#6/7 Georgia (38-6, 11-4) at #18/20 Kentucky (27-13, 4-10)
Dates: Apr. 20-22, 2018
Times: 6/2/1 p.m., EDT
Location: Lexington, Ky.
Stadium: John Cropp Stadium
Media Information
Streaming Video: SEC Network+
Play-by-play: Dave Baker
Analysis: Jenny Dalton-Hill / Dorian Craft
Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com
Twitter Updates: @UGAsoftball
#6 Georgia returns to Southeastern Conference play with a three-game road series at #18 Kentucky this weekend. The series kicks off Friday evening at 6 p.m. Game two Saturday is scheduled for a 2 p.m. first pitch with the finale set for 1 p.m. Sunday.
Follow the Bulldogs
» This weekend’s series will stream live on the SEC Network+. Dave Baker will provide play-by-play while Jenny Dalton-Hill (Friday) and Dorian Craft (Saturday, Sunday) will be the color analyst.
» Live stats will be available. Live stat links can be found on the softball schedule at GeorgiaDogs.com.
» Live Twitter updates will be available all season long at @UGAsoftball.
Bulldog Bulletin
Series History
Georgia leads 54-13
» One of Georgia’s most successful records against conference opponents is against Kentucky (.806)
» Georgia’s record in Lexington is 22-6
» Bulldogs have won 11 of last 12 meetings, dropping last season’s series opener in Athens.
» Georgia swept last series in Lexington in 2015
A Look Back
In out-of-conference action last week, Georgia hosted in-state opponents Georgia State and Mercer. The Bulldogs shut out the Panthers in midweek action, 7-0. Georgia fell in extra innings in the opening game of a doubleheader against Mercer on Saturday, 5-2. The Bulldogs rebounded in the second game, forcing the twin bill split, 7-5. Georgia concluded midweek action on Wednesday against USC Upstate, shutting out the Spartans in five innings while the offense pushed 10 runs across the plate.
A Look Ahead
Georgia will come home for the final home series of the regular season against Alabama, Apr. 27-29. The Bulldogs will celebrate seniors Kendall Burton, Cortni Emanuel, and Brittany Gray prior to Saturday’s game. The regular season will wrap up May 4-6 at Ole Miss.
Georgia in the Top 25
The Bulldogs fell a spot to #6 in the week 10 USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll. Georgia dropped to #7 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll.
In the latest RPI, Georgia comes in at number 8, the second highest-ranked SEC team behind Florida (5).
Shout-outs for Shutouts
The Georgia pitching staff has recorded 20 shutouts in 2018. UGA’s record for shutouts in a season is 33 set in 2003. Georgia’s 20 shutouts ranks tied for fifth-most all time. UGA had 20 in 2009 and 2015.
The Bulldogs recorded six-consecutive shutouts from Feb. 17-24, tying a program record set twice, first in 2003 then again in 2016.
DiCarLONG Ball
Junior Alyssa DiCarlo has knocked a team-leading 16 home runs this season, cracking Georgia’s single-season top-10 list. In her career, she ranks 10th all-time with 40 home runs. She has recorded three two-home run games this season, bringing her career total to five. Her 16 is a career-high in a season for the Arizona native.
She has also cracked the career list with 182 RBI. With 55 this season, she is nine shy of reaching the single-season list. She is tied for seventh with 64 RBI last season.
Justice League
Second baseman Justice Milz has been one of Georgia’s hottest hitters lately. She has hit five of Georgia’s last nine home runs. In the last 10 games, she has driven in 18 RBI, a team high, while hitting .438. Her on-base percentage of .513 has resulted in 11 runs scored.
In SEC play, Milz leads the team with 16 RBI and co-leads with six home runs.
Winning Series is Key
Georgia has opened Southeastern Conference play winning five-straight series. Georgia won all but one league series in 2006, a season after winning all 10 series in 2005. Game three of the series has been a rubber game in three of five SEC series.
Emanuel Joins Greatness
In the Apr. 8 game against Missouri, Cortni Emanuel recorded her 300th career hit. She becomes only the third Georgia player with 300 career hits, joining Nicole Barber and Kim Wendland. She is also only one of four with over 200 runs scored at Georgia.
Gray Out for Rest of Season
Senior pitcher Brittany Gray will miss the remainder of the season due to a right biceps injury. Gray, a native of Greenwood, Indiana, will have surgery to repair the injury and is expected to make a full recovery. In 2018, Gray went 16-1 in the circle, pitching 12 complete games, and shutting out seven opponents. Her 0.48 ERA led the Southeastern Conference and ranked second nationally. She struck out 134 opposing hitters in 2018.
A Power-Packed Offense
At the plate, Georgia leads the SEC in five offensive categories including batting average (.351), slugging (.563), hits (410), home runs (54), and total bases (658).
In the country, Georgia’s team batting average ranks third, first in slugging, and coming in sixth in on base pct. and scoring (6.73 runs/game).
Down But Not Out
Georgia has come back to win three games when trailing after six innings this season. The Bulldogs have won four games when tied or trailing after six innings in league play.
In the road series at Mississippi State, Georgia found itself down a run in the top seventh with two out in every game. The Bulldogs either tied or took a lead in each game with one out left, winning games Friday and Sunday.
There’s No Place Like The Jack
Georgia has played 32 games at Jack Turner Stadium this season, winning 29 of said contests. The Bulldogs have topped their home winning total from the past three seasons (24, 2017; 23, 2016; 26, 2015). Georgia is .783 at home with 564 wins.
The most wins at home was in 2011 when the Bulldogs won 38 games at Jack Turner Stadium.
Solid in the Circle
The Georgia pitching staff has been sharp this season, recording a 1.22 ERA through 287.2innings. Georgia’s ERA is the second-best in the SEC and sixth in the nation. The staff has struck out 312 opposing hitters, and putting 20 shutouts in the books.
It Begins at the Top
The top of Georgia’s lineup features two hitters batting north of .400 in Cortni Emanuel (.451) and Alysen Febrey (.415).
The first inning is the second-highest run producing inning for Georgia, scoring 56 runs in the opening stanza. The Bulldogs have scored in the first 24 times, winning all 24 of said games.
The RUNdown
The Bulldogs have outscored opponents 296-71 this season. Nationally, Georgia ranks sixth in scoring with 6.72 runs per game. Georgia’s .351 batting average is third-best in the NCAA.
Individually, Cortni Emanuel leads the team with 52 runs scored while Alyssa DiCarlo is second with 42. Emanuel ranks fifth in the nation with 1.18 runs scored per game.
Zoom, Zoom
Senior Cortni Emanuel tied a Georgia record with five stolen bases against Charleston, Feb. 24. Her mark tied Kellie Middleton’s record vs. McNeese State on Feb. 11, 2007. Emanuel swiped 12 total bags in four games of the Georgia Classic.
Now in her fourth season, she has 161 stolen bases, a figure that ranks second all-time at Georgia. Her 0.91 stolen bases per game this season ranks fourth in the country. Her 40 stolen bags cracked the single-season top-10 list at Georgia. Her season high is 45, set in 2015.
Over the Edge
Georgia has hit 54 home runs in 2018. In 2017, Georgia had 28 in 58 games. Georgia’s 1.23 home runs per game average ranks seventh of all of NCAA DI softball teams.
In the series opener against Florida, Mar. 16, Georgia hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in the first inning. It was the first time Georgia had hit three-straight home runs since Mar. 17, 2013 (vs. Auburn) and the three home runs in an inning since Mar. 7, 2015 (at Mississippi State).