The Georgia Tech baseball team has been playing way out of its league.
The No. 13 Yellow Jackets (8-2) come to Duke this weekend after losing to the Atlanta Braves in an exhibition game Wednesday night. The Ramblin’ Wreck have never beaten the Major League team in the annual exhibition, losing in each of the last 11 games.
“It’s a chance for our players to measure themselves against the guys they see play on TV everyday,” Georgia Tech head coach Danny Hall said. “They’re comparing themselves to a very high caliber player.”
When the Yellow Jackets open their ACC slate at Jack Coombs Field today at 3 p.m., they will be on the winning side of a similar streak. Dating back to 2001, Duke has lost 13 consecutive games to Georgia Tech.
“We know they’re good. We know we’re the underdog,” Duke head coach Bill Hillier said. “We’re not going to be intimidated, and we’re going to come out and play hard and see what happens.”
Hillier will send ace Greg Burke (3-1, 3.21) to the hill to face the Yellow Jackets’ Jason Neighborgall (2-0, 3.18) Friday. Burke’s three victories are currently tops on the team.
Burke will have to bring his best stuff, however, if Duke wants to compete with a Georgia Tech team that has averaged just under 10 runs a game this season.
Burke and the rest of Duke’s staff, which will feature David Torcise (1-2, 4.58) Saturday and Danny Otero (2-2, 1.44) Sunday, need to pitch ahead in the count and keep walks to a minimum against a lineup that is hitting .313.
The number of free passes issued by Duke pitchers may prove to be an important factor if the Blue Devils defensive struggles continue. Georgia Tech has reached base in 43 percent of its at-bats this season and has scored four more runs a game than the Blue Devils.
The Yellow Jackets’ offense is strong top to bottom. Five of the eight regular starters are hitting over .300 this season. Wes Hodges leads the potent lineup with a .474 average and is tied for the ACC lead in home runs with six.
“Their lineup is solid, they’ve got great depth,” Hillier said. “If you pitch behind in the count, walk people, and then make an error, then all of a sudden they can hang six or seven runs on you really quickly.”
After being shut out Wednesday night against Elon, the Blue Devil offense, led by freshman Brett Bartles, will need to bounce back against a Georgia Tech pitching staff that surrenders an average of four runs per game. Duke’s staff sports the better ERA heading into the series but has not yet faced an offense as dangerous as the Yellow Jackets’.
Bartles, whose .500 batting average is third best in the ACC, will need to have a good series if Duke is to be successful. Hall is very familiar with the Blue Devil freshman, as Georgia Tech expressed interest in recruiting him.
“He’s established himself as one of the most promising players in the league,” Hall said.
Regardless of the difficult matchup Duke faces this weekend against one of the ACC’s premier powerhouses, Hillier is happy to be beginning the ACC season at Jack Coombs Field.
“It doesn’t matter if we’re playing Army, or Elon, or Georgia Tech, it’s nice to open up conference play at home,” he said.
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