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Veteran hurler who has developed into one of the top relievers in the Atlantic Coast Conference ... Enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2002 as a closer after beginning the season in the starting rotation ... Will again be Tech’s closer in 2003 ... Voted as one of Tech’s captains this spring.
The coaching staff feels comfortable in bringing him in from the bullpen at any key moment in the game, whether that be the sixth inning or the ninth inning ... Can throw three pitches – fastball, curve ball and change up – for strikes ... Tough competitor who has the mental makeup to make an outstanding late-inning pitcher.
Enters his senior season just eight saves away from tying the Tech record held by Jim Poole (1985-88) ... Enters 2003 ranked fourth on Tech’s all-time appearance list with 86; Chris Myers (1991-94) holds the school record with 125 appearances ... Selected in the 18th round of the 2002 Major League draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates, but elected to return to Tech for his senior season.
2002: Veteran who became Tech’s top reliever after spending time as the No. 2 starter during the first half of the season ... Posted a 5-1 record in nine starts and a 6-0 record in 20 relief appearances ... A second-team all-Atlantic Coast Conference selection as a relief pitcher ... Led the team with 29 appearances and 12 games finished ... Displayed excellent command, walking just 19 batters in 89.2 IP; His 1.91 walks per nine innings figure was the fourth best season total in Tech history ... Earned a win in first start of the season at Georgia Southern (2/10), allowing two runs in 5.0 innings ... Allowed just one hit in 6.0 shutout innings vs. Tennessee Tech (2/16) ... Earned first save of the season and 13th of his career in Tech’s 7-5 win over Winthrop (3/9) ... Tied a career-high with 7.0 innings pitched vs. Georgia Southern (4/3), where he picked up the win by allowing only one run ... Picked up his fourth win of the season by pitching the final 2 1/3 shutout innings of relief vs. Duke (4/6) ... Tossed six strong innings, allowing just two earned runs to pick up his fifth win of season vs. Auburn (4/9) ... Picked up sixth win of the season by striking out five in 6.0 innings vs. Maryland (4/14) ... Pitched the final five innings in Tech’s 12-inning contest vs. Virginia (4/27) to pick up his seventh win of the season after allowing no earned runs and striking out five ... Faced the minimum number of batters in the final 1.2 innings in relief to lead Tech to a 12-11 victory over Georgia (5/14) in 10 innings ... Pitched the final five innings against North Carolina (5/24) in the ACC Tournament and allowed just one run to earn his 11th win of the season ... Pitched the final 2.2 innings in Tech’s NCAA Regional game vs. Georgia (6/1) to complete the shutout of the Bulldogs ... Career in NCAA Tournmanent: 9 games, 0-0 record with three saves in 16.2 IP; has allowed 17 hits, 19 runs, 19 earned runs, while striking out 14.
2001: Talented sophomore who excelled in his role as the closer out of the Tech bullpen ... One of 19 players invited to the USA Baseball National Team in Tucson, Ariz. ... Led Tech and ranked fourth in the ACC with six saves ... Ranked second in the league in appearances (31) ... Usually used in short relief situations, and he owned a sparkling 2.05 ERA while holding opponents to a .195 average in the ninth inning of games ... Held opponents to a .250 batting average, and allowed just seven extra-base hits in 35.1 innings of work ... Averaged nine strikeouts per nine innings ... Went six for ten in save opportunities ... Made 11 consecutive scoreless appearances from Mar. 10 through Apr. 13 ... Allowed more than one earned run on just four occasions ... Made scoreless outings in 22 of 31 appearances ...Owned saves vs. Lamar, Georgia, Kent State, Maryland, Ga. Southern and Clemson ... Made two appearances in the ACC Tournament, picking up his first win of the year against Florida State, throwing a total of 2.1 innings in the tournament, yielding two runs and three hits while walking one and striking out one.
2000: Rookie who emerged as Tech’s closer ... Named a third team freshman All-America by and Baseball America and honorable mention by Collegiate Baseball ... Earned saves in two of Tech’s three NCAA Atlanta Regional victories, including the championship game vs. Stetson ... Led the Jackets’ staff with six saves, and ranked fifth in the ACC in that department ... Allowed just one run in 21 innings against ACC foes (0.43 ERA) during the regular season, while collecting two wins and three saves over that span ... Held ACC opponents to a .181 average ... Picked up a win in relief against Clemson in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals ... Made his first career start against Liberty on Mar. 15, shutting out the Flames over seven innings while striking out 10 and walking none ... Returned four days later to pick up the win in relief against No. 2 North Carolina by allowing one run over the final 3.1 innings ... Recorded saves in back to back games at NC State on Apr. 1-2.
High School: All-county choice as a junior and a senior ... Three-year letterwinner for coach Allan Dyer ... Went 4-3 with a 2.48 ERA and 80 strikeouts (school record) in 59.1 IP as a senior ... Junior stats: 4-4 with a 2.96 ERA at Roswell, 10-0 with a 2.10 ERA in summer ball for the East Cobb Yankees, which won the Connie Mack World Series ... Played for a Georgia AAU national champion squad in 1997.
Personal: Full name is Jeffrey Benjamin Watchko ... Born November 7, 1980 ... Son of Mike and Bonnie Watchko ... A Dean’s List student in Management.
Career Statistics
2000.... 3.38 4-1 26 2 0 0/1 6 58.2 49 25 22 23 54 5 1 8 248 .230 10 5 6 1
2001.... 3.31 1-3 31 0 0 0/0 6 35.1 34 14 13 18 35 5 0 2 158 .250 1 0 4 0
2002.... 4.01 11-1 29 9 1 0/3 2 89.2 94 48 40 19 62 17 1 9 391 .260 4 9 1 1
TOTAL... 3.68 16-5 86 11 1 0/4 14 183.2 177 87 75 60 151 27 2 19 797 .249 15 14 11 2
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