Georgia Tech Hits Seven Home Runs to Defeat Cal, Advance ACC Semifinals

Top-seeded Georgia Tech dominated the ACC Baseball Championship quarterfinals with a record-tying seven home runs to defeat the No. 16 seed California Golden Bears 10-3. Georgia Tech's powerful offense started strong in the first inning with three home runs, including two by Drew Burress, and continued to hit homers throughout the game, including an inside-the-park home run by Vahn Lackey. Despite California's 12 hits and consistent baserunners, they struggled to get extra-base hits and left 12 runners stranded, with their offense stalling after early innings. California's sophomore pitcher JJ Hollis struggled in his start, allowing four runs in less than an inning, while Georgia Tech's Tate McKee held the Bears to just two runs over seven innings. Georgia Tech advanced to the semifinals to face the winner of the Clemson and NC State matchup, while California's surprising tournament run ended after upsetting higher seeds Miami and Wake Forest earlier. Following this, Georgia Tech lost the semifinals to Clemson 9-4, ending their hopes of hosting a regional but positioning them as a strong contender for a two seed in the NCAA tournament.