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Softball Highlights: UGA beats two ranked teams Friday at the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational

The fourth-ranked Georgia softball team defeated No. 6/8 Oklahoma State, 7-4, and No. 19/20 UCLA, 7-6, Friday at Eddie C. Moore Field at day two of the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational.

The Bulldogs remain perfect on the season a 8-0. Junior Lyndi Rae Davis highlighted the day at the plate, hitting a three-run, game-tying home run against the Cowgirls then a go-ahead two-run home run against the Bruins in the nightcap.

No. 4 Georgia 7, No. 6/8 Oklahoma State 4

Down 4-0 going into the fifth inning, Georgia scored seven unanswered runs in the fifth and sixth innings to come back and defeated the Cowgirls (5-1), 7-4 in the first game of the day.

Jaiden Fields led the offense going 3-for-3 at the plate including two doubles and a pair of RBI. Lyndi Rae Davis provided the big hit, a three-run home run in the fifth inning to tie the game at 4-all.

Shelby Walters pitched three innings in her start, allowing four runs, one earned, on six hits. Madison Kerpics (3-0) earned the win in relief, working three scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. Lilli Backes earned her second save of the season, pitching the final inning and holding the Cowgirls.

Oklahoma State pushed a two-out run across in the bottom of the first to go ahead 1-0. A two-out error by Sydney Kuma extended the bottom of the second for OSU. Megan Bloodworth followed with two-run home run to widen the Cowgirl lead to 3-0. An RBI triple pushed another unearned run in in the inning to go ahead 4-0.

Fields’ second hit of the game was a leadoff, stand-up double in the fifth. She advanced to third on a wild pitch as pinch hitter Marisa Miller reached on an error. A grounder back to the pitcher whose throw to the plate was off, allowing Fields to score, 4-1. Pinch hitter Lyndi Rae Davis followed with her first home run of the season, a three-run blast to right, to knot the game at 4-all going to the bottom of the fifth.

Kuma led off the sixth with a double then tagged on a flyout to take third. Fields’ third hit, another double, drove in Kuma to put Georgia in front, 5-4. An RBI single poked into right by Emily Digby plated pinch runner Hayley Eaton, 6-4. Digby then touched home on a double off the bat of Dallis Goodnight to complete the three spot in the inning, 7-4.

Backed entered in the bottom of the seventh with a runner on first and no out. A double play turned by Kuma cut down the runner and a Backes strikeout complete the comeback for the Dogs.

No. 4 Georgia 7, No. 19/20 UCLA 2

A four spot in the third inning fueled by a pair of two-out, two-run home runs proved the difference maker in the nightcap against the Bruins (3-4).

Backes (2-0) pitched a complete game in the circle, allowing two runs on four hits while fanning three Bruin hitters. She finished the day with a win and a save.

Davis’ go-ahead home run, her second home run of the day, put Georgia ahead in the contest, 3-2. Later in the game, she drew a bases-loaded walk to finish the game with three RBI. Jayda Kearney scattered two hits in the game with an RBI while Sydney Chambley also knocked a home run.

Goodnight led off the game legging out a swinging bunt, stole second, and took third on a flyout. She easily scored when Kearney doubled to the warning track in right center, putting the Bulldogs ahead 1-0 in the opening frame.

The Bruins used a pair of two-out RBI singles to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second.

A pair of two-out, two-run home runs off the bats of Davis and Chambley put Georgia back in front in the third, 5-2.

Davis drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk in the top of the fourth to widen the lead to 6-2.

A two-out error by the UCLA shortstop extended the top of the seventh inning and allowed a run to score, widening the lead to 7-2.

Backes held the Bruins in the bottom of the inning to finish the complete game in the circle, earning her second win of the season.

Georgia is back in action Saturday in Clearwater. The Dogs will face off against No. 7/5 Florida State at 10 a.m. on ESPN2. Georgia takes on Minnesota in the nightcap at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN+.

