Yellow Jacked Up
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Georgia Tech Baseball: Jackets wake up bats in 16-9 win over Virginia Tech

By Dylan Callaghan-Croley

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 08: A general view of baseball gloves ahead of the Philadephia Phillies versus Atlanta Braves during their opening day game at Turner Field on April 8, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 08: A general view of baseball gloves ahead of the Philadephia Phillies versus Atlanta Braves during their opening day game at Turner Field on April 8, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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The Georgia Tech baseball team got back into the win column on Friday night, putting up 16 runs in the process.

Georgia Tech baseball‘s four game losing streak is over as the Yellow Jackets found themselves picking up their first win in ACC play on Friday night over the Virginia Tech Hokies. The Jackets broke out the bats at the Rusty C on Friday night, putting up 16 runs on 16 hits an four walks, the Hokies contributed with one error as well.

Sophomore Xzavion Curry got the start for the Jackets on Friday night, taking his perfect 3-0 record to the mound. For the first time this season, Curry was shelled on the mound surrendering seven runs over five innings of work. The sophomore ace allowed eight hits and one walk while striking five. Thanks to the Jackets offense however, Curry left the game with an 8-7 lead and was able to pick up his fourth win of the season.

In relief Andy Archer was as perfect as Danny Hall could ask him, giving the Jackets three shutout innings, allowing just three hits in the process. Junior Bailey Combs would come into finish off the game allowing two runs in one inning of work.

Offensively, first baseman Tristin English was the hero as he drove in six runs on four hits including a grand slam in the seventh inning. The redshirt sophomore is now hitting .360/.392/.627 on the season with four homeruns and 24 RBI.

Three other Yellow Jackets went yard on Friday night as Joey Bart collected his sixth home run, Kel Johnson with his second, while freshman Luke Waddell hit his first career home run. Together the Jackets four home runs accounted for eight of the Jackets 16 runs.

The win for the Jackets improves their record to 10-7 and 1-3 in conference play. For the Hokies, they drop to 8-9 on the season and 2-2 in conference play.

Takeaways:

The positives for the Jackets on Friday night was the bats were alive against an average to below-average pitching staff. Last weekend against Clemson, the Jackets struggled getting runs across the board despite picking up a fair amount of hits over the three games.

Tristin English continues to be highly impressive in his redshirt sophomore season and has to be impressive scouts however he still has just one walk on the season. Luke Waddell continues to be impressive and looks to be a third baseman the Jackets can count on over the next two to three seasons.

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Pitching wise, Xzavion Curry’s struggles on Friday could be concerning for some and rightfully should be. Last year, Curry struggled in ACC play an finished the season with an ERA over 5.00, that being said, Curry pitched really well last week against a strong Clemson lineup. He still only walked one on Friday night over 25 batters faced and is still maintaining a strong strikeout percentage. We’ll have to see how he bounces back against North Carolina State next Friday.

The Jackets will get back out on the diamond at 2:00 pm on Tuesday for game two of their three game series.