The 12th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs softball team dropped a 6-4 contest to the eighth-ranked LSU Tigers in the second game of the series on Saturday afternoon at Jack Turner Stadium in front of 1,527 fans. 

Down three going into the bottom of the seventh, the Bulldogs loaded the bases and pushed a run across but the late-inning comeback fell short, stranding the go-ahead run on base.

Starting in the circle for Georgia (25-8) was sophomore Lauren Mathis (5-2). In her two and one-third innings pitched, she tallied three strikeouts and gave up five runs on five hits. Redshirt-junior Alley Cutting came on in relief, recording three strikeouts and surrendering one run and three hits in her four and two-thirds innings pitched.

Georgia’s offensive performance was highlighted by junior Mahlena O’Neal. O’Neal plated three of Georgia’s four runs Saturday with her fourth home run of the season. She finished the day as one of three bulldogs with a two-hit performance along with freshmen CJ Landrum and Lacey Fincher. Junior Justice Milz also recorded a double. In total, the Bulldogs scored four runs on seven hits. 

“The crowd was great,” said Associate Head Coach Tony Baldwin. “Always fun being here at the Jack, seeing all the Bulldog fans out here. I thought they were really supportive and into the game and our players felt their presence.” Georgia jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after Milz reached on a double, Fincher drew a walk, and O’Neal brought them all home with a three-run home run over the left field wall.

LSU tied it three-all with a three-run home run over the left field wall in the top of the third. In the same inning, the Tigers took the lead off a two-run home run over the right-center wall. The Bulldogs went into the bottom of the third trailing, 5-3.

The score remained 5-3 through the end of the sixth, despite Georgia having runners in scoring position.

In the top of the seventh, LSU tacked on one more run to send Georgia into the seventh facing a three-run deficit. Landrum led-off with a single while junior Alysen Febrey and senior Alyssa DiCarlo reached on walks to load the bases. With the bases juiced, Fincher singled to plate Landrum and chip away at LSU’s lead, 6-4. The Bulldogs were unable to overcome the deficit, stranding the bases full to end the game.

Georgia will look to salvage a game in the series finale Sunday at 12 p.m., noon. Sunday’s game will be televised nationally on ESPN from Jack Turner Stadium.