Georgia Tech has sights set on CWS title: ‘That’s what’s most important’
This is when Georgia Tech will truly establish its legacy.
Players gathered in a meeting room on the third floor of the Thomas A. Fanning Student-Athlete Performance Center on Monday eager to learn who’d join them in the Atlanta Regional. The room exuded confidence and excitement.
It’s a beautiful time in Midtown Atlanta. The ACC regular-season and tournament champs earned the No. 2 overall seed, ranking behind only UCLA.
The historical implications cannot be understated: The Yellow Jackets are ready to make a run at baseball immortality. This season already ranks at the top in the Tech pantheon. By its conclusion, it could be one of the best seasons in college baseball history.
That will be determined in the NCAA Tournament, which begins Friday for Tech when it faces Illinois Chicago. The Citadel and Oklahoma join them in the Atlanta Regional. Each regional includes four teams in a double-elimination format that’ll unfold throughout the weekend.
“For our fanbase and supporters to watch us play at home in the postseason, it’s what we work for,” coach James Ramsey said. “We talked to the guys all year about leaving no doubt, and the resume we put together, it’s all about competing every day. The body of work we put together was deserving of being a Top 8 seed. We reminded the guys all the time about Top 8 behavior. You can’t take days off; you have to be as polished as you can be.
“To have a regional in Atlanta is a big deal. It’s something we don’t take lightly. We obviously have our work cut out for us with three other quality opponents coming in here, all of them playing well right now, all of them very deserving of being in the tournament.”
The UIC Flames (27-27-1) won the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, earning their first postseason appearance since 2019. It’s a nice story, but the Flames are about to run into Atlanta’s largest hydrant.
The Tech offense has set numerous program records, transforming into the behemoth that’s been a long time coming. This edition is nothing like the past teams that’ve failed to make it to Omaha, Nebraska.
The Jackets’ 45-9 record was their best regular-season mark in 106 years. They won 14 of 17 games against ranked opponents, and they avenged a loss to North Carolina to win the ACC Tournament. They were the first ACC school to win the regular-season title and tournament in 13 seasons.
Tech’s 578 runs were the most in school history through 54 games. Its plus-323 run differential was a program best. The Jackets also set school records in batting average (.358), on-base percentage (.469) and slugging percentage (.636).
The offense received the hype, but Tech’s pitching staff also led the ACC in ERA across conference play (4.36).
The school also set records in attendance, with the community and fanbase rewarding their success. That will continue in the regional, which sold out within 30 seconds, according to the school.
“The first and foremost goal we’ve had is going to Omaha and winning a national championship,” slugger Drew Burress said. “Winning the regular season, winning the tournament is two big checks that we get to put in boxes that we made at the beginning of the year. It’s something that’s already cemented this team’s legacy. We know how great we are, and that’s something we set out to do at the beginning of the year.
“But at the end of the day, I think we’d all rather go to Omaha and win a national championship than win the regular season or the ACC Tournament. So, I think that’s what’s most important to us.”
Ramsey won the ACC’s award for coach of the year, becoming the first first-year coach to do so. Catcher Vahn Lackey, of Suwanee, was the conference’s defensive player of the year. Burress, of Warner Robins, became Tech’s all-time home run king. His 58th career homer Sunday came off the bat at 117 mph, an example of just how menacing this Tech offense is.
The Jackets had five first-team All-ACC players: Lackey, Burress, second baseman Jarren Advincula, third baseman Ryan Zuckerman and shortstop Carson Kerce. Starting pitcher Tate McKee made the second team.
Just how remarkable was the offense? The lowest OPS in Tech’s lineup Sunday was .980, belonging to Alex Hernandez. He had three hits and four RBIs in a 13-6 victory against the No. 5 nationally seeded Tar Heels.
How, then, does this Tech team seem so selfless? Burress and Ramsey answered that question, giving outsiders a glance under the hood of this program’s environment.
“It’s something we talked a lot about from the jump,” Burress said. “With draft pressures and every guy trying to get their own stats, it’s one of those things that, at the end of the day, we have a group where everybody is pulling in the same direction. And that direction is going to Omaha and winning a national championship.
“When you can keep that at the forefront of your mind, and that being the focus of every single guy on the team, it becomes a lot easier for guys who are going to be high draft picks and are supertalented to be part of the same thing.”
Ramsey followed by sharing his perspective.
“It goes back to the guys you pick. Recruiting is an imperfect science,” he said. “I think about Drew’s parents. I think about parents of the other guys we’ve recruited, getting them in the room and getting them on Zooms and seeing what makes them tick.
“Nowadays, I think it’s just as important who you pass on in the (transfer) portal than who you bring into your program. That’s something that we’ve always done a good job (with). It takes time. It takes texts, a lot of calls. Maybe it’s vetting with other coaches, agents, other parties involved.
Ramsey said when he was hired, the team immediately formed a leadership council.
“It was intentionally guys who’ve been in the program. It wasn’t any newcomers. The protectors of the brand, if you will,” he said. “So, I think those guys have done a great job leading from out front. They police the things they need to police. You’re not really allowed to have a wrong thought without being called out on it, and just told this is the way we do things around here. So, I think the leadership on the team deserves the most amount of credit for that.”
This is Tech’s 13th time hosting a regional. The Jackets, Tar Heels and Florida State are the only ACC teams who earned a Top 16 seed and the right to host a regional.
About the Author
Gabriel Burns is a general assignment reporter and features writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After four years on the Braves beat, he's expanded his horizons and covers all sports. You'll find him writing about MLB, NFL, NBA, college football and other Atlanta-centric happenings.
