University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
No. 3 Carolina Drops Series Opener To No. 21 Georgia Tech
March 25, 2016 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL --- No. 21 Georgia Tech scored three times in the decisive fifth inning to pick up a 3-2 win over No. 3 North Carolina in the series opener Thursday night at Boshamer Stadium. Brandon Gold went 7.1 innings to get the win for the Yellow Jackets, who improved to 17-4 and 4-3 in the ACC, while the Tar Heels dropped to 18-3 and 5-2 in league play. Logan Warmoth had three hits to pace the Carolina offense.
UNC took a 1-0 lead in the third thanks to some effective small ball. Brandon Riley reached on an infield single to start the frame and he moved into scoring position on a Cody Roberts sacrifice. After a Brian Miller infield hit, Adam Pate's safety squeeze brought Riley home. But Gold (3-1) got a double play ball to end the inning and keep it a 1-run game.
That paid off for Georgia Tech in the fifth, when the Jackets finally broke through against Zac Gallen (3-1). After three consecutive one-out singles, Tech tied it on a Connor Justis fielder's choice. Kel Johnson's infield hit coupled with a throwing error pushed across two more runs and that proved to be enough for the visitors.
Warmoth's one-out double turned into Carolina's second run after Riley's RBI single to right, but Gold and Matthew Gorst held off the Tar Heels late.
Gallen suffered his first loss of the year despite another solid outing. The junior struck out five and allowed three runs (one earned) on seven hits. Brett Daniels fanned four over three shutout innings, with A.J. Bogucki working a scoreless ninth. The three Tar Heel pitchers did not issue a walk, the first walk-free game for UNC since May 1, 2013.
Gold allowed two runs on six hits in 7.1 innings and walked just one.
Game two is set for Friday at 5 p.m., the start time moved up from 7 to avoid a potential conflict with the UNC men's basketball NCAA tournament game.
