Beesball Weekend (Feb. 26-28): Home vs Maryland-Baltimore County

[GTJT622]

The 4-0 Jackets look to stay perfect on the season as we host UMBC from the America East Conference.

UMBC is 1-3 on the season having played 4 games last weekend to open their season at a get-together at Wake Forest. UMBC defeated VMI in their opener and then lost the next 3 to VMI, Wake and Georgetown. The loss to Wake was by 2 runs and then to Georgetown was by 1 run. The loss to G'town was tough as UMBC led the game 5-0 going to the bottom of the 6th and 5-4 heading to the bottom of the 9th before GU tied it in the 9th and then won it in the 10th.

Reviewing the Beesball Info Guide, I don't see any previous meetings between the 2 programs.

I expect we'll see the same rotation as last weekend... Wednesday's hero in Statesboro, Brandon Gold, as the #1 Friday followed by King and Hughes. Those 3 starters combined for 16 innings pitched and no earned runs allowed last weekend.

This is the first 3 of a 7-game homestand as the JJ's host Ga State during midweek next week (Tue, Mar. 1, 4pm) and then host Western Carolina for another weekend home series before traveling to Auburn and then starting the A.C.C. schedule in Tallahassee.

The last time...

-Tech opened a season 5-0 was 2013
-Tech opened a season 6-0 was 2010
-Tech opened a season 7-0 was 2006...when the JJ's opened the season winning its first 16 games (note, our last trip to Omaha was 2006)


Weather is once again going to cooperate with clear skies throughout the weekend and Sunday being the warmest.

 

[GTJT622]

Preview from rr.com... http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/022516aab.html

3 righty starters for UMBC

 

[Buzzforlife]

I guess our one lefty hitter will bee getting some AB's?

 

[GTJT622]

Another early season gem by Brandon Gold. 5-0, babyyyy.

2pm first pitch Saturday.

 

[GTJT622]

Jonathan King was a late scratch. Freshman Keyton Gibson inserted to start. He's throwing to Joey Bart, his high school catcher today.

UMBC up 1-0 in the bottom of the 3rd.

 

[GTJT622]

Ben Parr now in. Good job by the freshman, Gibson, who was given very little notice to get himself ready to go to start with the late scratch. Hopefully Parr can get it done here in the middle innings and the offense needs to start providing some help. It has been extremely quiet so far today.

 

[GTJT622]

Absolutely fantastic play to get a DP to end the inning with UMBC's bases loaded by Tech 2B Wade Bailey. Wow! Let's get some runs, JJ's!!

 

[GTJT622]

There we go. 2 runs in the bottom of the 4th provide a lead. Now, let's protect it and get more. These games count come Memorial Day. Don't let them go.

 

[GTJT622]

BOOOOM! Make it 4-1 thanks to a long dinger by freshman big man Brandt Stallings, his first of what likely will be many. Woohoo!

 

[GTJT622]

Decent job by Parr in relief. Top 6th now. Need a hold by freshman Burton Delaney.

 

[GTJT622]

JJ's up 4-2 in the bottom of the 6th. Justus with a 1-out double. Let's go, Jackets!!

We need some runs. Too close for comfort right now.

 

[GTJT622]

Nice! JJ's scratch across 2 runs in the bottom of the 7th. Much needed insurance. Up 6-2 now.

 

[GTJT622]

Wade Bailey with a bomb in the bottom of the 8th likely puts it away. Nice! He's off to a torrid start to the season. Great to have your lead off guy doing what he's doing.

JJ's up 9-2 bottom 8th.

 

[GTJT622]

Jackets move to 6-0 on the season. Hoping King is OK and back 100%. Not sure what went wrong.

 

[GTJT622]

Jonathan Hughes gives us another 6 innings and no earned runs allowed. No runs at all today. Just 1 run that was unearned last Sunday.

Need to get some runs.

 

[GTJT622]

Great job by Gorst in the 8th to put a potential fire out. Let's go, JJ's!!

