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Georgia Tech Offense Comes Alive Late to Get 16-7 Win Over West Georgia

The Yellow Jackets are now 7-2 this season after their win over West Georgia today

Jackson Caudell

Georgia Tech Offense Comes Alive Late to Get 16-7 Win Over West Georgia
Georgia Tech Offense Comes Alive Late to Get 16-7 Win Over West Georgia / Georgia Tech Athletic

It was far from pretty, but the good news for Georgia Tech is that they avoided what would have been an embarrassing loss to West Georgia. The Yellow Jackets overcame a poor performance by the pitching staff to get their seventh win of the season.

Today, Georgia Tech scored 16 runs on 17 hits. The Yellow Jackets saw multi hit days from Drew Burress, Kent Schmidt, Alex Hernandez, Vahn Lackey, Tyler Neises, and Drew Rogers, including big home runs from Schmidt, Hernandez and Rogers. It was a really good performance from a talented offense, but once again for Georgia Tech, pitching was an issue.

West Georgia was able to pile up 13 hits and seven runs vs the Yellow Jackets. Connor Chicoli started the game, but only lasted four innings, giving up three runs on six hits. Brett Barfield gave up a run and Cole Royer gave up three runs on three hits during his 0.2 IP. Mason Patel, Ryan Johnson, and Adam McKelvey over the last three innings.

Up next for Georgia Tech is going to be a weekend series vs Western Michigan. Game one is Friday at 4:00 p.m. ET.

Georgia Tech's Lineup today:

1. SS Kyle Lodise

2. CF Drew Burress

3. 1B Kent Schmidt

4. RF Alex Hernandez

5. 2B Caleb Daniel

6. 3B Vahn Lackey

7. LF Tyler Neises

8. DH Nathan Waugh

9. C Drew Rogers

Connor Chicoli was the starting pitcher for the Yellow Jackets

A leadoff single from West Georgia got things started and after a flyout, the Wolves hit an RBI double to give them an early 1-0 lead. Chicoli got the final two outs, but it was not a great start for the Yellow Jackets.

They got the run back though. Lodise was hit by a pitch to start things off and then stole second to give the Yellow Jackets a baserunner, then Burress was walked. Lodise got to third on a failed pickoff attempt and then a sac fly from Schmidt tied the game 1-1. Hernandez and Daniels grounded out to end the inning, but they were no longer trailing.

After Chicoli worked through an easy second inning, Georgia Tech looked like they were going to grab the lead, but they blew an early opportunity. Georgia Tech got a leadoff double from Lackey and then a single from Neises to put two runners on with not outs. However, Waugh and Rogers struck out then Lodise flew out to end the inning, blowing an opportunity to take the lead.

After a flyout to start the inning, West Georgia's offense got rolling. A pair of singles put runners on the corners and then a stolen base had runners on second and third with one out. A 2-RBI double gave the Wolves a 3-1 lead. Chicoli got the final two outs, but Georgia Tech was once again facing a deficit.


After Burress and Schmidt flew out to start the bottom of the 3rd, Hernandez hit a solo home run to cut the lead to 3-2. Daniel flew out to end the inning, but Georgia Tech added a run.

Georgia Tech got the lead in the bottom of the 4th. West Georgia had a pitching change to start the inning and then Lackey had a leadoff walk and then stole second. Neises then hit an RBI double to tie the game 3-3, but Georgia Tech was not done. A walk from Waugh gave the Yellow Jackets runners on first and second with no outs and Rogers hit an RBI single to give Georgia Tech its first lead of the game 4-3. West Georgia had another pitching change to try and give them stability, but it did not work. Lodise walked to load the bases and the Burress hit a sac fly to extend the Yellow Jackets lead to 5-3. Schmidt flew out and Hernandez struck out to end the inning, but the Yellow Jackets were finally on top going to the 5th.

Brett Barfield came in the 5th inning and worked an easy inning. The offense went back to work in the bottom of the 5th and Daniel flew out to start the inning, but Lackey singled to give Georgia Tech a baserunner. An RBI triple from Nieses stretched the lead to 6-3. Waugh and Rogers struck out to end the inning and the Yellow Jackets led by three going to the 6th.

Things went from good to very bad quickly though for Georgia Tech in the 6th. A leadoff homerun from West Georgia shrunk Georgia Tech's lead to 6-4 and that was it for Barfield. Cole Royer came in to replace him and UWG got a runner on due to an error. After getting the first out, UWG singled to put two runners on base and then scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-5 and then they tied the game with an RBI single. After striking out a batter, Royer gave up another RBI single that gave UWG the lead 7-6 and reigning ACC Pitcher of the Week Mason Patel came in to replace him. He got the final out, but it was a four-run inning that gave them the lead going to the bottom of the 6th.

After Lodise flew out to start the inning, Burress singled, and then Schmidt hit a two-run home run to give the lead back to Georgia Tech 8-7 heading to the 7th.

Patel worked through an easy inning and Georgia Tech's offense took charge in the bottom of the 7th. Lackey singled to lead off the inning and Neises walked to give the Yellow Jackets two runners on. West Georgia made another pitching change and after getting one out, Rogers came up to bat to blast a three-run home run to give Georgia Tech an 11-7 lead. After another pitching change, Lodise and Burress hit back-to-back doubles to give Georgia Tech two more runners on base, leading the way for Schmidt to hit a 2-run single to stretch the lead to 13-7. After Hernandez singled, Brosius came in to pinch-hit for Georgia Tech and he hit an RBI single to make it 14-7. It was the biggest inning of the day for Georgia Tech and they led by seven heading to the 8th.

The late run from Georgia Tech put the game away. They added two more runs in the bottom of the 8th to make it 16-7 and that would be the final score. It was a bumpy ride early, but the offense sealed things late, though that is not going to calm the worries about the pitching having two bad games in a row. This win moves Georgia Tech to 7-2 and they will be back on the field this Friday for a weekend series against Western Michigan.

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Jackson Caudell
JACKSON CAUDELL

Jackson Caudell has been covering Georgia Tech Athletics For On SI since March 2022 and the Atlanta Hawks for On SI since October 2023. Jackson is also the co-host of the Bleav in Georgia Tech podcast and he loves to bring thoughtful analysis and comprehensive coverage to everything that he does. Find him on X @jacksoncaudell

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