Georgia Tech shut out by Auburn, losing streak hits five games

You can’t win if you can’t score — and for the first time all season, Georgia Tech couldn’t.

No. 21 Georgia Tech baseball (29-12) suffered a frustrating 1-0 loss Tuesday night at Plainsman Park, silenced by Auburn (28-13) in a game that tested the Yellow Jackets’ patience, resilience, and offense.

Georgia Tech entered the game on a four-game skid, and their hitting woes followed them across state lines. The Jackets managed just two hits — one each from Drew Burress and Carson Kerce — and were held without an extra-base hit for only the third time this season. A ninth-inning rally saw the tying run in scoring position after Vahn Lackey was hit by a pitch, but the threat fizzled out. The team was shut out for the first time in 41 games, a streak that dated back to April 2017.

Despite the loss, Tech’s bullpen was lights out. The group of Brett Barfield, Carson Ballard, Kayden Campbell, and Connor Chicoli combined for 6.1 scoreless innings, stranding 15 Auburn baserunners — tying a season-high. Chicoli, a freshman, struck out three in 2.1 strong innings, continuing a breakout stretch that’s dropped his ERA to 4.34.

Baseball’s a game of inches — and sometimes bad bounces. Freshman Caleb Daniel lined a ball that looked destined for extra bases, only for it to carom off the umpire and straight to Auburn’s second baseman for a routine out. The Jackets also grounded into a double play with runners aboard in the third, wasting one of their few scoring opportunities.

With ACC powerhouse Virginia looming this weekend, Georgia Tech needs to shake off this funk fast. The Jackets are still off to their best start since 2011, but momentum is slipping. If the offense can’t rediscover its spark, the season’s trajectory could shift quickly.