April 14, 2016
| GAMES 33-35: #19 GEORGIA TECH VS. #12 NC STATE Friday, April 15 – Sunday, April 17 // Atlanta // Russ Chandler Stadium 7 p.m. (Fri), 4 p.m. (Sat), 1 p.m. (Sun) // TV: ESPN3 (Nathan McCreary, Roddy Jones) // Radio: WREK 91.1 FM | |
| GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS (23-9, 7-7) Last Game: L, 1-3 vs. Georgia (April 12) 2016 Home Record: 16-4 Head Coach: Danny Hall (Miami – Ohio, 1977) Career Record: 1,154-578-1 (29th year) Friday SP: RHP Brandon Gold (4-1, 2.28 ERA) Saturday SP: TBA Sunday SP: RHP Cole Pitts (3-2, 5.03 ERA) | NC STATE WOLFPACK (24-9, 8-5) Last Game: W, 23-3 at Elon (April 12) 2016 Road Record: 4-3 Head Coach: Elliott Avent (VCU, 1984) Career Record: 962-663 (27th year) Friday SP: RHP Cory Wilder (1-1, 5.73 ERA) Saturday SP: LHP Brian Brown (3-1, 1.98 ERA) Sunday SP: LHP Ryan Williamson (6-0, 2.27 ERA) |
| Games Notes // 2016 Information Guide // @GTBaseball on Twitter // Listen Live |
LEADING OFF: STORYLINES TO KNOW
- Senior 3B/LF Matt Gonzalez is tied for the lead among NCAA Division I active players with 18 career sacrifice flies and 252 career hits. Gonzalez is also 2nd in career at bats and is currently 6th among NCAA active players in doubles, and 9th in both total bases and RBI.
- Wade Bailey and Connor Justus have combined to turn 27 of Georgia Tech’s 45 double plays. Either Bailey or Connor has been involved in 42 of Tech’s 45 double plays.
- Georgia Tech is 20-4 (15-1 at home) in games played in less than three hours. In contract, the Jackets are 3-5 (1-3 at home) in games lasting more than three hours.
- Joey Bart has emerged as one of the ACC’s best rookie hitters in 2016. Bart, who currently third on the team with a .357 average, is batting .444 when he’s behind the plate in the lineup.
- Georgia Tech is 21-1 when allowing five or fewer runs this season. Offensively, the Jackets are 17-3 when scoring five or more runs in a game.
- Matthew Gorst has solidified his role as Georgia Tech’s closer. The Alpharetta native has recorded 8 of Tech’s 12 save opportunities. Gorst owns a microscopic 0.43 ERA, allowing one earned run and just 12 baserunners with 30 strikeouts in 20.2 innings.
- Members of Georgia Tech’s 2006 College World Series team will be on hand Saturday for Alumni Day at Russ Chandler Stadium. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Tech’s 2006 run.
- Georgia Tech has used 26 different lineups in the first 32 games. Only 2B Wade Bailey and SS Connor Justus have started every game at the same position.
- Connor Justus is having a career year at the plate, batting a team-best .383 with 12 doubles, three triples, 21 RBI and a .570 slugging percentage. Justus’ doubles (12), triples (3), total bases (73) and stolen bases (6) are all career highs for a season.
SERIES HISTORY
• Georgia Tech leads 72-53
• Streak: NC State, 2 wins
• GT at Home: 36-14
• Last Meeting: April 27, 2014, in Raleigh (L, 1-7)
• Danny Hall vs. NCSU: 42-25
• GT in Last 5 Meetings: 1-4
• GT in Last 10 Meetings: 3-7
THE BAT BEHIND THE MASK
• Georgia Tech freshman C Joey Bart has emerged as one of the ACC’s best rookie hitters in 2016. Bart, who currently third on the team with a .357 average, is batting .444 when he’s behind the plate in the lineup.
• In fact, 24 of Bart’s 30 hits and 14 of his 20 RBI have come when he’s the starting catcher.
• Bart’s six multi-RBI games this season are the second-most among all Yellow Jackets.
