SOFTBALL: Georgia Beat Dartmouth and Illinois to Open UGA Classic
The 16th-ranked Georgia softball team earned victories over Dartmouth and Illinois to open the UGA Classic Saturday at Jack Turner Stadium.
The Bulldogs routed the Big Green in five innings 11-2 to begin the day. A four-run sixth inning provided key insurance in the second game of the day as Georgia shut out Illinois 5-0.
Georgia improves to 24-4 on the season.
No. 16 Georgia 11, Dartmouth 2 (5 inn.)
The Dawgs scattered 11 hits for 11 runs in the first tilt of the day. Jayda Kearney and Jaiden Fields each picked up two hits with three RBI in the middle of Georgia’s lineup. Freshman Lyndi Rae Davis also had a pair of hits with an RBI.
Freshman Kylie Macy (6-1) picked up the victory in the circle. Macy worked three innings in her start, allowing one run on two hits with six strikeouts. Freshman lefty Sydney Osada made her collegiate debut with an inning in relief. Sophomore Riley Orcutt closed the game in the fifth for the Bulldogs.
The Big Green (2-11) struck first in the contest on a two-out RBI double to right-center to go ahead 1-0 on the Bulldogs.
Georgia wasted no time bouncing back in the bottom of the inning. The Bulldogs loaded the bases with no out. The game was tied on a wild pitch then a Lacey Fincher RBI fielder’s choice plated the go-ahead run. A two-RBI double off the bat of Kearney plugged the left-center gap. Fields followed with a two-run home run to go ahead 6-1 in the opening frame.
The Bulldogs fired up the two-out production to plate three runs in the bottom of the second to widen the lead to 9-1. The scoring was highlighted by a solo home run by Kearney and an RBI single off the bat of Lyndi Rae Davis.
The second run of the game for the Big Green came in to score on a two-out base hit in the top of the fourth, 9-2.
Fields’ second hit of the game went for an RBI double to left-center in the fourth to bring Georgia’s lead back to eight, 10-2. On the play, Fields took third and immediately scored on a sac fly off the bat of Sydney Kuma to bring the tally to 11-2.
Orcutt worked a scoreless fifth to secure the run-rule victory over the Big Green.
No. 16 Georgia 5, Illinois 0
Georgia completed the Saturday sweep with a 5-0 shutout of the Illinois Fighting Illini (12-10) in game two.
Junior Sara Mosley was responsible for three of Georgia’s seven hits in the game and drove in three of its five runs.
Sophomore Madison Kerpics (9-1) earned the complete-game shutout in the circle, going the distance and allowing just four hits and striking out three. Kerpics took a no-hit bid into the fourth inning.
A leadoff home run to right off the bat of Kuma broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth, 1-0 Georgia.
The Illini threatened in the top of the sixth, loading the bases on a couple of Bulldog errors; but Kerpics wiggled out of the jam to preserve the shutout.
A four-spot jump-started by a three-run home run off the bat of Sara Mosley added insurance for the Bulldogs in the bottom of the inning. An RBI base hit from Fields drove in Georgia’s fourth run of the inning to widen the lead to 5-0 going to the seventh.
Kerpics held the Illini in the seventh to secure the shutout and the victory for the Bulldogs.
Georgia will take on Illinois and Mercer Sunday at Jack Turner Stadium. The Bulldogs and Fighting Illini square off at 1 p.m. followed by the Bulldogs and Bears at 3:30 p.m.
WTENNIS: Dawgs Sweep Vols
The 10th-ranked University of Georgia women’s tennis team swept No. 27 Tennessee Volunteers 4-0 Saturday afternoon, in Southeastern Conference play. Today’s win marks the 25th consecutive win against an SEC opponent by the Bulldogs, dating back to the 2019 SEC Tournament.
“Today was by far the toughest conditions that we’ve played in all year,” said Georgia associate head coach Drake Bernstein. “After being indoors for the last 10 days, it was good to see that our team didn’t flinch on a cold, windy day. Today will definitely make us better moving forward.”
In doubles, Georgia (9-2, 5-0 SEC) swept Tennessee (8-5, 2-3 SEC). The Freshmen duo of Mell Reasco and Dasha Vidmanova cruised to a 6-2 win over Esther Adeshina and Elza Tomase, while the tandem of graduate Meg Kowalski and freshman Guillermina Grant clinched the double point defeating Kylie Duckworth and Olivia Symons 6-3.
