[su_spacer size=”20″] The seventh-ranked Georgia softball team ended its home stand with an 11-0, five-inning win over Georgia Southern on a cool and drizzly night on Wednesday, March 26 at Jack Turner Stadium in Athens, Ga. With the win, the Bulldogs improved to 29-5 on the year, while Georgia Southern falls to 8-22. The win kept Georgia’s streak in tact as the Bulldogs have now won each of their last five games, all by way of the run-rule.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Chelsea Wilkinson got the win the win to improve to 17-4 on the year. She allowed just three hits and struck out eight in the complete game performance. Kierra Camp suffered the loss to drop 3-7 on the year. She allowed six runs on two hits and three walks without recording out. Heather Felt threw the final five innings, allowing five runs on seven hits and two walks.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Kaylee Puailoa and Niaja Griffin led the team offensively, going 2-for-3. Puailoa scored twice and drove in three runs, while Griffin crossed the plate once and drove in two runs.
[su_spacer size=”20″] [su_spacer size=”20″] Sydni Emanuel set the tone early, roping a double into the left field corner to lead things off in the bottom of the first. Paige Wilson and Alex Hugo drew back-to-back walks to load the bases with no outs. Tina Iosefa stayed patient at the plate to draw a bases-loaded walk that put the Bulldogs up 1-0. With the bases loaded, Anna Swafford hit into a fielder’s choice, but the throw to the plate was not in time, giving Georgia a 2-0 lead. The throw to the plate also sailed to the backstop, allowing Hugo to score the third run of he game. One batter later, Puailoa laced a bases-clearing double through the right side that extended Georgia’s lead to 5-0.  Samantha LaZear got in on the action, delivering an infield single between the pitcher and first baseman that allowed Puailoa to cross the plate and make it a 6-0 game.
[su_spacer size=”40″] The scoring continued into the bottom of the second inning. A pair of walks and a single loaded the bases with one out for Puailoa. She registered her second hit of the day when she took the first pitch of the at bat to the second baseman for a RBI single that made it a 7-0 game. Hugo scored the eighth run of the game when she raced home on a wild pitch, avoiding the tag as she did. Katie Browne and Griffin followed with a sacrifice fly and an infield single that plated two more runs and gave Georgia a 10-0 lead.
[su_spacer size=”20″]

[su_spacer size=”20″] Georgia tacked on one more run in the bottom of fourth to make it a 11-0 game after Griffin launched a home run, the first since her freshman season, over the left centerfield wall.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Wilkinson settled in and retired eight of the final 10 batters she faced to help seal the 10-0 run-rule win for the Bulldogs.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia returns to action this weekend, March 28-30, when it travels to Knoxville, Tenn., to take on the 15th-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols. Saturday’s series opener will be available on the SEC Network+, while the games on Sunday and Monday will be televised nationally on the SEC Network.
[su_spacer size=”20″]