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Georgia Tech Baseball: Jackets Drop Rubber Match Against #9 UNC

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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Despite an excellent start from Jay Shadday on Sunday, the Georgia Tech baseball team dropped the rubber match of their weekend series against UNC 7-4.

A questionable pitching change by Danny Hall on Sunday may have cost the Jackets a pivotal early ACC game on Sunday.

Shadday’s Masterful Performance:

Freshman left-hander Jay Shadday was masterful in his first career star on Sunday afternoon. The Rome, Georgia native pitched five shutout innings on Sunday against the ninth-ranked Tar Heels.

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Shadday worked like a doctor on Sunday afternoon allowing just two hits and walk through his five innings. The freshman also struck out eight Tar Heels during the game while only racking up 74 pitches.

With his performance on Sunday, Shadday’s ERA which sat at 1.04 at game time will drop to 0.68 through 13.2 innings pitched. The left-hander has also only allowed nine hits, two walks throughout while striking out 14.

Jackets Offense Starts Hot but Stalls:

Thanks to Shadday’s performance, the Jackets were able to get themselves out to a 4-0 lead. A Joey Bart double and Kyle McCann home run gave the Jackets a 3-0 lead in the third inning before Trevor Carport knocked in his 14th RBI of the season in the fourth, stretching the lead to 4-0.

Through the first five innings, the Jackets collected eight hits and three walks. The Jackets offense also stalled around the same time that Shadday got yanked.

Through the final four innings, Georgia Tech managed only one hit and one walk ultimately unable to add onto their four runs.

Jackets Struggle Defensive Following Shadday:

After the fifth, it was all downhill for the Yellow Jackets. Hall decided to pull Shadday despite just 74 pitches and brought in freshman Micah Carpenter. Carpenter saw just two batters, allowing a triple and home run before being yanked.

Bring on Burton Dulaney who would collect a quick out before allowing a hit by pitch, a walk, and a wild pitch that moved runners to second and third. He would allow a run to score on a ground out to third base.

Following Dulaney was Nick Wilhite who faced just one batter which resulted in a five-pitch walk. With a quick leash on Wilhite, manager Danny Hall quickly brought on Jake Lee. Lee would finish off the sixth inning but would only manage to get one out in the seventh while allowing two men to get on base.

Robert Winborne would come out to pitch for the Yellow Jackets and escaped the potential jam, getting two outs on just seven pitches. Despite Hall getting two quick outs, manager Danny Hall decided to bring in Zac Ryan.

Ryan would begin the eighth inning allowing a double before a throwing error by Joey Bart allowed Tyler Lynn to score. A sacrifice bunt and fly out would allow another Tar Heel to score, tying the game at 4-4 apiece heading into the ninth.

In the ninth, two more errors by the Yellow Jackets would allow unearned runs to score of Zac Ryan, including one run scoring on a throwing error.

Ultimately, it will be questioned if Shadday could have been kept in the game following the fifth inning. With just 74 pitches, Shadday could have been used for another inning or two, potentially saving some damage from being then. That being said, the damage has been done and it ultimately dropped the Yellow Jackets to a 12-6 (2-4) record overall on the season.

The Yellow Jackets will return to the field on Tuesday when they face the SEC’s Auburn Tigers who defeated fifth-ranked Florida 6-5 on Sunday.