GOLD-EN
• Georgia Tech’s Friday night starter Brandon Gold has been golden in his last four starts on the mound. The junior from Alpharetta is 3-0 with a 2.22 ERA and 22 strikeouts, posting victories over ACC rivals Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Pitt. Gold has lasted at least 7.0 innings in each of his last four starts.
• Through his first four starts this season, Gold was 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA and two no-decisions.
• Gold is 4-1 with a 2.28 ERA and a 4:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (44 K, 11 BB) in 51.1 innings.
2006 CWS TEAM REUNION
• Members of Georgia Tech’s 2006 College World Series team will be on hand Saturday for Alumni Day at Russ Chandler Stadium. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Tech’s 2006 run. In addition to head coach Danny Hall, two other staff members were part of the 2006 team – current assistant coach Bryan Price and director of operations Nick Scherer.
• The 2006 season marked Georgia Tech’s third trip to Omaha under Hall, and the Yellow Jackets drew an opening-round matchup against a familiar foe, ACC champion Clemson. The Yellow Jackets and Tigers were just two of a league-record four ACC teams taking part in the 2006 College World Series, joining Miami and North Carolina in Omaha.
• Despite the 0-2 record in Omaha in 2006, the season was special for several reasons. The Yellow Jackets eclipsed the 50-win mark for just the fifth time in history, and fourth under Hall. Tech led the league in runs (8.7 pg), doubles, home runs, RBI, slugging percentage and walks, while seven Yellow Jackets were selected in 2006 MLB Draft, led by second-round selection Wes Hodges.
• Tech turned in a consensus top-10 season, according to the final national college baseball rankings. Baseball America and USA Today listed the Yellow Jackets’ at No. 7, while Collegiate Baseball had Georgia Tech ranked No. 8.
CLOSING TIME
• Junior Matthew Gorst has solidified his role as Georgia Tech’s closer. The Alpharetta, Ga., native has recorded 8 of Tech’s 12 save opportunities. Gorst owns a microscopic 0.43 ERA, allowing one earned run and just 12 baserunners with 30 strikeouts in 20.2 innings.
• Since allowing his lone run of the season, Gorst has pitched 13.1 scoring innings of relief, walking only batter and allowing two hits with 15 strikeouts.
• Dating back to his final five appearances of the 2015 season, Gorst has a 0.82 ERA in his last 22.0 relief innings, allowing two earned runs with 30 strikeouts.
MR. RELIABLE(S)
• Junior SS Connor Justus and senior LF Matt Gonzalez have become two of Georgia Tech’s most reliable hitters in 2016. The duo have accounted for 31 extra-base hits and 47 RBI, while batting a combined .376 at the plate.
• Justus is having a career year at the plate, batting a team-best .383 with 12 doubles, three triples, 21 RBI and a .570 slugging percentage. Justus’ doubles (12), triples (3), total bases (73) and stolen bases (6) are all career highs for a season. Justus is four hits shy of matching his freshman season hits total (53). He’s already surpassed his sophomore season total (46).
GONZO ON THE CAREER LISTS
• Senior 3B/LF Matt Gonzalez is tied for the lead among NCAA Division I active players with 18 career sacrifice flies and 252 career hits. Gonzalez is also 2nd in career at bats and is currently 6th among NCAA active players in doubles, and 9th in both total bases and RBI.
• Gonzalez is three sac flies shy of tying the school record of 21 held by Jason Basil (1998-2001). He is also 2 hits shy of tying Kyle Wren for 20th on Tech’s all-time hits list.
TIME FLIES
• 24 of Tech’s 32 games this season have been played in less than three hours.
• Georgia Tech is 20-4 (15-1 at home) in games played in less than three hours. In contract, the Jackets are 3-5 (1-3 at home) in games lasting more than three hours.
…(TURN) TWO IF BY JUSTUS AND BAILEY
• While Georgia Tech leads the nation with 45 double plays, it’s been 2B Wade Bailey and SS Connor Justus involved in most of them. Bailey and Justus have combined to turn 27 of Tech’s 45 double plays. Either Bailey or Connor has been involved in 42 of Tech’s 45 double plays.
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