No. 22 Georgia Tech showed its capacity in its series-opening win over No. 4 Virginia on Friday. But the Yellow Jackets’ recurring pitching issues led to the team’s third consecutive ACC series loss.
The Jackets followed their 6-4 win on Friday in Charlottesville, Va. – a win that ended the Cavaliers’ 19-game home winning streak – by losing 13-9 on Saturday and 18-9 on Sunday to give the series to Virginia.
Of the Cavaliers’ 31 runs scored in their two wins, Tech allowed 17 of them in two innings. It was a reminder of Tech’s 27-7 loss to Wake Forest on March 19, when the Jackets gave up 12 runs in one inning to the Demon Deacons.
It’s the first time that Tech, now 18-11, has lost three consecutive ACC series since losing six in a row in 2017.
In Charlottesville, first baseman Andrew Jenkins continued his torrid production at the plate, going 5-for-13 over the three games with three home runs, giving him nine for the season. Leadoff man Tres Gonzalez was 6-for-13, raising his season average to .345. Zach Maxwell gave the pitching performance of the weekend on Friday, closing out Tech’s win with a near-flawless four-inning stint.
Tech produced enough at the plate, hitting .306 for the series. But the Jackets’ staff was battered again and didn’t help itself by issuing 21 walks over the three games. In the decisive fourth inning Sunday, Tech went from leading 4-3 to trailing 13-4 as the Cavaliers sent 15 batters to the plate and scored five runs with two out. Starter Marquis Grissom and relievers Dawson Brown and Aeden Finateri combined to give up seven hits – all singles – and walk five batters.
Virginia, now 24-3, hit .365 for the series.
Tech will be at home Tuesday against USC Upstate and then have a weekend series against No. 5 Florida State at Russ Chandler Stadium. The Seminoles were swept by Notre Dame this past weekend in Tallahassee, Fla.
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