Georgia Tech Loses ACC Tournament Opener Vs North Carolina

Georgia Tech was hoping to make a surprise run in the ACC Tournament

The ACC Tournament starts today and for Georgia Tech, they are hoping to make one last push at an NCAA Tournament birth. The Yellow Jackets are on the outside looking in coming into the Tournament and they need to win today and against Virginia tomorrow just to give them a chance to make it. 

Georgia Tech was 1-2 against North Carolina in their series earlier this season and were swept this past weekend vs Virginia. The key to winning both games was likely to fall on the pitching staff, which has been a struggle this season.

Georgia Tech came into today's matchup needing a win / Georgia Tech Athletics

Here is the lineup Georgia Tech went with today against the Tar Heels:

1. 2B- Kristian Campbell

2. CF- Jake DeLeo 

3. RF- Stephen Reid

4. IF- Angelo Dispigna

5. 3B- Drew Compton

6. 1B- John Giesler

7. DH- Jackson Finley

8. C- Jack Rubenstein

9. SS- Jadyn Jackson

Ben King, who is normally a relief pitcher for the Yellow Jackets, got the start on the mound today. 

The Yellow Jackets went down in order to start the 1st inning and then UNC went to work to get an early lead. 

King hit a batter with one out and then a stolen base gave North Carolina a runner in scoring position. A two-out RBI single gave them a 1-0 lead and then a double put runners on second and third. A 2-RBI single put North Carolina up 3-0 and Georgia Tech was in an early hole. 

An RBI double in the third pushed the lead to 4-0 and it looked as if Georgia Tech was going to start the ACC Tournament with an 0-1 record. 

Luke Schmolke came in to replace King in the bottom of the 4th. 

After a scoreless fourth inning for both teams, the Yellow Jackets offense was able to manufacture a run. After a pair of singles from Finley and Rubenstein, Jackson had an RBI single that cut the lead to 4-1. It was the only run for GT in the 5th, but it was a start to try and cut into the lead. 

Schmolke pitched a scoreless bottom of the 5th and then Giesler hit a solo home run in the 6th to make it a 4-2 game. It looked as if Georgia Tech was starting to mount a comeback, but that momentum went away as quickly as it came. 

Scratch and claw! @john_giesler hits bull and wins a steak! pic.twitter.com/l8eW27eh15

— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) May 23, 2023

A leadoff single from North Carolina gave them a baserunner and then a walk put runners on first and second. After two straight outs, GT intentionally walked a batter to load the bases. That is when Terry Busse came in to replace Schmolke, in the hope that the Yellow Jackets could get out of the 6th inning only down two runs. 

That was not what happened, however. 

A wild pitch scored a run for UNC to make it 5-2 and then a 2-RBI single pushed the lead to 7-2. Busse got out of the inning, but three more runs scored. 

Back-to-back doubles started the 7th inning for Georgia Tech and that gave the Yellow Jackets a great chance to cut into the lead. A 2-RBI double from DeLeo gave GT some momentum back and it was needed. 

DELEO! @jake_deleo lasers one to the wall to score two! pic.twitter.com/bz0j4o9jQM

— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) May 23, 2023

Busse pitched a scoreless 7th inning and that gave Georgi Tech another chance to cut into the lead. 

Unfortunately for Georgia Tech, they went scoreless in the top of the 8th and UNC put the game away in the bottom of the 8th. 

A one-out solo home run made it 8-4. A double and then an RBI single made it 9-4 and it was then when Busse was replaced by Dalton Smith. Two more RBIs from the Tar Heels in the inning made it 11-4 and that put the game away. 

DeLeo had an RBI single in the top of the 9th to make it 11-5, but that was the final run of the game. 

This was a game Georgia Tech needed to win and they came up short in the biggest game of the season. GT had opportunities to score runs, but they went 4-14 with runners in scoring position. It is hard to win any game when allowing 11 runs, but that has been the theme of the season. 

The Yellow Jackets face Virginia tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. 

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