Freshman Deck McGuire pitched seven innings for the second straight start helping the Jackets come from behind to beat former Tech pitching coach Bobby Moranda and Western Carolina on Tuesday, 4-1.
In his time at the mound, he gave up just one hit. In the top of the second, J.C. Lyons hit a home run.
For the Jackets, freshman Derek Dietrich homered to bring in two unearned runs in the bottom of the second. An errant throw by Matt Johns from second to first base allowed sophomore Tony Plagman to reach first. Senior Brad Feltes followed with a strike out that would have been the third out of the inning. Dietrich followed with a home run that scored Plagman.
The Jackets added another run in the following inning when junior Jason Haniger doubled and moved to third on junior Chris House’s sacrifice bunt. Thomas Nichols’ RBI groundout scored Haniger from third.
Later, in the seventh, Haniger led off the inning with a single and moved over to second when House walked and moved to third on a groundout by senior Charlie Blackmon. Haniger scored when Chris Masters threw a wild pitch that bounced down the first base line.
McGuire earned his second win of the year to go to 2-0, while Catamount starter Drew Saberhagen took his first loss of the season (0-1).
The Jackets played another close one against Kennesaw State on Wednesday, winning 5-3 on a late RBI double by Feltes. Sophomore Andrew Robinson picked up his second win in relief while junior Chris Hicks got the save, his third of the season. Fresgnab Brandon Cumpton threw seven innings and gave up just two runs.
State scored their first run in the opening frame when Jacob Robbins led off the game with a walk and stole second. He scored on an RBI double by Tyler Stubblefield. Freshman Derek Dietrich answered with his second home run of the season in the bottom of the second frame.
The top half of the next inning saw State take a run lead again. This time, Stubblefield doubled and scored on a single by Ric Bishop. Tech answered back again in the bottom of the same frame. Freshman Cole Leonida had his first college hit, a home run.
The Jackets gave the lead back to the Owls when Jace Whitmer singled and moved to third on a single by Josh Whitaker and was driven in by Andrew Martin.
After Feltes doubled in Nichols in the eighth, Patrick Long was intentionally walked to lead the bases and sophomore Jay Dantzler hit a sacrifice fly to drive in another run.