In front of a crowd of 2,314 at Russ Chandler Stadium on Friday night, the Tech baseball team began their quest for back-to-back ACC championships with a 3-0 win over the Akron Zips.
After senior pitcher Buck Farmer struck out the side in the top of the first, it didn’t take long for Tech to score their first run of the season. Junior outfielder Kyle Wren led off the bottom of the first and hit a towering fly ball to center field which Akron center fielder Devan Ahart was unable to hang on to after hitting him in the glove. Due to the error, Wren ended up on second base. Senior third basemen Sam Dove then singled on a line drive to right field to drive Wren in.
Both teams went stagnant at the plate until the bottom of the fifth when Tech punched in another run. Wren singled to left field and stole both second and third base; Dove once again drove him in, this time on a double. Dove finished the night 2-4 at the plate with 2 RBIs.
Farmer appeared to have picked up where he left off last season as he dominated on the mound.
Farmer appeared to have picked up where he left off last season as he dominated on the mound. Farmer finished with a career high 14 strikeouts. He went eight innings, giving up only four hits, one walk, zero runs and picked up the win.
Tech added on to their lead in the in the bottom of the seventh when freshman infielder Matt Gonzalez doubled to bring in sophomore first basemen A.J. Murray. Gonzalez finished his college debut 1-3 at the plate.
Farmer’s night ended after the eighth when freshman Jonathan King came in to close the game. King made short work of the Zips, getting two strikeouts and a groundout to earn his first career save.
The second game of the series will be on Saturday Feb. 16 at 2 p.m., and the final game will be on Sunday Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. Junior Dusty Isaacs will get the star on the mound for the Jackets on Saturday, and sophomore Cole Pitts will get the start in the series finale on Sunday.