Russell's Ramblings: Concerns growing louder as home-stand begins

Georgia Tech had their chances throughout Sunday's rubber match in frigid Louisville, Kentucky against the No. 2 ranked Cardinal program.

Time and time again, GT came up short both at the plate and on the mound. The final result, a 9-3 loss, was not the fault of one single batter nor one single pitcher.

Sunday's result was a team effort, for better or for worse.

Now, Georgia Tech (14-6, 3-3) has to re-group to be ready to square-off with a speedy Wofford team in Atlanta on Tuesday night.

Call it back to the future. Call it deja-vu. The biggest question mark as March nears an end is, again, pitching.

Georgia Tech will enter play on Tuesday with a team ERA of just under 6.50. The exact number, 6.46, is good for 191st nationally and second to last among the Power Five. Northwestern has an ERA of 11.46, but they have played just 14 games.

The team ERA the previous two seasons, you ask? 5.78 in 2021, and 6.58 last season.

The left-handed throwing duo of Dalton Smith and Josiah Siegel, two names that have been counted on time and time again, are looking at ERA's, respectively, of 11.25 and 15.58 entering play today in a combined 16.2 IP.

Cam Hill has the chance to fit into that role, now fully healthy from the oblique injury that hampered him earlier this season. Hill will start on Tuesday against Wofford.

Outside of Terry Busse (0.66 ERA) and Ben King (0.00 ERA out of the bullpen), the bullpen doesn't have anyone that has proven themselves to the point of being relied upon.

The starting rotation, after a hot start, has been unable to miss bats and collect strikeouts the way they did during non-conference play.

Overall, as a staff, just 57 of the 207 strikeouts entering play Tuesday have taken place in conference play (less than 30%)

Luke Schmolke, a candidate for the Saturday spot in the rotation moving forward in the absence of Logan McGuire, is actually second on the team in K in that span with 10, while also having the second lowest ERA of any pitcher that has thrown 5 IP or more at 2.00.

Jackson Finley, as dominant as he was prior to ACC play, will more than likely start on Sunday with an ERA of 6.23.

There are no sure things currently on the Georgia Tech staff that are capable of starting in a weekend series, and as the postseason picture grows clearer in the coming weeks and months, there's no answer in sight.

Injuries in the lineup early in the season led to GT creating (not by choice) depth, especially in the infield with guys like Nicholas Romano, Nico Senese, Demetri Diamant, and Brant Baughcum all being thrust into action. Some responded better than others. That is yet to be the case with pitching.

PROBABLES: GT LHP Camron Hill (So., 0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. WOF RHP Coulson Buchanan (So., 2-1, 4.61 ERA)

NAME TO KNOW: Ryan Galanie, 1B- 441/.553/.765 6 HR, 25 RBI 12 BB, 11 K in 18 games

STAT TO WATCH: SB. After allowing Louisville to steal 8 bases on Sunday, GT faces one of the best teams in the country in terms of team speed, coming into action on Tuesday night 8th nationally with 58 stolen bases on the season.

While you certainly cannot steal first base, it is clear that teams are going to continue testing Rubenstein and GT. One may wonder whether or not it might be a good time to give Tyler Minnick a chance behind the plate.