Athens, GA- Three Bulldog home runs powered the UGA baseball team to a series win over South Carolina by a score of 12-3.
The Bulldog bats got the scoring done early as they took a two-run lead for the second straight game in the series. Keegan McGovern put his team on the board first with a two-run home run to left field, which is his 10th of the season, and the Bulldogs would only add to their lead from here on out.
The Bulldogs would add four more runs in the third inning and the scoring was highlighted by a home run from L.J. Talley to deep right. This increased the Bulldogs lead to six runs and they would eventually add on six more runs in the bottom half of the eighth. Michael Curry would hit the last of the Bulldogs home runs in the bottom half of the eighth.
“Winning is contagious, just like hitting is contagious,” said Curry. “We’re definitely a tough lineup, I don’t mean that in an arrogant way, it’s facts, we’ve got a really solid lineup.”
The Bulldogs ability to score was most impressive, but what was even more impressive was their ability to score with two outs. They totaled 10 of their 12 runs with two outs and they scored these runs with power and patience at the plate. Also, eight of the Bulldogs nine starters reached base today with Aaron Schunk leading the way as he went 4-4 with a walk.
The pitching for the Bulldogs was also dominant as they only had three major mistakes throughout the game. Those three mistakes would come in the form of three solo home runs, which would be all the offense that the offense could muster in this game. Starter Emerson Hancock was especially solid as he gave the Bulldogs six innings of one-run baseball.
“He’s(starting pitcher Emerson Hancock) really good and again I still don’t think we’ve seen him with his best stuff yet, that’s pretty scary,” said Stricklin. “The sky is the limit for him.”
The Bulldogs improve to 4-1 in conference play and are seem to be getting hot at the right time as SEC play is just underway. They will look to go for the series sweep on March 25th at 1 p.m. at Foley Field in Athens, Georgia.