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Home > Jeff Schultz > Archives > 2008 > June > 01
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Jackets have one more chance to brag
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Athens — If the inferiority complex on North Avenue seems slightly more pronounced of late, is it any wonder?
In March, Georgia Tech watched as the Georgia basketball team, which otherwise was barely treading water in the misery pool, won the transplanted SEC tournament at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.
The absurdity of this football off-season already has juxtaposed questions about Paul Johnson’s offense with the Bulldogs morphing into some fire-breathing, Skoal-spitting creature that ate Tokyo.
Baseball? Now baseball?
“Frankly,” Tech Associate Athletic Director Wayne Hogan said Sunday, “it was kind of nice being here ourselves the last couple of days.”
Yeah, well, so much for warm and fuzzy. After winning two NCAA regional games in relative peace, free of all things Bulldog, the Yellow Jackets lost a chance for some semblance of bragging rights.
For the first time in three days, they shared a field with Georgia. They lost, 8-0. This came shortly after the Bulldogs won earlier in the day, 14-3. Which came not long after Georgia nearly was bounced as regional hosts in two games.
Another one-day sweep.
Was Sundiata Gaines somewhere in the stadium?
Tech was shut out in a tournament game for the first time since 1988. That really isn’t so bad, considering it also was the first time the Jackets were blanked by Georgia since 1969 — after 126 meetings.
Nothing like a little historical pick-me-up before Monday night’s decisive game.
“I would love to win [Monday] and be the team that puts Georgia out of the tournament,” Tech outfielder Charlie Blackmon said. “It’s always a big game when we play them. But the implications are even bigger now because somebody’s going home.”
If you’re Georgia Tech, this would not be a good time to follow trends. The Jackets have faced Georgia seven times in tournament competition and lost five of them. The Bulldogs, after getting drubbed by Lipscomb in the regional opener, and falling behind against Louisville, look like a top seed again. (Their two-game totals Sunday: 22 runs, 33 hits).
The Jackets were shut out on four hits Sunday by a pitcher, Nick Montgomery, who had Tommy John surgery and is Georgia’s fourth starter — except for the fact he has beaten Tech twice this season.
“[Gordon] Beckham’s home run [against Louisville] totally changed the whole course of the tournament for them,” Tech coach Danny Hall said. “It energized them. They’ve got the momentum now.”
And Tech?
“There definitely would be some irony if we could win here,” Hall said.
Hate to put so much on one college baseball game. But Tech may want to grab some glory while it can. It’s only June, and the calendar already tilts significantly to the east.
In Athens, Mark Richt’s biggest concern is managing expectations. On North Avenue, Johnson is just hoping the fumble problems in spring were an aberration.
The Jackets could have made this easy. Win Sunday and rest until the super regional. Suddenly, they are second citizens again.
“It is different having to come here — the bar is raised a little,” Hogan said. “Any time you have to go to the other school and play one of these things, it makes it more interesting.”
Should Tech win tonight on Georgia’s field, Hogan said, “It would add some icing to the cake.”
Problem is, Tech hasn’t quite loaded up on sweet ironies of late. And bragging rights may be in the distant future.
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