Atlanta College Baseball Preview

Jun 5, 2011; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets catcher Zane Evans (10) hits a home run against the Austin Peay Governors during the second inning in the Atlanta regional of the 2011 NCAA baseball tournament at Russ Chandler Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

This weekend, Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia, and Georgia State University are in action on the baseball diamond. The Yellow Jackets will host the No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels, UGA will go to No. 15 South Carolina, and GSU will host Hofstra.

Each team will play on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday—the usual format for weekend series games.

Georgia Tech: The top two offenses in the ACC will square off in this series but North Carolina holds the advantage with great starting pitching, led by left handed ace, Kent Emmanuel. Check out the full preview on RamblinWreck.com:

">> The Jackets are 7-3 over the last 10 games versus the Tar Heels, including a series win at Boshamer Stadium last April. It’s the last time UNC has lost a series overall. Tech leads the overall series 68-55 and is 40-28 versus the Heels under head coachDanny Hall.>> Junior C/RHP Zane Evans brings a 11-game hitting streak into the weekend and included in the streak is a 6-for-6, two-homer, four-RBI performance at Clemson.>> Junior RF Daniel Palka is on a late-season tear, slugging 1.040 over Tech’s last six games with three doubles, two triples, three homers and 14 RBI. Eight of his last 10 hits have gone for extra bases and he’s scored eight runs."

GSU: The Panthers have been hot lately and are coming into their final series against rival Hofstra. GSU will be recognizing the seniors on the team before the game on Sunday. The Full preview can be found on georgiastatesports.com:

"The Panthers (32-18, 11-10 CAA) have won five straight conference games after a three-game sweep of Colonial Athletic Association foe Towson last weekend. Hofstra is 23-24, 8-13 CAA.Georgia State continues to rank among the nation’s top five in batting average (.322, 3rd), hits (584, 2nd), runs (392, 3rd), runs per game (7.8, 5th) and doubles (121, 3rd). The Panthers are 10th nationally in slugging (.462) and 11th in on-base percentage (.408).GSU shortstop Chad Prain, named to the Brooks Wallace Shortstop of the Year Award Watch List, is enjoying one of the top offensive seasons in the nation, ranking third in the NCAA in hits (81) and seventh in batting average (.407). He also has 44 RBI and 14 stolen bases, and the GSU shortstop helps the Panthers rank in the top 15 in the nation in double plays."

UGA: Georgia’s poor baseball season isn’t getting easier this weekend as they take on the No. 15 team in the nation. The Gamecocks are second in the SEC Eastern Division and fourth place overall. The Bulldogs don’t have a preview on their website but South Carolina does:

"PROBABLE PITCHING ROTATIONFriday South Carolina – Nolan Belcher (Sr. LHP) 6-5, 2.21 ERA, 85.2 IP, 10 BB, 71 SOGeorgia – Sean McLaughlin (Fr. RHP) 4-5, 3.14 ERA, 63.0 IP, 17 BB, 43 SOSaturday South Carolina – Jordan Montgomery (So. LHP) 3-1, 1.96 ERA, 41.1 IP, 11 BB, 32 SOGeorgia – Blake Dieterich (Sr. LHP) 2-2, 2.59 ERA, 31.1 IP, 13 BB, 25 SOSunday South Carolina – TBAGeorgia – Jared Walsh (So. LHP) 2-3, 2.05 ERA, 30.2 IP, 24 BB, 33 SO"

Check back on Sunday as we recap all the college baseball mentioned above.