After all, he's going back to the College World Series.
Hall was tossed from the game in the ninth inning for arguing balls and strikes, even though the Yellow Jackets were comfortably ahead. It hardly mattered, though, not after Eric Patterson went 5-for-6 with five RBIs to back the pitching of Chris Goodman in Georgia Tech's 11-5 victory over Florida Atlantic on Saturday night in the NCAA super regional.
Georgia Tech, which won 14-3 on Friday night, completed a 2-0 sweep to advance to its first World Series since 1994.
Home plate umpire Kevin Daugherty ejected Hall in the ninth, just before closer Jeff Watchko gave up a two-out grand slam to Jeff Fiorentino. But Hall's embarrassment wasn't over; since the Yellow Jackets were the visiting team, he had to walk across the field to the home dugout to leave the playing area.
When Watchko fielded Mike Cox's grounder and tossed it to first baseman Jason Perry to end it, Hall was jogging back across the field to join a raucous celebration.
``I was just glad to see the last out,'' Hall said, smiling. ``I got out of the runway and on the field before the guy was out at first base. I had a good view for what was going on.''
Patterson, the leadoff hitter, had gone six games without a hit entering the best-of-3 series against the Owls, but broke out in a big way. He was 2-for-5 and scored three runs in Game 1, but exceeded that in the series clincher. He had a double, triple and three singles and stole his 39th base of the season.
``I never really expected to have a game like this,'' Patterson said. ``I just tried to stay focused and relaxed like I did Friday night. I saw good pitches, tried to put a good swing on it, and they were finding places to fall in.''
His big game was created by the bottom of Georgia Tech's lineup. Hitters six through eight went 7-for-12 - including 5-for-5 by No. 7 batter Matthew Boggs - and scored six runs.
``I have to give credit to those guys,'' Patterson said. ``Leadoff hitters normally don't have RBI opportunities like that, so I just wanted to get them in somehow.''
The Owls (46-21), the surprise winner of the Tuscaloosa, Ala., regional last weekend, did hardly anything against Goodman, a night after Georgia Tech starter Kyle Bakker held them in check. Goodman (8-1) went seven innings and allowed just four hits and one unearned run. He struck out three.
``I at least wanted to match him,'' Goodman said of Bakker. ``I felt like it was more pressure on me to take on my shoulders to win the series.''
Florida Atlantic starter Chris Pillsbury (10-3) couldn't match Goodman, leaving after just 3 2-3 innings. By that time, the Yellow Jackets led 6-0.
``You've got to look at teams over the course of the season, but in this two-game series - and it's now officially a two-game series - Georgia Tech is the best team I've seen this year,'' Owls coach Kevin Cooney said. ``They brought good arms out of the bullpen, and their starting pitching was great.''
http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/6/193778