The 19th-ranked Georgia softball program bounced back with an 8-0 run-rule victory over the Samford Bulldogs, 8-0, in five innings on Wednesday evening at Jack Turner Stadium.

Junior Mackenzie Puckett highlighted the Georgia offense, responsible for the walk-off grand slam to win the game in the bottom of the fifth. On top of Puckett’s four RBI, senior Ciara Bryan tallied Georgia’s other home run, her seventh of the season. Redshirt-freshman Jaiden Fields and senior Justice Milz each recorded an RBI apiece. In all, Georgia scored eight runs on five hits.

Junior Lauren Mathis (4-0) was dominant in the circle for the Bulldogs, shutting out Samford in five innings. Mathis notched a new career-high 13 strikeouts, allowing only two hits and only one walk.

Bryan wasted no time getting the Bulldogs rolling, knocking her seventh senior-season home run in the leadoff spot in the bottom of the first. With two out and the bases loaded, Fields was hit by a pitch to extend Georgia’s lead to two. Milz followed with a bases-loaded walk to plate another run, sending Georgia into the second leading, 3-0.

A pair of Samford errors in the bottom of the fourth allowed junior catcher Hannah Coulter to score and add to the lead, 4-0.

Mathis retired 13-straight batters before allowing Samford its second hit, a single, in the top of the fifth. In the bottom of the inning, Georgia was able to load the bases as a result of a walk and two-straight singles. For the third time this season, Puckett called game, this time with a grand slam to right field to secure the 8-0 victory in five innings.

Georgia is set to host the Georgia Classic beginning on Friday, Feb. 21. Up first, for the Bulldogs is a doubleheader, the first game against Central Michigan at 3:30 p.m., immediately followed by a matchup against 21st-ranked James Madison at 6 p.m. All of Georgia’s games in the Georgia Classic will stream on SEC Network +.