ATLANTA (May 9) – Junior outfielder Jason Basil blasted two home runs, including a grand slam, and drove in a career-high seven runs as third-ranked Georgia Tech defeated Mercer, 16-7, on Tuesday night, May 9, at Russ Chandler Stadium.
The win marked the 500th career victory for Yellow Jacket head coach Danny Hall in his 13 years of coaching at Kent and Georgia Tech.
With the win, Tech improved to 39-13 while Mercer dropped to 14-34 on the season.
After Mercer scored five runs in the top of the sixth inning to tie the score at 7-7, Georgia Tech broke open the game with seven runs in the bottom half of that inning. The Jackets sent 10 batters to the plate in that frame, highlighted by the Basil grand slam. Brad Stockton, Bryan Prince and Richard Lewis also added RBI in the frame.
Basil, who raised his home run total to eight on the season, hit his first blast of the game with a two-run shot in the bottom of the second inning to give the Yellow Jackets a 2-1 lead.
Mercer tied the score at 2-2 with a bases loaded walk to Chris Connelly in the third, but Tech quickly made the score 7-2 with two runs in the fourth and three runs in the fifth. Jason Perry his a two-run homer in the fourth, his third of the year, while Prince, Basil and Mark Teixeira added RBI in the fifth.
Basil, Perry, Victor Menocal, and Brad Stockton each had two hits in the game, while Perry and Prince each drove in two runs.
Mercer was led by Mike Appalucci’s three hits, while Brent Magouirk and Jason Page each added two hits. The Bears’ Brandon Blair added his ninth home run of the season, a solo shot in the sixth.
Tech’s Andy Mitchell (4-0) picked up the win in relief of starter Ben Sheeter, allowing two runs in 2.2 innings of work. Mercer releiver Brett Jarrott (5-8), who allowed seven runs in one-third of an inning, took the loss.
Georgia Tech returns to action on Wednesday night when the Yellow Jackets close out the 2000 regular season home schedule against East Tennessee State at 7 p.m. at Russ Chandler Stadium.
