Georgia Tech will need help to advance to the ACC tournament title game after falling 6-0 to Duke in pool play Thursday in Greensboro, N.C.
The Yellow Jackets fell victim to a complete-game shutout by Duke pitcher Drew Van Orden, who gave up just five hits and struck out eight while walking just one. The Blue Devils’ 14 hits included three home runs. The loss ended Tech’s four-game winning streak.
Tech and Duke are both 1-1 in pool play. To reach Sunday’s championship game, ninth-seeded Tech will need to beat Clemson (3 p.m., Fox Sports South) and have Miami beat Duke on Saturday. A loss will eliminate Tech from contention. Friday’s game will be the first meeting of the season between Tech and Clemson. The two didn’t meet in the regular season for the first time since 1973.
Tech did not announce its starting pitcher for Friday after Thursday’s game. Devin Stanton would be an option. Stanton has a 5-3 record with a 2.13 ERA.
Duke, the No. 4 seed, struck for single runs in the fourth and fifth innings with solo home runs. Tech starter Ben Parr took the loss after pitching 5 1/3 innings, giving up two runs, one walk and three strikeouts.
Tech fell to 34-25 while Duke improved to 33-24. The Jackets played their third consecutive error-free game and turned two more double plays. Their season total is now 70, most in the country, and one shy of the school record, set in 1985.
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