An eight-run third inning propelled Georgia to a 13-4 victory against No. 2 South Carolina Saturday night at Foley Field.
With the win, Georgia improves to 19-17 overall and 5-9 in SEC play, while South Carolina drops to 29-7 and 11-3 in conference play. The Bulldogs recorded season highs with 13 runs and 19 hits on the night.
The Bulldogs were first on the board after Keegan McGovern drove home Skyler Weber with a hard line drive up the middle. Weber had previously stolen second base after he singled into right field.
Michael Curry kept the momentum going for the Bulldogs, driving home the second run of the game at the next at bat. Curry hit a hard grounder past the shortstop that brought Trevor Kieboom home. Daniel Nichols followed with a base hit to center field, putting UGA up 3-0, while LJ Talley drove home two more runs during his at bat with a line drive past the first baseman to give the Bulldogs a 5-0 lead.
After a change in pitchers, Nick King grounded into a fielder’s choice, but was able to bring home another run for the Bulldogs to extend their lead to six. Weber drove home two more runs to finish off the inning, giving Georgia an 8-0 advantage.
The Bulldogs tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth inning as Michael Curry tagged up on a deep shot to center field from Stephen Wrenn.
Curry put the Bulldogs up by double digits with a blast over the right field fence in the bottom of the sixth inning. Georgia took a 10-0 lead into the final third of the game.
The Gamecocks scored their first run in the top of the seventh inning, but a change in pitchers brought life back to Georgia’s defense as Mike Mancuso finished off the inning, forcing a pop-out to left field. Georgia added its 11th score on the night when Trey Logan tagged up on a long fly out to center field from Nick King.
UGA added two more security runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to ensure the victory. Adam Sasser and Wrenn both singled and earned an RBI as the inning closed out. South Carolina scored three runs in the top of the ninth, but it wasn’t enough as Georgia earned the victory, 13-4.
Dawg Tracks
-Georgia’s 19 hits is a season high in a single game.
-UGA’s 13 runs this season is a season high.
-Trevor Kieboom has reached base successfully in 14-straight games.
-Connor Jones’ pickoff of Dom Thompson Williams in the second inning marks his second pickoff this season.
-Ten straight Bulldogs reached base during the third inning.
-Georgia’s eight runs in the third inning marks a season high for runs in a single inning.
-Michael Curry’s six homeruns leads the team this season. Georgia’s last 16 home runs have been solo shots.
Stricklin Says
Head Coach Scott Stricklin
On how big the third inning was…
“We ended the top of the third with a strikeout and a double-play and that really brought some energy into the dougout. We were close in the first inning. We had a chance to score with the bases loaded and didn’t and had guys in scoring position in the second inning and didn’t do it. We just kept knocking at the door and had some really good at bats there in the third inning. Momentum is contagious. If one guy gets a hit, the next guy does, then everyone starts believing. That was arguably our best inning of the year.”
Freshman catcher Michael Curry
On how he bounces back from a tough loss…
“That’s baseball. It is a crazy sport. That goes to show what it really is. Coming in to today I had done a lot of extra work, especially in the cages with the coaches. I worked a little extra and just focused on the little things. That’s baseball. It’s another game and you run into a couple balls and start feeling good about yourself.”
Junior pitcher Connor Jones
On what was working for him…
“I had my fastball going pretty well. I was able to mix speeds on my fastball and slow it down and speed it up to keep them off balance. I just needed to be aggressive and keep the ball low because those are the things that make you successful. That’s what I had going today.”
Up Next
The Bulldogs are back in action for the third part of their series with South Carolina tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET at Foley Field.