At the start of each week throughout the regular season, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution will take a closer look at the Georgia Tech baseball team.
Here’s a breakdown of the Yellow Jackets (15-7, 3-3 ACC) going into the sixth week of the campaign:
Record: 15-7, 3-3 ACC
Streak: Lost three
Rank: N/A
RPI: 56
Last Week (1-3)
Tuesday: Won at Georgia State 6-4
Friday: Lost at North Carolina 5-4
Saturday: Lost at North Carolina 11-5
Sunday: Lost at North Carolina 9-2
This Week
Tuesday: at Kennesaw State, 6 p.m.
Thursday: vs. Boston College, 6 p.m.
Friday: vs. Boston College, 6 p.m.
Saturday: vs. Boston College, 1 p.m.
Week in review
A what-could-have-been sentiment pulsated through the Tech clubhouse after a winless, weekend trip to Chapel Hill, N.C. The Jackets were swept by North Carolina, but only after they left the bases loaded in the top of the ninth in Friday’s 5-4 loss and then gave up seven runs after leading 5-4 through 6 1/2 innings in Saturday’s 11-5 defeat.
Four runs in the sixth inning of Sunday’s finale propelled the Tar Heels to an easy 9-2 triumph.
The Jackets had begun the week with a 6-4, comeback victory at Georgia State by scoring three runs in the top of the ninth. Tech’s win streak was nine in a row at that point.
Freshman center fielder Drew Burress now has 14 home runs on the season, the most in the ACC and third-most nationally. Burress’ 36 RBIs and .966 slugging percentage also leads the Jackets.
But pitching remains an issue for the Jackets, especially on the back end. Tech’s four primary starting pitchers have allowed just 46 of the team’s 113 earned runs.
Week ahead
Tech continues its five-game road trip with a jaunt up I-75 to face Kennesaw State. The Owls (13-10) took 2 of 3 from Florida Gulf Coast at home over the weekend and are now 4-2 in the Atlantic Sun. Kennesaw also has a series win at Kentucky this season and a win at Clemson.
The Jackets return home Friday to begin a three-game series with Boston College at Russ Chandler Stadium. The Eagles (11-11, 2-7 ACC) have lost four in a row ahead of a trip to Connecticut on Tuesday and were swept at home by Virginia Tech over the weekend – BC has played just six home games all year.
Tech goes into the week with an RPI that has risen to 56 despite the weekend sweep at UNC. Kennesaw is at 37 and BC is at 72 meaning the next four games loom large as the Jackets continue to chase a return to postseason play.
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