MBB: Georgia (14-10, 4-7 SEC) vs. Florida (17-7, 7-4 SEC) this afternoon at the Stege

Time: 1:00 p.m. ET

Venue: Stegeman Coliseum (10,523)

Location: Athens, Ga.

Series History: UF leads, 123-105

Last Meeting: UF, 102-98 in OT, on 1/27/24

TV: SEC Network (Mike Morgan, play-by-play; Mark Wise, color analyst)

Radio: Georgia Bulldog Network – SiriusXM 386 (Scott Howard, play-by-play; Chuck Dowdle, color analyst; Adam Gillespie, producer)

GAME GIVEAWAY: The first 750 UGA students will receive a free retro replica jersey from the Bulldogs’ 1996 “Sweet 16” season.

The Starting Five

• Georgia returns to action following a mid-week open date when the Bulldogs host Florida at Stegeman Coliseum in a 1:00 p.m. matinee on Saturday.

• Georgia has used nine Bulldogs to comprise seven different starting lineups this season, including four variations in the last five games.

• Georgia is 24-1 when holding its opponents to less than 70 points during Mike White’s two seasons with the Bulldogs – 2-0 in 40s, 7-0 in the 50s and 15-1 in the 60s.

• Georgia will play 16 regular-season games against teams mentioned in the most recent edition of ESPN.com’s Bracketology…51.6 percent of the Bulldogs’ schedule. 

• Georgia entered this weekend No. 18 nationally in bench points, with UGA’s reserves contributing 29.4 ppg. The Bulldogs sport a bench scoring margin of +280 (+11.7 ppg).

The Opening Tip

Following a rare February open date, Georgia returns to action on Saturday when the Bulldogs host Florida in a 1:00 p.m. matchup at Stegeman Coliseum.

Saturday’s contest is a rematch of a thriller in Gainesville three weeks ago when Georgia rallied from a 21-point, second-half deficit to tie the game with 49 seconds remaining. After forcing overtime, the Bulldogs dropped a 102-98 decision. 

Georgia enters the weekend 14-10 overall and 4-7 in SEC play and looking to snap a five-game losing streak that began in Gainesville.

The 2023-24 campaign has been a streaky one for the Bulldogs. Contrary to Georgia’s current situation, the Bulldogs recorded winning streaks of 10 games overall, 10 contests at Stegeman Coliseum and three road outings earlier this season.

Jabri Abdur-Rahim leads a trio of Bulldogs scoring at a double-digit pace for Georgia at 12.8 ppg, largely due to shooting team-high percentages of .377 from 3-point range and .873 at the free throw line. Noah Thomasson and RJ Melendez are contributing 12.0 ppg and 10.3 ppg, respectively. Freshman Silas Demary Jr. is literally one bucket shy of a double-figure average, with his 238 points equating to 9.9 ppg.

Georgia has been more productive and balanced offensively in conference action. 

The Bulldogs are one of three teams with a higher scoring offense in SEC play over non-league games. Four Bulldogs have upped their scoring by a point by game or more against conference competition, with Demary producing a full 3.0 ppg more (8.5 ppg to 11.5 ppg).

Among UGA’s career leaders…

Jabri Abdur-Rahim is

• 10 3FGs from co-No. 13s Ty Wilson and Ray Harrison

• 20 3FGAs from No. 17 Ty Wilson

Career statistics wise…

Justin Hill is

• 5 assists from 400

Scouting The Gators

Florida is 17-7 overall and 7-4 in the SEC after winning six of its last seven outings. That stretch includes back-to-back overtime decisions against Georgia and at No. 6 Kentucky.

No less than five Gators are currently scoring at a double-digit pace. Walter Clayton Jr. leads that quintet at 16.3 ppg, followed by Zyon Pullin at 15.5 ppg, Tyrese Samuel at 13.1 ppg, Will Richard at 11.1 ppg and Riley Kugel at 10.8 ppg.