 

[GTJT622]

4 big runs in the bottom of the 8th for the JJ's. Going to top 9th up 6-1. Finish it off, Jackets.

First 7-0 start to the season since 10 years ago in 2006 within grasp now.

 

[GTJT622]

Jackets get the W. Nice job, JJ's!!!

 

[GTJT622]

A few random nuggets to gnaw on (and, they do taste just like chicken) in no particular odor...

• Ga State rolls into the Rusty C this midweek with a 5-2 record and on a 4-game winning streak that they swept over the weekend over Coppin State by a combined 64-4, including shutouts in the last 3 games...they did lose to both VCU and Purdue in the opening weekend
• Next weekend's series opponent, Western Carolina, is 1-5 on the young season. They lost all 3 games at a get together at UNC-Wilmington opening weekend to UNCW, Richmond and St. John's before taking 1 of 3 against Louisiana-Monroe this weekend.
• The Cesspoolians lost 2 of 3 at their Bulldwag Invitational over the weekend.
  
• Upcoming opponent, Clemson Without A Lake, is 4-3 on the season. All 7 games have been at home - with no lake of course. They've lost 2 to Sacramento State and 1 today to Southern University.

 

[Buzzforlife]

Our pitching depth is going to carry us. I said it after fall practice, and we will see it even more after the schedule gets cranked up.

 

[GTJT622]

Two questions regarding our pitching...

1. Zac Ryan...no appearances so far. Because situation has not needed it (save opp's) and we are getting our newbies time instead? Hope nothing is wrong. Just figured he would get some type of work in by now.

2. Jonathan King...any news of nature of his scratch before the game Saturday? Hope he is OK. The official website of Georgia Tech Athletics shows him as having started the game this past Saturday though he threw no pitches. I believe that is incorrect as he was a scratch 15 minutes prior to the game assuming Wiley B and the WREK guys were accurate. I know Keyton Gibson threw the first pitch of the game against UMBC. Seems to me KG would/should be credited with the start. Regardless, I hope Jonathan is OK. We need him.

 

[BornAJacket]

So having listened to much of the early season, what are your thoughts on the pitching staff so far?

 

[GTJT622]

The numbers speak for themselves I think.

7-0 record...0.90 staff ERA...opposing batting percentage of .215

We haven't faced any monstrous offenses yet. We'll see what we are made of when we head to Tallahassee. Having said that, so far so good.

Note, the defense has committed 11 errors so far. We can and should do better than that.

 

[BornAJacket]

I am liking the initial stats, no doubt about it. Just that sometimes early results need some commentary to help keep the play in context.

Glad to hear your opinions are matching... We need to play better defense, I think some of the errors are just early season form and the players will get better as the games get under their belts.

I am looking for a good season.

 

[GTJT622]

The freshmen are already making their mark which is a great sign. Come from behind wins like the one we got down at Statesboro last Wednesday can really be a confidence-builder. Matt Gonzalez has historically started kind of slow at the plate. Not this year.

As long as Bailey and Justus (moved to the #2 hole in the lineup yesterday) keep setting the table, Gonzo, Kel and company should have plenty of RBI opportunities. Bailey is batting .429 with an OBP of .543. CJ is batting .433 with an OBP of .469.

Of course, just like we haven't seen any monstrous offenses yet, we also have not seen any top notch A.C.C.-caliber pitching yet either. Having said all that, these wins count. It would be nice to get back to the days when we have 40+ wins under our belts come Memorial Day (Road To Omaha Selection Day) and we are debating who will be in our regional...not whether we make the tournament or not. These early season wins contribute to that total so let's get 'em...and, the guys are doing it.

Last year, we were 5-3 after 8 games. 2 years ago, we were 4-4 after 8 games.

 

[Buzzforlife]

Two pitchers in question on here, will be fine. Precautionary measures early on.

 

[Buzzforlife]

Forgot to mention, if planning on taking in multiple games...call 1-888-tech-tix and ask for the 40$, ten game pass. It is an 80$ value.