What to know about Georgia Tech baseball as it begins NCAA Tournament play

For those hopping onto the Georgia Tech bandwagon, the Yellow Jackets will welcome you.

Tech is amid an unprecedentedly great baseball season and among the favorites to win the College World Series, but it’ll need to advance past the next two weekends first.

Here’s what to know about Tech baseball, the NCAA Tournament’s No. 2 overall seed, as it hosts the Atlanta Regional this weekend:

— File this under “It seems preposterous, but it’s true”: The Jackets haven’t escaped the regional round since 2006. It’d be shocking if that streak continued past this year. They’re joined by Illinois Chicago, The Citadel and Oklahoma in the first weekend of postseason play. They’ll open against UIC at noon Friday.

— Tech went 45-9, its best regular-season record in 106 years. It became the first ACC school to win the regular-season title and conference tournament in 13 years. This was Tech’s 10th conference tournament championship, second-most in the league behind Clemson’s 11.

— Vegas oddsmakers have Tech as a co-favorite or second favorite to win the College World Series (odds vary by sportsbook). It’s the No. 2 overall seed behind UCLA.

— Tech boasts the nation’s best offense, one that just rolled through ACC pitching to earn the school’s first conference tournament title since 2014. It scored 13 runs off North Carolina in the championship game. (The Tar Heels are the No. 5 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.)

— The Jackets slug at a historic rate, but they don’t have to hit homers to win — and therein lies the key to making a deep run, especially as they eventually face better pitching than they’ll likely see this weekend. The Jackets lead the nation in average, on-base percentage and runs per game. They’re second in walks. They’re fourth in homers, but they’ve set a program record in that department.

— Their 578 runs scored were the most in program history through 54 games. Their plus-323 run differential was likewise a program best.

— Tech was 14-3 against ranked opponents in the regular season. It avenged a regular-season loss to North Carolina in the ACC Tournament. It run-ruled No. 3 Georgia at Truist Park. There aren’t many programs entering the postseason who’ve been better prepared, opposition-wise, than the Jackets.

— Coach James Ramsey was the ACC’s coach of the year, making him the first first-year coach to earn that honor. He was an assistant under retired coach Danny Hall for the past seven years. Hear Ramsey speak for just a few minutes, and one will quickly understand how his team reflects his personality. He has a buttoned-up approach but remains refreshingly thoughtful and charismatic.

— The Jackets have five first-team All-ACC players: catcher Vahn Lackey, outfielder Drew Burress, second baseman Jarren Advincula, third baseman Ryan Zuckerman (the ACC Tournament MVP) and shortstop Carson Kerce.

— Burress, a Warner Robins native, is Tech’s all-time home run king (58). His latest homer came off the bat at 117 mph. His power seems limitless. Expect to hear plenty of conversation about him during every broadcast.

— Lackey is commonly projected in the top five of the upcoming MLB draft and often connected to the Twins at pick No. 3. Burress could join him as a top 10 selection and will almost certainly be a first-round pick.

— There was no better testament to Tech’s offense than its lineup in the ACC championship game. Infielder Alex Hernandez owned the lowest OPS in the starting lineup with a .980 mark. He had three hits and four RBIs.

— The Jackets’ pitching staff gets overlooked because of the offense, but it’s done more than enough to complement that unit. In fact, Tech led all ACC teams in ERA across conference play (4.36). Tate McKee, Carson Ballard and Jackson Blakely are the starters to know. McKee, who struck out 90 in 71 innings, was second-team All-ACC.

— Tech’s pitching doesn’t need to be all-world because of its offense, but the Jackets are near unbeatable with a good pitching performance. The offense will face better pitchers as Tech’s run continues, which means there will be less margin for error for its pitching. It’ll need these arms at their best to win it all.