A pair of Florida players lead the SEC in individual statistics, with Samuel sporting the best field goal percentage (.563) and Pullin pacing all league players in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.92).

Series History With Florida

Despite Georgia’s 63-44 lead in games played in Athens, Florida possesses a 123-105 edge in the all-time hardwood series between the Bulldogs and the Gators.

Three weeks ago on Jan. 27 at Exactech Arena in Gainesville, the Gators survived a furious rally by Georgia before garnering a 102-98 victory in overtime.

RJ Melendez exploded for a career-high 35 points off the bench to lead the Bulldogs, while Russel Tchewa notched his second-straight double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Reserves Blue Cain (14) and Justin Hill (11) also scored in double figures as Georgia outscored the Gators in bench points, 62-15.

Georgia trailed by as many as 21 points four times in the second half, lastly at 68-47 with 12:52 remaining. After Florida led 77-61 at the 7:47 mark, the Bulldogs closed out regulation on a 24-8 surge to knot the score at 85-85. Melendez and Cain combined to score 20 of UGA’s points during the comeback.

The Gators then outscored Georgia, 13-7, in the extra period.

Georgia and Florida last met at Stegeman Coliseum on Feb. 28 last season, with Georgia dropping a 77-67 decision. 

Kario Oquendo led a trio of Bulldogs in double figures with 20 points. Justin Hill added 16 points and four assists, while Braelen Bridges chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds.

Florida gained the game’s first significant lead by using an 11-0 surge to go up 37-28 with 2:18 left in the first half. The Gators completed the period with a 3-pointer to grab their first double-digit advantage, 43-33, at the intermission.

Georgia got within a single possession on three occasions, lastly at 60-57 with 6:50 remaining. Florida answered with back-to-back jumpers and never allowed Georgia closer than five points thereafter.

Gators Are Georgia’s Most Frequent Foe

Georgia and Florida will face off for the 229th time on Saturday, the most games the Bulldogs have played against any opponent. 

Rounding out the top-5 in games played against Georgia are Georgia Tech with 199, Auburn with 197, Tennessee with 161 and Kentucky with 160.

Last Time Out

Georgia fought back from a 12-point, second-half deficit to grab a 66-65 lead with just under four minutes remaining but could not complete the comeback and fell 78-75 at Arkansas last Saturday.

Justin Hill’s 3-pointer at the 3:57 mark put the Bulldogs up for the first time since being up 19-17 midway through the first half. The teams traded the lead five times over the next 2:15 before the Razorbacks went back on top for good with 54 seconds remaining.

Silas Demary Jr. led Georgia with 19 points, while Hill chipped in 18 and Russel Tchewa added 10.

MTennis: One match moved, one added

The Georgia men’s tennis team has moved its match against No. 21 Alabama to 2 p.m. ET on Friday, March 8^th, and added South Carolina St. to the schedule at 5 p.m. for a doubleheader at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex, head coach Manuel Diaz announced on Friday afternoon.

The Bulldogs’ match against the Crimson Tide will still serve as the team’s first Southeastern Conference home match. Georgia is 57-12 all-time in SEC home openers. This will be the third doubleheader on Georgia’s schedule, beating Eastern Kentucky twice to begin the season on Jan. 22 and another coming two days later coming against Auburn and Georgia St. on March 10^th. 

Georgia’s tilt against South Carolina St. will be the fourth all-time meeting between the programs, with all matches coming in Athens. The three previous matches, which were played in 2009, 2012 and 2016, were won by 4-0 sweeps by Georgia when it hosted the first round of the NCAA Tournament those seasons.

The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide will meet for the 69^th time in history on Friday, March 8^th. Georgia holds a 61-7 record against Alabama, including winning the last four matches and 21 in a row at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex dating back to 1985.

Georgia’s next match will come against No. 9 Wake Forest on Monday, Feb. 26 at 2:30 p.m. ET at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. This will mark the first time the programs have met in Athens since the 2021 season.

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