#6 Georgia (29-3) vs. Kennesaw State (22-11)
Date: Mar. 28, 2018
Time: 6 p.m., EDT
Location: Athens, Ga.
Stadium: Jack Turner Stadium
Media Information
Streaming Video: SEC Network+
Play-by-play: Kaleb Frady
Analysis: Natalie Kerns
Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com
Twitter Updates: @UGAsoftball
#6 Georgia returns to the friendly confines of Jack Turner Stadium for a midweek matchup with in-state foe Kennesaw State. Wednesday’s contest will begin at 6 p.m.
Follow the Bulldogs
» Wednesday’s game will be streamed to the SEC Network+. Kaleb Frady will provide play-by-play while Natalie Kerns will provide analysis.
» Wednesday’s game will air live on 90.5 FM WUOG and WUOG.org. Myan Patel will be on the call.» 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.
This Week’s Promotions
» Admission to every home Georgia softball game is FREE
» $1 Hot Dogs
Georgia Softball Notebook
Georgia leads 5-2
» These in-state rivals have only met seven times in a series that dates back to Georgia’s inaugural season in ‘97
» Georgia lost the first two meetings in 1997, winning the last five
» All seven meetings have been in Athens
» Last matchup was 2016, the previous was 2012
A Look Back
Georgia won its third-straight SEC series over the weekend, taking two-of-three games on the road at #21 Mississippi State. Georgia was three outs away from being swept on the weekend as the Bulldogs found themselves down a run in the seventh with two outs in every game. Alyssa DiCarlo hit a game-tying home run in game one followed by a two-run shot by Mahlena O’Neal to put Georgia ahead, 4-2. Georgia tied the game on Saturday but fell in the bottom of the seventh, 5-4. Sunday’s rubber game was no different. Down 2-1, Ciara Bryan punched a two-run single with two out to capture a 3-2 lead and Brittany Gray retired MSU in order in the bottom of the seventh to secure the series for Georgia.
A Look Ahead
Georgia will travel to #7 Tennessee for a Saturday-Monday conference series over Easter weekend. The series will air in its entirety on the SEC Network. The series begins Saturday at 5 p.m. with first pitch on Easter Sunday set for 6 p.m. The finale will begin Monday evening at 7 p.m. Georgia will then set its sights on a midweek game at rival Georgia Tech Wednesday.
Georgia in the Top 25
The Bulldogs continued climbing to #6 in the week seven USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll. Georgia also came in at #6 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll. Six is Georgia’s highest ranking in the NCFA poll since being top four much of the 2011 season.
Georgia’s rankings this season:
Preseason: 25
Week 1: 17
Week 2: 14
Week 3: 14
Week 4: 11
Week 5: 10/12
Week 6: 7
Week 7: 6
Despite finishing last in the SEC a season ago with a 6-18 record, the Bulldogs dropped out of the NFCA Poll only one week. It was the first time Georgia had been outside the top 25 since 2013.
Winning Series is Key
Georgia has opened Southeastern Conference play winning three-straight series. The last time Georgia accomplished that feat was 2012, winning series against Mississippi State, Auburn, and Ole Miss to begin conference play. Georgia won all but one league series in 2006, a season after winning all 10 series in 2005.
Down But Not Out
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.
Georgia has come back to win three games when trailing after six innings this season, the other in the series opener against Florida.
A Run for the Ages
Georgia softball’s 25-game win streak tied the all-time record. The streak ran from Feb. 9 to Mar. 17. The Bulldogs tied the record from May 6, 2001-Mar. 3, 2002 of the same mark. Georgia opened the 2002 season 24-0.
DiCarlo Named ESPNW Player of the Week
DiCarlo led the team with four home runs last week, driving in nine total runs. She hit two home runs in the series opener against #2 Florida including a two-run walk-off in the bottom of the seventh. She finished the weekend against the Gators with four extra-base hits, recording 14 bases while hitting .400 with a 1.400 slugging percentage.