[break] The No. 10/9 Georgia softball team completed a sweep of SIU Edwardsville and Elon on the opening day of the Seventh Annual Bulldog Invitational at Jack Turner Stadium in Athens, Ga. The Bulldogs defeated SIU Edwardsville 9-0 in five innings before handing Elon a 14-4 loss in five innings. With the wins, the Bulldogs remain unbeaten on the season, boasting a 8-0 record. Georgia has now won seven of its eight games on the season by way of a run rule. Paige Wilson highlighted the day, going 6-for-7 with eight RBI.
[break] [break] Georgia 9, SIU Edwardsville 0 (Five Innings)
The Bulldogs got their sixth run rule victory of the season when it defeated SIU Edwardsville 9-0 in five innings. The trio of Paige Wilson, Alex Hugo and Anna Swafford led Georgia’s charge. Hugo and Wilson both had two hits and two RBI, while Swafford had the theatrical three run homer in the first inning.
[break] [break] Chelsea Wilkinson got the win for Georgia to improve to 5-0 on the year. She pitched four shutout innings without allowing a hit. She also struck out three batters and did not allow a walk. Rebekah Farris then came in to pitch a scoreless fifth inning, her second appearance of the season. Alexis Kohrs suffered the loss to fall to 1-1 on the year. She allowed seven runs, four of which were earned, on four hits and three walks in two innings of work. Baylee Douglass also saw action, allowing two runs, neither of which were earned on three hits in two innings in the circle.
[break] [break] Georgia wasted little time in getting on the board, taking a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Cortni Emanuel picked up where she left off last weekend, reaching on an infield single and then stealing second. An error on the shortstop allowed Wilson to reach safely. With two on, Hugo lined a single through the middle, sending C. Emanuel home to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. With runners at second and third, Swafford delivered her first home run of the season that put the Bulldogs up 4-0 before a groundout to the pitcher ended the inning.
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[break] Georgia tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the third to extend its lead to 7-0. Sydni Emanuel led off with a walk and then scored on a Wilson double to center. After a walk to Hugo, SIUE made a call to the bullpen. With two outs, Katie Collins looked to pop out to the third baseman, but the ball was dropped, allowing both Wilson and Hugo to come home and give Georgia 7-0 lead.
[break] [break] In the fourth, Georgia sealed the run-rule win with two RBI singles, one by Wilson and another by Hugo.
[break] [break] Georgia 14, Elon 4 (Five Innings)
Georgia had a season high 16 hits and 14 runs when it took down Elon 14-4 in five innings. Wilson went 4-for-4 and a career high six RBI to lead the Bulldogs high-powered offense in game two of the double header.
[break] [break] Brittany Gray got the win for Georgia to improve to 2-0 on the year. She pitched 3.2 innings allowing four runs on eight hits She also struck out four batters and walked two. Chelsea Wilkinson then came in to pitch a 1.1 hitless innings, while striking out three. Kiandra Mitchum suffered the loss to fall to 2-1 on the year. She allowed six runs, all of which were earned, on nine hits and one walk in two innings of work. Kayla Caruso pitched the final two innings for Elon allowing eight runs, all earned, on seven hits and three walks.
[break] [break] In the top of the first, Elon jumped out to an early two run lead against the Bulldogs.  Designated player Sarah Little had the big hit for the Phoenix. With the bases loaded she singled to right field scoring two.
[break] [break] Georgia got one run back in the bottom of the first when S. Emanuel tripled down the left field line. She scored one batter later on a bunt by Wilson.
[break] [break] The Bulldogs took the lead in the bottom of the second inning after scoring two runs on a Wilson double. With the bases loaded after a pair of a singles and a walk, Wilson slapped the ball down the left field line for a double that drove in two runs and made it a 3-2 game.
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[break] Georgia took control of the game in the third inning when the offense exploded for six runs on seven hits and a walk. A Tina Iosefa RBI single, Niaja Griffin’s two-run double and back-to-back Hugo and Wilson RBI singles highlighted the inning.
[break] [break] Elon added its final two runs in the top of the fourth on a Kara Shutt two-run single that cut the lead to 9-4.
[break] [break] The Bulldogs sealed their sixth straight run-rule victory in the bottom of the fourth. Wilson continued her career day with a two-run double that extended Georgia’s lead to 11-4. After Wilson scored on a throwing error by the Phoenix, Hugo put the exclamation point on the victory as she belted her fourth home run of the season that resulted in a 14-4 lead.
[break] [break] Georgia gets back in action tomorrow, Feb. 14 when it takes on Elon and Troy in the Bulldog Invitational at Jack Turner Stadium in Athens, Ga. The games are scheduled for 12:30 p.m., and 5:30 p.m.
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