scored again on a RBI double to right center to make the score 3-0 Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech would score two more runs in the inning on a very strange play were the Bucs would commit three errors as the Yellow Jacket batter would score on the same play.

Redshirt freshman Bart Roark (Mountain City, Tenn.) put a charge into a ball in the top of the fifth as he drove the ball over the right field fence to make the score 5-1. Senior Anthony Russell (Waldorf, Md.) got into the act in the top of the sixth as he blasted a ball over the left field fence to cut the Georgia Tech lead to 5-2.

In the top of the seventh, Danny Petro (Atlanta, Ga.) kept the home run streak going as he drove a ball over the right field fence to cut the Georgia Tech lead to two runs. The Bucs continued the rally in the top of the eighth as Derek Trent (Kingsport, Tenn.) doubled to right center driving in Paul Hoilman (Johnson City, Tenn.) to cut the Georgia Tech lead to 5-4.        

The ETSU bullpen did a great job pitching four scoreless innings to keep the Bucs in the game as Brandon Langston (Ringgold, Ga,), Josh Means (Kennesaw, Ga.), Darren Caldwell (Spartanburg, S.C.) and Ben Andrews (Leesburg, Fla.) combined to allow only one hit while striking out five Yellow Jacket batters.

Ben Allen (Kingsport, Tenn.), Roark and Trent each had two hits for the Bucs, while Trent and Roark each drove in a run.

The Bucs are back in action this weekend as they will head to Kennesaw, Ga. to take on Kennesaw State in a three-game conference series starting Friday at 6 p.m.

Georgia Tech 5, ETSU 4 (April 2, 2008 at Atlanta, Ga.)
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ETSU........000  011  110   -  4  10  4   (6-21, 6-9 A-Sun)

GT............ 002  300  00x   -  5  5  1   (24-5, 8-4 ACC)

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Pitchers: ETSU -  Matt McGahey; Ty Sarchet (3); Drew Story (4); Brandon Langston (5); Josh Means (6); Darren Caldwell (7); Ben Andrews (8)
GT -  Brandon Cumpton; Kevin Jacob (7); Michael Hutts (8); Chris Hicks (9)

Win -  Brandon Cumpton (2-0) Loss -  Ty Sarchet (1-5)

HR - ETSU - Anthony Russell (9); Danny Petro (2); Bart Roark (2)