(Photo by John Kelley)
[su_spacer size=”40″] After two quick outs in the 10th, Bulldog sophomore Stephen Wrenn kept the inning alive with a base hit and went to third when Keegan McGovern lined a single. Senior Jared Walsh drew a walk to load the bases for junior Daniel Nichols. He lined a two-run single to center to make it 3-1. Then, junior catcher Zack Bowers stepped up and crushed a three-run home run for a 6-1 advantage. That was more than enough for junior Sean McLaughlin who took care of the Wildcats in the 10 to finish with four scoreless innings and a victory to move his record to 4-5.
[su_spacer size=”40″] With the win, Georgia improved to 24-26 overall and 9-17 in the SEC. Kentucky (27-23, 12-14 SEC) took a 1-0 lead on a two-out, solo home run by JaVon Shelby in the fourth off sophomore Robert Tyler. It came on a full count and marked his first hit of the weekend and his eighth home run of the year. The Wildcats carried a 1-0 lead until the ninth.
[su_spacer size=”40″] In just his second start since February as he’s been sidelined with a forearm strain, Tyler provided five innings against the Wildcats. He limited them to a run on two hits with no walks and four strikeouts and got a no decision. Freshman Bo Tucker and McLaughlin combined to pitch five scoreless innings for the Bulldogs.
[su_spacer size=”40″] In the top of the ninth, Walsh spoiled the shutout bid when he blasted his third home run of the year off right-hander Kyle Cody. It ended his day after going eight innings and scattering seven hits with no walks and five strikeouts.
[su_spacer size=”40″] “We hung in there, Cody was really good, a potential first round pick for Kentucky and Robert Tyler was excellent for us too,” Georgia coach Scott Stricklin said. “We had a big, two-out, bases-loaded hit, and it was Daniel Nichols, and then Zack Bowers had the three-run home run which was really big too. I thought our defense was exceptional.
[su_spacer size=”40″] “Everything is in front of us to play for; we told them before the game that we have to win today, and I’m proud of how we got it done. That’s what we needed,” Stricklin added.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Georgia returns to action Tuesday for the 13th annual Spring Baseball Classic at Turner Field against Georgia Tech. First pitch will be at 7 p.m. and be televised by Fox Sports South. The Bulldogs close out the SEC regular season by playing host to No. 20 Arkansas starting Thursday night at Foley Field.