April 20, 2007

Crancer's Walk-Off Double Lifts Tech to 2-1 Win over NC State

ATLANTA-- Wally Crancer's walk-off double plated two runs to lift Georgia Tech to a 2-1 victory over 20th-ranked NC State, backing the outstanding performance by Yellow Jacket starting pitcher David Duncan in the opener of a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series Friday at Tech's Russ Chandler Stadium.

Tech improved to 24-14, 11-7 ACC, while the Wolfpack fell to 27-12, 11-8 ACC.

Duncan, who did not figure in the decision, struck out a career-high 11 while allowing one run on two hits and walking none in 8-2/3 innings.

NC State starter Eric Surkamp was also outstanding as he blanked the Jackets until Crancer's heroics. The sophomore lefty (3-2) allowed seven hits, struck out four and walked just one in a career-long outing.

With Tech trailing 1-0, Danny Payne led off the ninth inning with an infield single on a chopper to third base. After he advanced to second on Michael Fisher's sacrifice bunt, the Wolfpack intentionally walked Matt Wieters. Crancer stepped in and drove the first pitch from Surkamp deep to left center field, and both runners scored.

"It gets you going when they walk the guy in front of you," said Crancer. "Duncan pitched great and we knew we were in it. We just needed a big hit, and I'm glad I got it. I was looking for a pitch out over the plate that I could drive, and he left it up a little bit.

"Both pitchers were really good tonight."

The Wolfpack's lone run came on a solo home run by left fielder Jeremy Synan, his second of the season, in the fourth inning on a high fly ball just cleared the left field wall.

Other than Synan's homer, Duncan allowed just two NC State baserunners. Ramon Corona led off the Wolfpack eighth inning with single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and then moved to third on a groundout before Dallas Paulk lined out to end the inning. Duncan then got two outs in the ninth inning before Synan reached on an error.

Brad Rulon relieved Duncan and recorded the third out for his ninth consecutive scoreless appearance. He earned the victory to improve to 2-0 on the season.

Until the ninth inning, the Jackets' best scoring chance came in the fourth inning. After Fisher singled with one out, Wieters line drive back up the middle nailed Surkamp's foot, allowing Wieters to reach on a single. Fisher advanced to third on Wally Crancer's long fly ball to center field, but Surkamp got Luke Murton to pop up to end the inning.

Surkamp then retired the next six batters batters before Wieters led off the seventh inning with a double but was stranded.

Fisher extended his hitting streak to 15 games.

The three-game series continues Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.

-30-
            2007 GEORGIA TECH BASEBALL
           NC State at #20 Georgia Tech
April 20, 2007 at Atlanta, Ga. (Russ Chandler Stadium)

NC State 1 (27-12,11-8 ACC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Marcus Jones cf..........  4  0  0  0   0  4  3  0   0
Jeremy Synan lf..........  4  1  1  1   0  1  3  0   0
 Matt Payne pr/lf........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Caleb Mangum c...........  4  0  0  0   0  2  4  1   0
Ryan Pond rf.............  4  0  0  0   0  0  1  0   2
Ramon Corona ss..........  3  0  1  0   0  1  3  3   0
Pat Ferguson 1b..........  2  0  0  0   0  2  8  0   0
Mike Roskopf dh..........  2  0  0  0   0  1  0  0   0
 Tommy Foschi ph.........  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Dallas Poulk 2b..........  3  0  0  0   0  0  2  1   1
Drew Martin 3b...........  3  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
Eric Surkamp p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  2   0
Totals................... 30  1  2  1   0 11 25  8   3

Georgia Tech 2 (24-14,11-7 ACC)
Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Danny Payne cf...........  4  1  2  0   0  1  3  0   0
Michael Fisher ss........  3  0  1  0   0  1  0  1   0
Matt Wieters c...........  3  1  2  0   1  1 11  1   0
Wally Crancer dh.........  4  0  1  2   0  0  0  0   0
Luke Murton rf...........  3  0  0  0   0  0  2  0   2
Chris House lf...........  3  0  1  0   0  0  3  0   1
Patrick Long 3b..........  3  0  0  0   0  1  1  2   0
Tony Plagman 1b..........  3  0  0  0   0  0  6  0   0
Jeff Ussery 2b...........  3  0  0  0   0  0  1  1   0
David Duncan p...........  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
 Brad Rulon p............  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0
Totals................... 29  2  7  2   1  4 27  5   4

Score by Innings                    R  H  E
-------------------------------------------
NC State............ 000 100 000 -  1  2  1
Georgia Tech........ 000 000 002 -  2  7  2
-------------------------------------------

One out when winning run scored.

E - Ferguson(2); Fisher, M.(11); Ussery, J.(8). DP - NC State 1. 
LOB - NC State 3; Georgia Tech 4. 2B - Wieters, M.(12); Crancer, W.(9). 
HR - Synan(4). SH - Ferguson(7); Fisher, M.(5). CS - House, C.(1).

NC State               IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
Eric Surkamp........  8.1  7  2  2  1  4 29 31 106

Georgia Tech           IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF  NP
--------------------------------------------------
David Duncan........  8.2  2  1  1  0 11 28 29 100
Brad Rulon..........  0.1  0  0  0  0  0  2  2  11

Win - Rulon, B. (2-1).  Loss - Surkamp (3-2).  Save - None.

Inherited runners/scored: Rulon, B. 1/0. Pitches/strikes: Surkamp 106/76;
Duncan, D. 100/74; Rulon, B. 11/5.
Umpires - HP: Bruce Ravan  1B: Paul Guillie  3B: A.J. Lostaglio

Start: 7:02 pm   Time: 2:03   Attendance: 1603