The Georgia Bulldogs baseball team defeated the Army Black Knights by a score of 8-7 in the first round of the Athens Regional.

Bulldogs starting pitcher Leighton Finley had trouble beginning the game, allowing a leadoff walk to catcher Derek Berg and a two-run homer to second baseman Chris Barr.

Charlie Condon continued his incredible run with a solo homer in the bottom half to make the score 2-1 Army after the first inning.

Finley allowed another leadoff walk to begin the second inning, and right fielder Addison Ainsworth reached base on a bunt to put a runner in scoring position with no outs. After a failed bunt attempt and a strikeout, Army was unable to score.

With two outs in the top of the third, Army designated hitter Coleson Titus hit a two-run homer to make the score 4-1 Army.

Condon hit a leadoff double for Georgia, making way for an RBI single from Slate Alford. Paul Toetz gave the Bulldogs another run with a single of his own to make the score 4-3 Army at the end of three.

In the bottom of the fourth, Gonzalez led the inning off with an infield single and reached second on a wild pitch. Condon and Tre Phelps both walked with two outs to load the bases, but Alford lined out to end the inning.

Army left fielder William Parker led the fifth inning off with a double. Titus grounded into a double play following a Braden Golinski walk, and first baseman Justin Lehman flew out to center to end the scoring threat.

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Clayton Chadwick tied the game in the fifth inning with an RBI double to score Dillon Carter. Chadwick was picked off second base shortly after for the second out and Gonzalez grounded out to end the frame.

For the second inning in a row, a Black Knight was able to leadoff with an extra base hit. Ainsworth tripled off the top of the right field wall and scored on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Thomas Schreck to give Army the lead 5-4 in the sixth.

The Bulldogs were able to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth after two singles and a Condon walk. Alford stepped up in the spotlight and delivered a two-run double to give the Dawgs their first lead of the game at 6-5. Carter walked the next at-bat to load the bases back up for pinch-hitter Dylan Goldstein, who flew into a sacrifice fly to extend the Bulldog lead to 7-5.

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Georgia relief pitcher Brian Zeldin sat Army down in order in the seventh on back-to-back strikeouts. This was the first inning in which a Black Knight failed to reach base.

Army made some noise in the top of the eighth. Lehman and Ainsworth both reached with one out. The next at-bat, Schreck chopped a grounder down the third base line. Condon fielded and threw the ball passed third base trying to get the force out, allowing Lehman to score. Berg followed with an RBI groundout to tie the game at 7. The next two batters walked, loading the bases for Parker who struck out swinging.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Diamond Dawgs loaded the bases after a one-out walk from Carter and back-to-back hit batters by Army pitcher Andrew Berg. Gonzalez hit a sacrifice fly to left field, giving the lead back to the Bulldogs at 8-7.

Army gave a last-chance effort to steal the game back. With one out in the ninth, Titus walked and Lehman singled to put the tying run in scoring position. Ainsworth flied out and Ellis grounded out, ending the game in a Bulldog victory.

The Diamond Dawgs will play the winner of Georgia Tech and UNC-Wilmington on Saturday night at 6 pm.

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