Two-Run Ninth Lifts Georgia Tech Past Duke, 3-2

Friday, March 23

Durham, N.C.

3:00 PM

Duke University

Georgia Tech

Duke Falls To Wake Forest, 8-2, On Sunday

Two-Run Ninth Lifts Georgia Tech Past Duke, 3-2

3/23/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Georgia Tech center fielder Danny Payne hit a leadoff home run and catcher Matt Wieters added an RBI-double in the top of the ninth as the Yellow Jackets overcame a 2-1 deficit to defeat Duke, 3-2, on Friday afternoon at Jack Coombs Field. The Blue Devils fall to 17-8 overall and 0-7 in the ACC while the Yellow Jackets improve to 13-10 and 4-3, respectively.

Trailing 2-1 entering the top of the ninth, Payne turned on a 3-2 offering and sent a solo shot over the wall in right center to tie the game. Shortstop Michael Fisher followed that up with a double to right center before Wieters delivered the eventual game-winning RBI-double to right center for Georgia Tech.

Payne then moved to the mound in the bottom of the ninth and pitched a 1-2-3 inning for his second save of the season.

Duke had taken a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh. Right fielder Jimmy Gallagher hit a two-out double through the right side of the infield before scoring on an RBI-double to right by first baseman Nate Freiman.

Georgia Tech took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Payne had a leadoff double to center to start the game. Fisher then knocked Payne in with an RBI-double to right field.

The Blue Devils tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth. Second baseman Ryan McCurdy drew a one-out walk before advancing to second on a single through the left side by pitcher Alexander Hassan. Two batters later, Gallagher reached on an infield single and McCurdy scored from second when Georgia Tech pitcher David Duncan dropped the throw from Tony Plagman on the play at first.

Senior Jared Hyatt was the beneficiary of the two-run ninth as he improved to 3-0 on the year after working a scoreless eighth inning. Duncan lasted seven innings in his start, holding the Blue Devils to two runs on eight hits with eight strikeouts.

After holding the Yellow Jackets scoreless in the top of the eighth, senior Jonathan Anderson (2-1) suffered his first loss of the year, allowing the two runs in the top of the ninth. Hassan limited Georgia Tech to one run on three hits with five strikeouts in five innings of work on the mound and freshman Michael Ness added two scoreless innings for the Blue Devils.

Gallagher led Duke at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored. Hassan finished 2-for-5, Freiman went 1-for-4 with an RBI-double, McCurdy was 1-for-3 with a run scored and shortstop Gabriel Saade finished 1-for-4.

Payne and Fisher collected three hits apiece to pace the Yellow Jackets at the plate. Georgia Tech head coach Danny Hall earned his 800th career victory with the 3-2 win.

Duke and Georgia Tech will meet again tomorrow at 2 p.m. before wrapping up their three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m. Senior right-hander Tony Bajoczky (3-2, 2.70 ERA) will battle Georgia Tech junior John Goodman (1-0, 4.50 ERA) in game two on Saturday.

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