Georgia Tech Claims Series Against Cavaliers

ACC Baseball Standings (Rankings from NCBWA poll, April 15)

Atlantic Division
#5 Florida State – 30-6 (13-5)
#26 Clemson – 26-11 (12-6)
#17 NC State – 28-10 (11-7)
Maryland – 19-17 (5-13)
Wake Forest – 19-20 (4-14)
Boston College – 6-29 (0-17)

Coastal Division
#1 North Carolina – 34-2 (15-2)
#8 Virginia – 31-6 (13-5)
#16 Georgia Tech – 26-10 (11-7)
Miami – 24-15 (8-10)
Duke – 21-17 (8-10)
Virginia Tech – 22-15 (7-11)

Georgia Tech 2, Virginia 1
Virginia 7, Georgia Tech 2
Georgia Tech 3, Virginia 2 (6 innings)

The Yellow Jackets picked up a game in the Coastal Division standings on Virginia, taking two of three in a home series with the Cavaliers. Rain and a travel curfew for Virginia’s return to Charlottesville held the Sunday finale to six innings.

Buck Farmer earned his second ACC Pitcher of the Week award of the 2013 season for his effort in the opener on Friday. The senior right-hander pitched all nine innings, scattering ten hits for one run while striking out ten Cavaliers in the Yellow Jackets 2-1 Friday win. Virginia bounced back with a 7-2 win on Saturday, behind three hits each from Derek Fisher and Reed Gragnani. Sunday’s rain that will forever be remembered in highlights of The Masters also turned the Russ Chandler Stadium infield into a mud pit, bringing an early termination to the rubber game of the series with Georgia Tech ahead 3-2.

North Carolina 21, Virginia Tech 8
North Carolina 9, Virginia Tech 8 (10 innings)
North Carolina 3, Virginia Tech 0

There was a lot to talk about following the Tar Heels’ sweep of the Hokies at English Field. The wins allowed North Carolina to build on its Coastal Division lead and maintain its top rankings in the national polls, but it didn’t come without some adventure. Friday’s opener was the worst of North Carolina ace Kent Emanuel’s career. Previously, the junior had allowed five runs in a game twice. The Hokies piled up eight runs over as many innings against Emanuel, but Brad Markey was shelled for 11 runs over 3 1/3 innings as the Tar Heels claimed a 21-8 win. However, freshman outfielder Skye Bolt went down with a fractured foot in that game and will be out indefinitely.

North Carolina had another rough pitching effort on Saturday, as Benton Moss allowed six runs in 5 2/3 innings. This allowed for an extra-inning contest, where Colin Moran scored on a wild pitch to clinch the series for the Tar Heels. On the weekend, Moran was 7-for-13 with eight runs, nine RBI, a double, and a home run, earning ACC Player of the Week. Hobbs Johnson, Trevor Kelley, and Tate Parrish combined to shut out Virginia Tech in the Sunday finale to complete the sweep. It was the Tar Heels’ eighth shutout of the season, and their third against an ACC opponent.

Miami 1, Maryland 0 (13 innings)
Miami 5, Maryland 3
Maryland 7, Miami 2

The Hurricanes had lost seven of their last nine games, but picked up what could be two momentum-shifting wins against the Maryland Terrapins in College Park. Maryland’s Jimmy Reed and Miami’s Chris Diaz opened with remarkable pitching performances. Reed struck out 10 batters and allowed three hits over nine shutout innings, while Diaz struck out five and allowed five hits over eight scoreless frames. This led to a 13-inning game, which the Hurricanes won with a Brandon Lopez single to score David Thompson.

The remaining two games ended in the standard nine innings. Thompson again played a role in Miami’s Saturday win, batting 2-for-4 with three runs batted in, including his third home run of the season. Maryland prevented a sweep with a 7-2 win in the series finale, led by junior shortstop Blake Schmit. Schmit was 3-for-4 on Sunday, including an RBI single in the sixth inning and an RBI double in the eighth.

Florida State 16, Duke 2
Florida State 8, Duke 5
Florida State 8, Duke 3

Florida State has now won five of their last six ACC games after losing two of three against Virginia Tech in Blacksburg following a home sweep of the Duke Blue Devils. Freshman Luke Weaver pitched seven innings Friday in his second weekend start, allowing one run and striking out six batters to bring his season ERA to 1.40.

Brandon Leibrandt bounced back from a rough outing against Miami by striking out 10 Blue Devils Saturday, leading Florida State to an 8-5 win to clinch the series. Seminole third-baseman Jose Brizuela shined through the series. The sophomore was 9-for-11, scoring six runs and driving in five. On Sunday, Brizuela blasted a two-RBI home run to right field in an 8-3 victory.

Clemson 8, Wake Forest 2
Clemson 1, Wake Forest 0
Clemson 6, Wake Forest 4 (11 innings)

Clemson has now won ten straight games following a sweep of Wake Forest. This ties the Tigers with NC State for the longest active winning streak in the ACC (and third-longest active streak in the nation).

Steven Duggar was the hero of Sunday’s game. In the bottom of the 11th, the freshman outfielder sent a walk-off home run over the right field fence to give the Tigers a 6-4 win and maintain their streak. On the weekend, Duggar was 4-for-12 with five RBI (four on Sunday).

NC State 6, Boston College 5
NC State 6, Boston College 2
NC State 3, Boston College 2

Boston College remains winless in ACC play, but they came close on two occasions this weekend to picking up their first conference victory of 2013 and ending NC State’s winning streak. The Eagles pounced on NC State during Saturday’s series opener, taking a 5-0 lead after two innings. However, two unearned runs in the sixth inning allowed the Wolfpack to take a 6-5 win. On Sunday, BC led NC State 1-0 after seven innings, but a three-run eighth for the Wolfpack that involved one hit and two errors undid the Eagles.

Boston College now has 12 games remaining to pick up a conference win, with series against Wake Forest, Miami, Virginia Tech, and Maryland. The last ACC baseball team to go an entire season without a conference win was Wake Forest’s 1974 squad, which was 0-12 in the ACC and 7-21 overall.

 

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