The Georgia Southern baseball team lost to No. 19 Georgia Tech, 4-3, after the Yellow Jackets scored twice in the final inning to take the lead.

The Eagles led 3-2 going into the ninth inning with closing pitcher Hayden Harris having replaced Jacob Parker in the eighth inning. 

But, the Eagles weren’t able to close out the game as Georgia Tech scored two runs at the top of the ninth inning to take the 4-3 lead. The Eagles then had two strikeouts and a fly out in the bottom of the ninth to end the game.

GS had a chance to extend their 3-2 lead in the eighth inning but weren’t able to drive any runs in after freshman Jarrett Brown struck out swinging with bases loaded and two outs. 

“We’ve got to finish games off and we didn’t do a good job tonight,” Head Coach Rodney Hennon said. “We had an opportunity in the bottom of the eighth to extend the lead, you know with first and third there and didn’t get it done. Obviously tough conditions tonight, we lost a ball in the lights but again, if we want to be a championship baseball team those are plays that you got to make.” 

Closing pitcher Hayden Harris was eventually pulled in the top of the ninth after giving up the two runs that gave Georgia Tech the lead for sophomore pitcher Jay Thompson who ended up getting the strikeout to send it to the middle of the ninth. 

“Hayden’s our go to guy in the ninth inning and you know sometimes you just can’t finish games,” right fielder Mason McWhorter said. “This is baseball, you’re going to lose games. Just gotta come back stronger on Friday for East Carolina.”

The Yellow Jackets would score first in the first inning with one run, before Georgia Southern scored two runs in the third inning to take the 2-1 lead. It was Mason McWhorter who drove in the RBI for the Eagles first run.

Steven Curry finished the evening 1-3, scoring two runs and walking two times. Noah Searcy went 2-4 with both hits being doubles.

The Eagles would then score a run in the fifth inning with Georgia Tech scoring one run in the sixth to make it a 3-2 game.

GS falls to 3-1 on the season with the loss, while Georgia Tech improves to 3-1.

The Eagles will be back in action on Friday against #21 East Carolina in the first of a three game stretch in Greenville, North Carolina. 

Elijah Jackson, The George-Anne Sports Editor, gasports@georgiasouthern.edu