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Georgia Tech Baseball: Yellow Jackets Set to Take on Kennesaw State

By Dylan Callaghan-Croley

Aug 7, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; A general view of a baseball and glove prior to a game between the Kansas City Royals and the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 7, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; A general view of a baseball and glove prior to a game between the Kansas City Royals and the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports /
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The 19th Georgia Tech baseball team will travel half an hour down I-75 on Tuesday to take on the Kennesaw State Owls.

A week after the first scheduled meeting between the two programs was canceled, the Yellow Jackets will take on the Kennesaw State Owls on Tuesday evening. Like last week however rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast with thunderstorms starting around 6 pm.

The Yellow Jackets who are coming off a second straight Sunday loss will be looking to get back in the win column Tuesday night against the 6-5 Owls. This past weekend saw the Owls take two-of-three in a weekend series from the Winthrop Eagles.

According to Kennesaw State’s game notes for tonight’s game, the Owls will be sending out junior lefthander Mason Ward for Tuesday night’s game. Ward so far this season is 1-0 and hasn’t allowed an earned run over the course of eight innings while allowing just three hits while striking out 13.

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For the Yellow Jackets, Jake Lee is listed as Georgia Tech’s probable starter for Tuesday evening. Lee so far this season has struggled over his six innings pitched, allowing five runs on seven hits and four walks over six innings. Lee who had a rough freshman season, going 3-3 with a 6.80 ERA will look to right the ship Tuesday night.

If Lee is going to have a strong start on Tuesday, he’ll have to work his way around the dangerous Taylor Allum. So far this season, Allum has the cover off the ball hitting at a .429/.512/.857 with five home runs and 16  RBI. Only striking out at a rate of 8.5% this season, Allum is a threat to put the bat on the ball in almost every at-bat.

Another player that Lee will have to be careful with on Tuesday is first baseman, Austin Upshaw. Like Allum, Upshaw is great at making contact and has shown it throughout the first three weeks of the season hitting at a .341/.444/.750 slash with four home runs and 15 RBI. If Lee’s not careful, both Allum and Upshaw could cause a tremendous amount of trouble.

Outside Allum and Upshaw, the Owls don’t have any true home run threats with just three home runs provided by the rest of the team. However, with a team batting average of .315 so far this season, the Owls know how to get on base and produce runs without the long ball.

For Georgia Tech, catcher Joey Bart will be looking to continue his hot start as he’s hitting .447/.500/.957 with seven home runs and 19 RBI. The sophomore’s seven home runs this season is good enough for second in the country, only behind Virginia Tech’s Sam Fragale who has gone deep eight times so far. Not to mention, the always dangerous Kel Johnson who is tied for fourth in the NCAA in home runs this season. Johnson, who has started every game this season is batting .348 with six home runs and 20 RBI.

First pitch is scheduled for 5 pm on Tuesday evening though with rain in the forecast for most of Tuesday afternoon, the state of the game could be in limbo.