Photo: Mike Holliday Photography

 
 
The No. 12 Georgia softball team (27-5, 2-2) returned home to open SEC play at Jack Turner Stadium, as it hosted No. 4 Texas A&M (27-4, 2-2), earning the win in a 6-3 showdown.
 
 
Chelsea Wilkinson (14-2) started the game in the circle, as she pitched 5.0 innings with five strikeouts and seven hits allowed. Brittany Gray entered in as relief in the sixth inning, earning the save with two hits and three strikeouts on the night.
 
 
At the plate, Sydni Emanuel and Alyssa DiCarlo both went 3-for-4, as S. Emanuel had two runs scored and DiCarlo posted four RBI with her first collegiate grand slam. Alex Hugo also had a multi-hit game, finishing with a pair.
 
 
For Texas A&M, Samantha Show (16-4) will suffer the loss, as she pitched 5.2 frames, striking out five batters and giving up 12 hits.
 
 
Texas A&M scored first as it put two on the board in the third, including a leadoff home run from Riley Sartain. A third run came early in the fifth after A&M took advantage of a fielding error from the Bulldogs.
 
 
In the fifth inning, the Bulldogs began to take care of business, as S. Emanuel and Hugo connected with a single to help load up the bases with no outs. DiCarlo then took matters into her hands when she sent a 2-1 ball over the right field fence for her second home run of the year, giving the Bulldogs the 4-3 lead.
 
 
A 4-3 lead wouldn’t suffice, as the Bulldogs added two insurance runs in the sixth. After back-to-back bunts from Samantha LaZear and S. Emanuel, LaZear reached home plate on a wild pitch, and S. Emanuel scored after a single to right field from Tina Iosefa, setting the final score at 6-3.
 
 
Georgia continues the series and returns to action on Saturday at two p.m. ET with a doubleheader. All games are played at Jack Turner Stadium where admission is free while live stat and SEC Network+.