Georgia Tech Defeats No. 13 NC State 8-5 in ACC Opener

Georgia Tech opened up ACC play with a win over No. 13 NC State

What a way to star ACC play. 

Georgia Tech came into today's game on a five-game winning streak, but the caliber of opponent was not up to the level they were going to face today. The Yellow Jackets welcomed No. 13 NC State to Atlanta and they emerged victorious with their first ACC win of the season. 

Let's break down how it all happened. 

Mason Patel got the start for Georgia Tech today and here is the lineup that they went with today: 

1. LF Trey Yunger

2. CF Drew Burress

3. DH Matthew Ellis

4. 2B Mike Becchetti

5. SS Payton Green

6. 1B Cam Jones

7. RF Parker Brosius

8. C Tyler Minnick

9. 3B Carson Kerce

Despite allowing a couple of walks, Patel got out of the first inning without allowing a run. 

Yunger walked to lead off the bottom of the first, but Georgia Tech was unable to get a hit and it remained 0-0 going to the second. 

Both teams went down 1-2-3 in the second inning and the score stayed 0-0 going to the third. 

After a leadoff single, Patel gave up a two-run home run to give the Wolfpack and early 2-0 lead. He was able to limit it to just two runs, but the Yellow Jackets trailed early and they had been unable to ;get anything going on offense yet. 

Brosius and Zmarzlak hit back-to-back singles to leadoff the bottom of the third and then Kerce grounded out. An RBI single from Yunger gave Georgia Tech its first run and the Yellow Jackets cut into the lead going into the fourth. 

After getting the first batter out, Patel allowed three straight singles to load the bases and Georgia Tech looked to be in serious trouble. They were able to turn a 5-4-3 double play though and get out of the inning without giving up any runs. 

GOT EM!! 5-4-3 double play gets Tech out of the jam!@CarsonKerce ➡️@BecchettiMike ➡️@c_jones30 pic.twitter.com/h85JOyqXgf

— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) March 15, 2024

Georgia Tech went down 1-2-3 in the fourth inning and it remained 2-1 going to the fifth. 

Patel's day was done after the fourth inning and he was replaced by Tanner McKee. Patel finished the game giving up five hits, two earned runs, two walks, and earning two strikeouts.

McKee gave up a walk and a single, but breezed through the rest of the inning without allowing any runs. 

The 5th inning is when the offense started to hit its stride. 

It looked like it was going to be another 1-2-3 inning when Brosius and Zmarzlak grounded out. Then, Kerce hit a solo home run to tie the game 2-2. Yunger then walked and that gave way to Burress giving Georgia Tech a 4-2 lead. It was the 11th home run of the year for Burress. 

Get EIGHT to the PLATE!! Burress puts Tech on top with his 11TH 💣 of the season!@drew_burress08 | #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/AncXhYymVZ

— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) March 15, 2024

Ellis grounded out to end the inning but Georgia Tech led 4-2 going to the sixth. 

McKee gave up a leadoff walk, but got the next two batters out. However, the Wolfpack hit an RBI single to trim the lead to 4-3. Georgia Tech left the inning with the lead, but they were going to need to put some more runs on the board to fell safe. 

The bottom of the 6th inning started with a leadoff walk from Becchetti and then Payton Green blasted a two-run home run to give the Yellow Jackets a 6-3 lead. 

PAYTON GREEN HOW ARE YA!!??@PaytonG08 | #WreckHavoc pic.twitter.com/gUvCfx9LHc

— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) March 15, 2024

Cam Jones then hit a double, which was followed by a walk from Brosius to give the Yellow Jackets two runners on base. After Zmarzlak flew out, Kerce grounded out and was able to score Jones to make it 7-3. Yunger hit an RBI single to push the lead to 8-3 and it felt like Georgia Tech was crusing to an ACC win. 

The bullpen is still a question mark for Georgia Tech though and they were going to have to earn it. 

Cam Hill came in to replace McKee in the 7th inning and it was a 1-2-3 inning for the Yellow Jackets. The offense only got a single from Green in the bottom of the inning and it was still 8-3 going to the 8th. 

Neither got a hit in the 8th inning and Georgia Tech was three outs away from winning its ACC opener vs the No. 13 team in the country. 

Things started to get shaky in the 9th though. 

Hill was still in at pitcher and NC State got a leadoff double and then a walk to put two runners on base with no outs. Another walk from Hill loaded the bases and Hill's day on the mound was done. Cam Jones came in to pitch in place of him. 

A ground out scored a runner to make it 8-4 and then a lineout made it 8-5, but there were two outs on the board. Jones got a ground out to end the game and Georgia Tech won the game. 

The Yellow Jackets played a solid all-around game today and will get a chance to go for the series win tomorrow at home. The game is slated to start at 4:00 p.m.