February 28, 1999

ATLANTA - Bryan Prince's three-run homer staked Georgia Tech to a 4-0 first-inning lead, propelling the 11th-ranked Yellow Jackets to their sixth straight baseball victory in a 9-3 decision over Georgia State Sunday at Russ Chandler Stadium.

Tech (8-4) defeated the Panthers (6-6) for the 14th consecutive time in their series and for the 30th time in the last 31 meetings between the two teams.

Cory Vance, bouncing back from a poor outing in his last start against West Virginia, evened his record at 2-2 by scattering eight hits over six innings of work. He struck out nine and walked three, permitting two earned runs. Freshman Kevin Cameron allowed only one hit and fanned five over the final three innings to get his first collegiate save.

The Panthers, who committed five errors in a 14-8 loss to Tech Saturday, made two Sunday, and both were costly, leading to five unearned runs for the Yellow Jackets. After creeping back to within 4-2 in the fifth, Tech scored three times with the help of an error by third baseman Clint Mize and Brad Stockton's two-run single to extend its lead to 7-2.

Josh Vandiver scored the third GSU run in the top of the sixth on a bases-loaded walk, but Stephen Donaghey cracked his team-leading fourth home run of the season with a man on in the bottom half to make it 9-3.

Ryan Patrylo (1-1) lasted just 1 1/3 innings for the Panthers. After allowing four first-inning runs, he was removed after three of the first four Tech batters reached base in the second. Billy Boughey got GSU out of that jam with no runs scoring and shut out the Jackets for two more innings, but gave up three runs in the fifth.

Tech, which plays six days in a row beginning Tuesday, hosts Charleston Southern for two games at 4 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.

GEORGIA TECH 9, GEORGIA STATE 3

Georgia State (6-6) 000 111 000 -- 3  9 2
Georgia Tech (8-4)  400 032 00x -- 9 10 1

Ryan Patrylo, Billy Boughey (2), Kevin Hopper (6), Justin Singleton (7), Louis Ward (8) and Bobby Kidd. Cory Vance, Kevin Cameron (7) and Eric McQueen. WP--Vance (2-2). LP--Patrylo (1-1). SV--Cameron (1). HR--Georgia Tech: Bryan Prince (2), Stephen Donaghey (4). T--2:40. A--854.