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SB: Georgia Wins Two on Day One of the Black & Gold Classic

SOFTBALL | vs. NC STATE | W, 9-0 (5 inn.)

Winning pitcher: Lilli Backes (1-0)

   Losing Pitcher: Madison Inscoe (0-1)

SOFTBALL | at UCF | W, 4-0

Winning pitcher: Randi Roelling (1-0)

   Losing Pitcher: Yessenia Lopez (0-1)

Season Record: 2-0

ORLANDO – The 12^th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs run ruled NC State 9-0 and defeated UCF 4-0 to open the 2025 season on Thursday at the UCF Softball Complex. 

FAST FACTS

• Georgia put up seven runs on six hits in the first inning against NC State. Senior Dallis Goodnight led off the inning and the season with her sixth-career home run. Three freshman picked up their first collegiate hits in the inning: Mua Williams (two-RBI single), Esther White (double), and Paislie Allen (two-RBI double). 
• Senior Lilli Backes (1-0) pitched the complete game shutout against NC State, limiting the Wolfpack to three hits and striking out nine opposing hitters.  
• Sophomore Emily Digby knocked an RBI double and a two-run home run in the game. Her home run put Georgia ahead 9-0 in the bottom of the fourth. 
• Sophomore Randi Roelling (1-0) pitched the seven-inning shutout, holding the Knights to just two hits. She struck out seven in her Georgia debut in the circle. 
• Goodnight, Williams, and Digby all recorded three hits and combined for seven RBI on the day.  
• Freshmen Precious Bross, Mollie Mitchell, and Tyah Charlton all made their collegiate debuts in the nightcap. 

Video Highlights NC State

Video Highlights UCF

Box Scores

UP NEXT

Georgia is back in action on Friday evening at the Black & Gold Classic taking on the Illinois Fighting Illini at 7 p.m. The game will stream live on ESPN+.

BSB: Eight Diamond Dawgs’ Games Will Appear on National TV

Eight baseball games involving the University of Georgia will be featured on national television across the ESPN family of networks during the 2025 regular season, it was announced Thursday.

The first contest will be Saturday, March 22 at noon on the Southeastern Conference Network (SECN) when the Bulldogs will be on the road against Florida.  On Saturday, March 29, Georgia’s home game against Auburn will be on the SECN. First pitch will be at 4 p.m. Georgia’s road game with Clemson on April 22 will be at 8 p.m. on ESPNU.

A pair of home games during the series with league newcomer Oklahoma will be nationally televised. Game one will be on Thursday, Apr. 24 at 7 p.m. on ESPNU. The final game of the series will be Saturday, Apr. 26 at noon on SECN. Georgia’s home game with Kennesaw State will be at 7 p.m. on the SECN.

Georgia’s road series with Missouri will feature a primetime matchup on Saturday, Mary 3 at 8 p.m. on the SECN. The final road game of the Alabama series on May 11 will be at 1 p.m. on the SECN.

An additional five games on the final weekend of the regular season (May 15-17) will be televised as “wildcard” selections based on the SEC race. All 15 games of the SEC Tournament are slated to be televised May 20-25. The first 14 games will air on SEC Network, while the SEC Tournament Championship Game will air on ESPN2.

Also, all other home and road SEC games will be available to stream via SEC Network+.

The Bulldogs have been ranked as high as No. 4 in the preseason top 25 polls. The team features four returning starters including preseason All-American Tre Phelps, most of the starting rotation plus a preseason All-America reliever in junior transfer Brian Curley. Earlier this week, Phelps along with pitcher Alton Davis II and infielder Slate Alford were named to the SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason All-SEC team.

Georgia is slated to open the 2025 season Friday, Feb. 14 against Quinnipiac in Wilmington, N.C. Georgia will play two games against the Bobcats and two games against UNC-Wilmington during a three-day trip to the Seahawks campus. SEC action begins March 14 against Kentucky at Foley Field.

Information on single-game non-conference tickets for the action at Foley Field can be found at this link: https://georgiadogs.evenue.net/events/BBSINGLE

SEC Distributes Revenue To Members

Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey on Thursday announced revenue distribution of $808.4 million to the SEC’s 16 universities for the 2023-24 fiscal year, which ended August 31, 2024.

“The SEC’s annual distribution of revenue helps member universities maintain strong athletics programs while supporting the academic and athletic ambitions of thousands of student-athletes across the conference,” Sankey said.

“As the entire college athletics enterprise works through significant change, SEC universities are uniquely positioned to provide new financial benefits for student-athletes while continuing to deliver transformative, life-changing college experiences,” Sankey said. “Beyond providing an exceptional, debt-free education, this experience includes world-class support in coaching, training, academic counseling, medical care, mental health support, nutrition, life-skills development and post-eligibility healthcare coverage for SEC student-athletes.”

The total includes $790.7 million distributed directly from the conference office, and an additional $17.7 million retained by universities that participated in 2023-24 football bowl games.

The amount distributed from the conference office, excluding bowl expenses retained by participants, averaged $52.5 million for schools with full year participation.

The total distribution amount for the 14 schools receiving a full revenue share is comprised of revenue generated from television agreements, post-season bowl games, the College Football Playoff, the SEC Football Championship Game, the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament, and NCAA Championships.

The University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas, which joined the conference on July 1, 2024, each received $27.5 million resulting from transition payments derived from a combination of television agreements and refundable application fees remitted to the Conference in a prior fiscal year.

The distribution amount does not include an additional $8.1 million of NCAA and SEC grants divided among the 14 universities that were members of the SEC for the entirety of the 2023-24 fiscal year.

The total revenue for 2023-24 is an increase above the $741.0 million distributed in 2022-23. The average per school distribution increased from $51.3 million in 2022-23, not including bowl money retained by participants.

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