Busse, DeLeo and Finley earn Perfect Game’s midyear recognition
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech baseball student-athletes earned three midseason All-America honors on Wednesday, Perfect Gameannounced this week.
Right-handed pitcher and closer Terry Busse (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso (John A. Logan) led the way with a first-team selection, while outfielder Jake DeLeo (Norwalk, Conn./Avon Old Farms School) received second-team recognition and two-way playerJackson Finley (Richmond Hill, Ga./Richmond Hill) made both the hitting and pitching rosters on the third team.
One of the nation’s top closers, Busse has been sensational in the final innings of games, ranking tied for third nationally and co-leading the Atlantic Coast Conference with seven saves this season. The right-hander has worked to an 0.93 ERA in 12 appearances with a 1-1 record overall. In 19.1 innings of work, the Valparaiso, Ind. native has worked to a blistering 34:11 strikeout-to-walk ratio and is holding hitters to a .167 average.
Finally getting his chance at a fully healthy season, DeLeo is taking advantage in spades, currently one of the top hitters and center fielders in the ACC. The Norwalk, Conn. native currently leads the league with 52 hits (ranking third nationally) and 97 total bases (fourth nationally), ranks third in the league in batting average (.409), doubles (13) and slugging percentage (.764), ranks fifth in home runs (10), seventh in runs (34) and 10th in RBI (30).
A Golden Spikes candidate and one of the top two-way players in the nation, Finley has been dominant at the plate and on the mound for the Jackets this season. At the plate, Finley ranks top-15 in the ACC in slugging percentage (.821 – first), home runs (11 – third), RBI (34 – fourth), total bases (78 – seventh), doubles (11 – eighth) and batting average (.358 – 14th). When not hitting and playing first base, the Richmond Hill native is Tech’s typical Sunday starter, pitching to a 4.60 ERA over seven starts this season. In 31.1 innings of work, he’s worked to a 13:4 strikeout-to-walk ratio with 34 punchouts overall, while holding hitters to a .260 average.
Busse, DeLeo, Finley and Georgia Tech remain home in a five-game homestead, including four games in five days, when they host North Carolina on April 6-8. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. on Thursday and will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra.
