Tuesday's game with Auburn will conclude the annual two-game, home and home series the resumed in 2000. Tech won last Tuesday in Auburn, 4-2.
Georgia Tech won its first 17 games of the season, a school record, before falling for the first time in 2003 on Sunday against Kent State (5-3). Tech's 17-0 start eclipsed the previous school record of a 16-0 start in 1987.
Tech's early success is largely due to the outstanding performances of its pitching staff. The unit has posted a 2.27 ERA in 15 games, including allowing just five earned runs in three games last weekend against Kent State, and is holding opponents to a .221 batting average.
LHP Kyle Bakker (4-0, 2.94) is the ace of the Tech staff, while the bullpen has combined for a 2.23 ERA in 68.2 innings. Tech pitchers have walked 49 batters in 163 innings of work (2.71 walks per nine innings).
Offensively, the Yellow Jackets are hitting .275 as a team through the first 18 games of the season but they are averaging more than seven runs per game due to some timely hitting and 29 home runs in 18 games (averaging 1.61 per game after hitting 0.97 home runs per game in 2002). The team has been led by 1B Clifton Remole (.382-0-10), DH Micah Owings (.340-5-10) and C Mike Nickeas (.333-4-19).
Auburn is currently 18-5 on the season after winning two of three games against Tennessee at home last weekend.
Tuesday's game against Georgia Tech will mark the Tigers' 11th game against teams from the ACC this season, and Auburn is 8-2 in those 10 previous games (Clemson, Virginia and North Carolina).
The Tigers are batting .324 as a team and own a team ERA of 4.00. Senior RHP Levale Speigner (4-0, 3.97) is the scheduled starter on Tuesday night.
"If the game last week is any indication of what this week's game will be then I expect a great ball game," Tech coach Danny Hall said. "I was very impressed with their team. They had a sellout crowd over there and I am homing that people will come and support us to give us that home field advantage."
http://accesswdun.com/article/2003/3/181631