June 2, 2013
| Georgia Tech Press Conference | Illinois Press Conference
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Georgia Tech scored four runs in the ninth inning, including RBI hits from Kyle Wren, Matt Gonzalez and Zane Evans, and Evans tossed the final three innings for the win in a 6-3 victory over Illinois here Sunday afternoon at Hawkins Field.
With the victory Georgia Tech advances to the championship round and will take on top-seeded Vanderbilt at 7 p.m. Central Time on Sunday. The Yellowjackets (36-26) must defeat the Commodores twice to win the regional.
Jordan Parr’s inside-the-park home run to leadoff the bottom of the eighth inning gave Illinois a 3-2 advantage and looked to push the Illini to their second win of the regional against Georgia Tech.
But the Yellowjackets started quickly in the ninth, with a leadoff single from Thomas Smith. He moved to second on a groundout by Mitch Earnest and scored on Wren’s ground ball through the rightside, tying the game at three.
An RBI double to rightcenter from Gonzalez gave the Jackets their first lead of the game. After an intentional walk to Daniel Palka, Evans singled to rightcenter, scoring Gonzalez, and Brandon Thomas’ fly ball to leftfield pushed across pinch-runner Daniel Spingola for a 6-3 edge.
Evans (2-2) worked three innings of relief for the win, allowing one run on three hits. He walked two and struck out two. Jonathan King tossed six innings in a start for Tech, giving up two runs on seven hits. The lefthander walked one and struck out four.
Palka and Evans each collected three hits for the Jackets, who pounded out 14 in the win.
Bryan Roberts (3-4), the third hurler of the day for Illinois, suffered the loss, allowing four runs on four hits in 1.1 innings. Illini starter Ryan Castellanos worked 5.1 innings, giving up two runs on eight hits.
Illinois took control of the game early with runs in the second and third innings, but the Illini missed chances to add to the lead.
Jordan Parr led off the second with a walk and Brandon Hohl followed with a single before a sacrifice bunt by David Kerian pushed the runners to second and third. Reid Roper’s single to right plated Parr, but Davis Hendrickson struck out and Jason Goldstein lined out sharply to short to end the inning without any further damage.
In the third Justin Parr singled with two outs, stole second and scored on Jordan Parr’s single to center for a 2-0 Illini advantage.
Kerian reached on an error with one out in the fourth and Roper followed with a single, but Hendrickson struck out again and Goldstein flew out to right to end the inning with Illinois still leading, 2-0.
Jordan Parr hit the first pitch of the bottom of the eighth into rightcenter. Thomas and Palka collided, with each going for the ball. Both players hit the ground and did not get up, with second baseman Thomas Smith running all the way to the warning track to chase down the ball.
By then Parr had circled the bases, sliding in without a throw for his third home run of the tournament, all against the Jackets, giving Illinois a 3-2 advantage.
Hohl followed with walk and Kerian singled, but Evans worked out of the jam with any more runs coming across and setting up the Tech comeback.
