No.3 Georgia Tech Run-Rules No.18 Auburn in Record-Setting Night

Written By Cody Hamilton

The sold out crowd at Russ Chandler Stadium in Atlanta set the record for attendance for a midweek game. Those 4000+ fans got to witness Tech’s NCAA-leading 11.4 runs per game against an Auburn pitching staff that entered the game with a 2.70 ERA — best in the SEC and second lowest in the country.


Auburn quieted the crowd early on with a three run second inning, but that would be the last time they would score. The Jackets would go on to retire the next 11 batters in row while scoring 13 unanswered runs and ending it in walk-off fashion with a home run from sophomore Caleb Daniel in the 8th. 

Tech entered the matchup fresh off a series sweep over No.14 NC State, holding the Wolfpack to just five total runs over three games. This marked the teams lowest allowed runs in a series versus a ranked opponent since 2006. Although we saw dominant pitching from Tech, their identity has been built on a relentless offense that is statistically the best in modern college baseball history. 

Entering the game, the Yellow Jackets not only lead the country in batting average (.365), on-base percentage (.488), OPS (1.117), runs (307), and runs/game (11.4), but those are all the highest mark of Power 4 team in the 16-year history of the BBCOR era through this point of the season. As for Auburn, they’re looking to bounce back from a bitter series sweep against longtime rival the Alabama Crimson Tide where they scored just four runs all weekend. This marked the first true road loss of the season for Auburn and it comes right after losing a home series for the first time in nearly two years to the Texas Longhorns. Despite the sweep, the Tigers’ starting pitching remained superb with an ERA of just 2.30 over 15.2 IP in the series. As a team, they still lead the SEC in ERA and place second in the country behind Southern Cal. The Tigers also lead the country by a wide margin in strikeout-to-walk ratio and place top five in WHIP. The matchup between the nation's best offense and the SEC’s best pitching staff brought anticipation and excitement to Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium in Atlanta.

You could feel a real buzz around and in the stadium. It was the third sellout game of the season — a program record. The atmosphere felt more like a postseason regional than a midweek non-conference game in late March.For the Tigers, So. Christian Chatterton (2-0, 2.84) took the mound for his first start of the season. Chatterton is no stranger to Tech, appearing in two games against them in his career and allowing just two runs on three hits, with 12 strikeouts in 9.0 innings.Tech’s left-handed freshman Cooper Underwood (1-0, 6.97) got the start for the Yellow Jackets.  Underwood was the No. 1 LHP from the state of Georgia in 2025 and the Prep Baseball Georgia Player of the Year. He turned down a seven-figure signing bonus from the Brewers after they selected him in the 12th round of the 2025 MLB Draft to pitch for the Jackets. Although the two teams aren’t in the same conference, this game was their second matchup of the month and the final game of the season series that Auburn has dominated as of recent. In the first game on St. Patrick's Day Auburn’s pitching prevailed in a 9-2 win. Tech was held to a season-low three hits and two runs. 

The Game:

Auburn's Bub Terrell got the scoring started with a solo shot to lead off the top of the second inning, right after making a sliding catch in left to retire the Jackets the inning before. That was followed up with a single from Freshman Ethin Bingaman and a walk from Brandon McCraine. That set the table for Junior outfielder Bristol Carter, who hit a rocket down the third base line, scoring two. 3-0 Tigers. That was enough for Underwood as Tech went to the bullpen and brought in Jake Lankie who was able to get out of it without any more damage.  Tech responded immediately in the bottom of the inning with multiple extra-base hits. Captain Drew Burress hit a two-RBI double in the gap, followed up with a two-run homer by Junior Ryan Zuckerman that prompted a pitching change for Auburn, with the nation’s best catcher and projected first rounder Vahn Lackey due up. Lackey wasted no time greeting the new arm from Auburn’s bullpen — hitting the team's second two-run homer of the inning on the first pitch he saw, increasing the lead to 6-3. Lackey has been dominant all season, and is now slashing .416/.532/.851, all lead the team.Just a few weeks ago, Lackey made Georgia Tech history by playing eight positions in one game, all but pitcher. At the plate, he went 3-4, just a single shy of the cycle.

This inning alone produced more runs for the Jackets than the entire game two weeks ago.

Auburn threatened in the 3rd but was unable to convert with the bases loaded and one out after Tennessee transfer Dylan Loy was brought in from the Georgia Tech bullpen and slammed the door shut with a strikeout and popup.

The Tigers had six hits in the first three innings but were held hitless from the 4th on.

Tech’s offense remained relentless with Junior Carson Kerce leading off the bottom of the 4th with a single. Burress brought him home with another base hit that should’ve been a routine play for left fielder Bub Terrell — but in anticipation of a throw home, he took his eye off the ball and it skipped under his glove, rolling all the way to the wall. Burress ran hard the whole way and had himself a little league inside-the-park home run to increase Tech’s lead to 8-3.

An inning later, Kerce kept his strong night going with a two-run home run to right and the Jackets were suddenly up seven runs.

In the bottom of the 7th, Tech had three hits in a row from Jarren Advincula, Alex Hernandez, and Kent Schmidt which produced two more runs and brought Tech within one swing of a run rule.

It all came to an end when pinch hitter Caleb Daniel hit a walk-off solo shot in the 8th, sending the sold out crowd into a frenzy. The Jackets had got their revenge on the Tigers with a 13-3 statement win.

From the 4th inning on, Tech’s bullpen combined for six strikeouts, just one walk and surrendered no hits or runs.

The bats were hot all night for Tech, with four home runs and 11 total hits that produced double-digit runs for the 18th time this season.

The top of the AAC is crowded, with Florida State, Virginia, Boston College and North Carolina all strong contenders. But the way Georgia Tech has been playing, they have to be the favorite in the conference.

Tuesday night marked the program's first ever run-rule of an SEC team. This lineup is just too good — and if their bullpen continues that dominant work, it’s going to make it that much more difficult for opponents. The work that first year head coach Dave Ramsey has done is incredible.

Tech has now improved to 11-0 in night games, 17-2 at home and 6-2 versus top-25 teams this season.

Matt Wieters’s alma mater is now a strong favorite to make their first College World Series since 2006.

For Auburn, this loss is the sixth in their last seven games. The Tigers are in the middle of a stretch of 31 of the last 34 games of the season coming against ranked opponents. They’ll return home for a series against No.15 Arkansas that they desperately need to win to get back on track.

About the Author

Cody Hamilton is the writer behind The Data Dugout that launched at the end of 2025. As a lifelong fan of baseball, he writes with the goal to educate and foster a real community of readers behind his words and stories. He writes in-depth player and prospect analysis articles, along with pieces that analyze front office moves, and highlights classic baseball stories that make the game unique.

Cody Hamilton
Next

The Athletics are a playoff team — for real this time