In singles play, the Bulldogs earned wins from No. 25 Reasco, No. 71 Kowalski and No. 113 Vidmanova. Vidmanova picked up the first win of the afternoon, topping No. 73 Elza Tomase 7-5, 6-3 – her fifth-ranked win of the season. She was quickly followed by Reasco who earned her seventh-ranked win of the season, beating No. 45 Tenika McGiffin in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1. The veteran, Kowalski clinched the match for UGA with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Daria Kuczer.
“We’ve had a tough four-match stretch here, with three quality SEC opponents on the road and a Top-5 team at home, “ said Bernstein. “We are all looking forward to getting back to Athens, getting some rest and preparing for two more big matches at home next weekend.”
Next up, the Bulldogs return to Athens to host the LSU Tigers on Friday, March 25 at 4 p.m. and the Texas A&M Aggies on Sunday, March 27 at 1 p.m.
WBB: Georgia Takes On 3 Seed Iowa State at 8
The University of Georgia Lady Bulldog basketball team will play No. 3 seed Iowa State at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT today in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Hilton Coliseum.
Georgia — the No. 6 seed — defeated No. 11 seed Dayton, 70-54, on Friday, while Iowa State downed No. 14 seed UT Arlington.
The Lady Bulldogs and Cyclones have met three times — all Georgia wins in the NCAA Tournament. The two squads last played in 2013, when Georgia defeated Iowa State, 65-60, en route to the Elite Eight.
Georgia has earned bids to 35 of 40 NCAA Tournaments, which trails only Tennessee nationally for most invites to the Big Dance. The Lady Bulldogs rank fifth among all Division I programs with 92 tourney games played, while the team’s 58 all-time tourney wins ranks seventh.
In all, the Lady Bulldogs have advanced to 20 NCAA Sweet 16’s, 11 Elite Eights and five Final Fours (1983, 1985, 1995, 1996 and 1999).
MGOLF: UGA Opens Play at Linger Longer Invitational
The Georgia men’s golf team will continue the 2022 portion of its schedule in the Linger Longer Invitational in Eatonton, Ga.
Schedule and format: Georgia and the other squads will have 18 holes of stroke play today, Monday, and Tuesday.
Course: Great Waters Golf Course (par 72, 7,436 yards).
Field: Georgia, Alabama, Kennesaw State, Mercer, Chattanooga, Augusta, Charlotte, Virginia, Toledo, Florida, UNCG, South Florida, Vanderbilt, North Carolina, Clemson
Lineup: Senior Trent Phillips; juniors Nicolas Cassidy and Ben van Wyk; and freshmen Buck Brumlow and Maxwell Ford. Seniors Will Kahlstorf and Eli Scott, junior Connor Creasy, and redshirt freshman JT Herman will compete as individuals.
Live Results: Golfstat will provide live scoring, pairings, and tee times.
Rankings: No. 10 Bushnell Golfweek Coaches, No. 10 Golfstat, No. 11 Golfweek/Sagarin.
Last Time: The Bulldogs placed sixth in the Southern Highlands Collegiate in Las Vegas, Nev. Cassidy was the top Bulldog in the field at 4-under 212.
Coach Chris Haack Says: “We always look forward to this tournament, and we can’t wait to get it started on Sunday. The guys have been putting in the work to get ready. I’m glad we’re getting the chance to put nine guys in the field. Our postseason run is coming up, and this event will contribute to our decision-making process. It’s a great venue and there are some exceptional teams coming, so we’re excited about the opportunity to compete.”
News & Notes: The Bulldogs have won the Linger Longer Invitational five times. Chris Kirk (2007), Michael Cromie (2014), Lee McCoy (2015, 2016), Greyson Sigg (2017), and Spencer Ralston (2019) have earned medalist honors. … Herman will be making his collegiate debut after redshirting last season. … Ford has twice been named SEC Freshman of the Week this spring. … Phillips was named to the 30-man watch list for the Hogan Award. … Cassidy is serving this year on Georgia’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, while Creasy and Kahlstorf are on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. … van Wyk’s last name is pronounced fun-vake. His brothers Alex and CJ are expected to compete for Augusta, where Ben began his college career. … Ford represented the Bulldogs in the Patriot All-America, wherein the players carry a bag that includes the name and branch of service of a fallen or severely wounded soldier. … Phillips is rated No. 5 by Golfweek/Sagarin, No. 9 in the Velocity Global Ranking, and No. 12 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. … Phillips has appeared in 35 of 35 collegiate tournaments.
On Deck: After the Linger Longer Invitational, the Bulldogs will wrap up the regular season April 3-5 in the Calusa Cup in Naples, Fla.
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