Georgia Tech appeared to be mashing its way to the Super Regional with ease. Then it suffered an inning that ranks among the worst frames Atlanta has witnessed since Mike Foltynewicz once took the Truist Park mound in October 2019.
The Yellow Jackets blew an 8-2 lead before recording an out in the fourth. The Sooners led 10-8 after four innings and then tamed the mighty Yellow Jackets’ bats. Tech lost 15-8 on Sunday, setting up a rubber match with Oklahoma on Monday that will decide who advances.
“We’re not going to let it happen again,” Tech outfielder Drew Burress said. “We weren’t good enough today, there’s really no way around it. We got outhit. We got outpitched. We had chances to win the game and we just didn’t do what we needed to do.
“But at the end of the day, this team is a group of winners. We’ve been doing this all year. We’ve had our backs against the wall multiple times and we’ve come out on top. And I think that’s exactly what we’re expecting to do (Monday).”
Now, Tech faces true adversity in its home regional. Its all-time season could be just nine innings from a devastating finish. Or, as the Jackets will prefer to view it, they have an opportunity to prove their fortitude in a win-or-go-home game that eventually could propel them to the College World Series.
When history reflects on this Tech season, whatever the outcome, Monday will be a crucial point. The ghosts of the past loom — indeed, Tech is well aware of regional play’s perils. It hasn’t advanced past this stage since 2006. “We know how bad it sucks,” Burress said.
While that reality has haunted the program, this team isn’t like any before it. And it can be trusted to bring its finest in an elimination game, especially against an Oklahoma team that’ll be working shorthanded pitching wise. The Jackets just wish it didn’t come down to it.
“In my head, (I’m thinking) ghosts aren’t real,” Ramsey said. “This is the 2026 Yellow Jackets. We have an opportunity right in front of us, an unbelievable opportunity.”
Ramsey emphasized his team will be ready Monday: “For us, we’ll come in tomorrow as the home team in our ballpark with the chance to win the regional. I feel really confident in our leadership and the effort we’re going to put out tomorrow in front of our fans.”
The fourth inning’s absurdity came out of nowhere. The Jackets had been rolling along while the Sooners seemed rattled after a sequence in the third frame cost them a run. They had an RBI single wiped out due to a pitch-clock violation, which prompted a lot of fussing from their dugout leading into the fourth. The Sooners then followed with an error — standout Jaxson Willits dropped a popup in shallow left field — and it resulted in a Tech run.
But the Sooners emerged from the chaos with their best inning in some time. The first seven hitters reached, capped by Deiten Lachance’s go-ahead grand slam. It was a pitching meltdown across the board: Tech starter Jackson Blakely was charged five runs. Reliever Caden Gaudette was charged four, while reliever Cooper Underwood was charged one on a homer.
Tech faithful watched as the Jackets’ historically superb offense wilted. Credit to Oklahoma pitching — LJ Mercurius excelled in his four scoreless innings to finish the night — and defense, which featured some eye-popping snags.
After scoring in three of the first four innings, Tech didn’t produce a run after Oklahoma’s outburst. The team that’d won its previous two regional games by a combined 31-8 margin was outscored 13-0 after building its six-run advantage Sunday.
It’s rare this offense appears so subdued. Ramsey dismissed the idea that his players were pressing after Oklahoma’s explosive inning, instead crediting the opposition, but the Jackets looked off kilter after the Sooners took the lead.
“We had opportunities but the big swing didn’t come,” Burress said. “That’s one thing that happens in these and that’s how you get beat, the big swing didn’t come. I think just one swing could’ve changed the momentum and how that game went for sure.”
It was the first time since May 3 that Tech didn’t score at least nine runs (a 13-game run). The offense will have a chance at redemption Monday against a team that’s burned through its best pitchers.
Tech could bring back Carson Ballard, who threw 59 pitches Friday, and deploy Mason Patel, who hasn’t pitched this weekend. Ramsey didn’t share any pitching plans after the game. The circumstances will favor Tech, but the early situation Sunday was also in their favor.
No. 1 seed UCLA was eliminated by Saint Mary’s on Sunday, leaving Tech as the top overall seed remaining. Monday is a chance to prove the team’s greatness and advance to the Super Regional as the national favorite.
“This team has been really good about resetting all year,” Ramsey said. “I think we’re going to do that (Monday).”
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