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Georgia Tech Box Score

ROCK HILL, SC – The Winthrop baseball team wrapped up its play in the 2012 Rock Hill Coca-Cola Classic by falling 11-3 against the Kent State Golden Flashes and 5-3 to the ninth-ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Saturday afternoon at The Winthrop Ballpark.

The Eagles fall to 0-3 on the season with the two losses. The Golden Flashes improved to 2-1 and the Yellow Jackets to 3-1 overall.

Eric Ruth (0-1) received the loss in game one for Winthrop allowing eight runs (six earned) on 10 hits, two walks and five strikeouts in 4.0 innings of work. Tyler Skulina (1-0) tossed six innings and surrendered three runs on seven hits, no walks and five strikeouts to pick up the win.

Kent State used a seven-run second inning to jump ahead of the Eagles 7-0, with all seven runs coming with two outs in the inning. After the Golden Flashes loaded the bases with no outs, Ruth settled in to strike out Jason Revesz and Derek Toadvine back-to-back to get two quick outs. Kent State then proceeded to get a hit in five consecutive at-bats including a two RBI double from Jimmy Rider. Evan Campbell, David Lyon, George Roberts and Nick Hamilton also posted an RBI each in the inning.

Winthrop responded to score three runs in the bottom of the third to trim its deficit to 7-3. Drew Hardee and Austen Barber scored the first two runs of the inning after a throwing error by Skulina trying to get Hardee out at third on a hit by Patrick Gamblin. Matt Lobacz then provided an RBI single to center field that drove in Gamblin.

The Golden Flashes added one run each in the fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth innings to extend their lead over the Eagles to 11-3. Troy Summers recorded an RBI in the fourth inning, Lyon began the sixth inning with a solo home run to left field and Joe Koch plated Cody Koch on an RBI sacrifice fly in the eighth. The run in the fifth inning came when Toadvine scored on an error by Winthrop.

Seven different Eagle hitters posted one hit each in game one, while Rider had a team-high four hits and was one of two players with two RBI for Kent State.

“The biggest thing we talked about after the first game (against Kent State) is that we have to be more competitive and play with a little bit more energy,” said head coach Tom Riginos. “I thought we had more energy and were competitive against Georgia Tech.”

Cole Pitts (1-0) earned the win in relief for Georgia Tech in game two throwing 4.0 innings and gave up one run on three hits, no walks and five strikeouts. Mitchell Knox (0-1) took the loss pitching 2.1 innings of relief and allowed two runs on three hits, no walks and three strikeouts. Zane Evans (1) had the save pitching one scoreless inning while striking out two hitters.

The Yellow Jackets took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI double to right field by Daniel Palka with one out, but Winthrop responded to tie the contest at 1-1 in the bottom of the first on Lobacz's RBI single to right field.

Georgia Tech then took a 2-1 lead in its half of the second inning when Mitch Earnest's RBI sacrifice fly scored Connor Winn. The Eagles tied the game back up at 2-2 in the bottom of the third when TJ Olesczuk hit a two-out single to right field and scored Barber from second base.

The game would remain scoreless until the top of the seventh when the Yellow Jackets tallied two runs on RBI's from Earnest and Brandon Thomas, and added to their advantage in the top of the eighth with one run on an RBI single by Earnest. Georgia Tech headed into the bottom of the eighth with a 5-2 lead over Winthrop.

The Eagles made it a 5-3 game with one run in their part of the eighth inning when Olesczuk scored after Lobacz reached on a fielding error by Palka at first base. Olesczuk led off the eighth with a triple off the right field wall.

Olesczuk finished the game with a perfect 4-for-4 performance at the plate to lead Winthrop offensively, while Lobacz had two RBI. Earnest recorded a team-best three hits and two RBI for the Yellow Jackets.

The Eagles will be back in action on Tuesday, Feb. 21 when they host the Western Carolina Catamounts at The Winthrop Ballpark. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.