ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia Tech kept its season and College World Series hopes alive for at least one more day on Saturday.
The Jackets got solid pitching in taking a 4-2 win over Army in the first elimination game of the Athens Regional at Foley Field.
Georgia Tech, after managing just three hits on Friday in a shutout loss, wasted little time on Saturday against the Black Knights.
Drew Burrus and John Giesler each belted solo home runs against Army starter Justin Lehman in the first inning for a quick 2-0 lead. The Jackets extended the lead to 3-0 in the fourth when Mike Becchetti drove in Bobby Zmarzlak in the fourth.
Tech starter Aeden Finateri cruised through the first five innings, scattering three hits and three walks. But he ran into trouble in the sixth.
Army cut the lead to 3-2 after Chris Barr singled and Sam Ruta followed with a long two-run home run to right. Finateri was able to get out of the inning with no further damage.
The Jackets added a huge insurance run in the eighth when Giesler drove in a run on a bases loaded walk for a 4-2 lead. They had a chance to break it open by Zmarzlak and Payton Green both left the bases loaded to end the inning.
The Black Knights stranded 10 base runners, including going 0-for-6 with RISP for the game.
From there, freshman reliever Tate McKee worked around a lead off walk to close out the win, moving Georgia Tech into Sunday’s elimination game against either Georgia or UNC- Wilmington at noon.
