Robert Tyler on win over Georgia Tech from UGASports.com on Vimeo.

It doesn't matter the sport or circumstance that's involved.

For Georgia natives Robert Tyler and Brandon Stephens, beating Georgia Tech is always a big deal.

Tuesday's game against the Yellow Jackets at Foley Field was evidence of that after Stephens' two-out single in the bottom of the ninth scored pinch-runner Sean McLaughlin from third to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 win.

"That's what I was looking for," Stephens said. "The first pitch was a fastball and I know he's (Tech reliever Dusty Isaacs) got great command of his slider, and that's what I got. I just stayed through the middle and was able to put on a good swing."

Bulldog skipper Scott Stricklin obviously liked what he saw.

As a player at Kent State, Stricklin played for manager Danny Hall and later coached with his mentor for three years (2002-2004) as an assistant at Georgia Tech.

"This is a rivalry game. This is the way I look at it - it's Georgia-Georgia Tech," Stricklin said of his team, which evened its record at 6-6. "It's not about me, it's not about Danny Hall - it's Georgia-Georgia Tech. I'm thrilled for our kids; I'm thrilled for Georgia to get that win. It's a big one for us, it's a big one for our team."

Credit Tyler for giving Stephens the opportunity to come up with the eventual game-winning hit.

The freshman pitcher from Cordele continued what's been an amazing early run, allowing just two hits with one walk and five strikeouts in eight innings of work.

"This was definitely a dream come true. If you're a Georgia fan, Georgia Tech is THE biggest rival," said Tyler, who threw 100 pitches on the evening. "Just to get the opportunity to pitch in this one - I couldn't ask for anything more."

Neither could Stricklin.

"Going in you kind of wondered how he was going to do," Stricklin said. "He was throwing 95, 96 in the first inning. I thought he was outstanding. He's very poised and did a great job."

Yellow Jacket pitcher Alex Cruz matched Tyler for the first five innings, although both teams had opportunities early on.

In the bottom of the fourth, Jared Walsh blasted a pitch which looked to be a 2-run home run, only to have the ball caught by right fielder Ryan Peurifoy who fired into first to double off Hunter Cole.

The next two batters reached, but Cruz escaped the inning by getting Stephens on a fly out to left.

Tyler escaped a jam of his own in the top of the fifth.

In the inning, Georgia Tech (7-5) used a Bulldog error and walk followed by a wild pitch to put runners on second and third before Mitch Earnest lined out to Stephen Wrenn in center to get out of trouble.

Jonathan Roberts replaced Cruz to start the Georgia sixth and picked right up where his predecessor left off, holding the Bulldogs scoreless over the next three innings.

Tyler, meanwhile, continued to roll.

The Cordele native was tremendous, lowering his ERA to 0.98, before being replaced by Jared Cheek (1-0), who allowed one hit in the ninth but struck out two to send the game into the inning's bottom half.

After Tanner Shelton (0-1) struck out Walsh to start the inning, Zach Bowers walked before Stricklin inserted Sean McLaughlin to pinch run.

Following a foul out by Daniel Nichols, McLaughlin took off for second but wound up at third after catcher Earnest's throw sailed into center field.

The play was not without some controversy.

On the throw, it appeared that Stephens might have interfered with Earnest, but home plate umpire Jay Furlong did not see it that way, despite a heated disagreement by Hall at home plate.

After order was restored, Stephens stepped up and singled in McLaughlin for the winning run.

NOTES: This was second walk-off hit for Stephens, who in 2011 had a walk-off single to beat Creighton in an elimination game at the NCAA Regionals. … Bowers went 3-for-3 against Georgia Tech and is now 8-for-14 in his career. … Tuesday night's attendance was 1,822. … Georgia hosts Charleston Southern Wednesday afternoon at 6.