#5/6 Georgia (33-4, 9-3) vs. Missouri (20-19, 3-9 SEC)
Dates: Apr. 6-8, 2018
Times: 6/6/2 p.m., EDT
Location: Athens, Ga.
Stadium: Jack Turner Stadium
Media Information
TV: ESPNU (Saturday only)
Play-by-play: Mark Neely
Analysis: Cheri Kempf
Streaming Video: SEC Network+
Play-by-play: Kaleb Frady
Analysis: Natalie Kerns
Radio: WUOG 90.5 FM/WUOG.org (Sunday only)
Play-by-play: Myan Patel
Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com
Twitter Updates: @UGAsoftball
#5/6 Georgia plays host to Southeastern Conference opponent Missouri in a three-game set this weekend. The series begins Friday under the lights at 6 p.m. Saturday’s 6 p.m. matchup will air nationally on ESPNU. The finale is set for a 2 p.m. matinée Sunday afternoon.
Follow the Bulldogs
» Saturday’s game will air nationally on ESPNU. Mark Neely will provide play-by-play while Cheri Kempf will be the color analyst.
» Friday and Sunday’s games will stream live on the SEC Network+. Kaleb Frady will provide play-by-play while Natalie Kerns will be the color analyst. All games will stream via WatchESPN and the ESPN app.
» Sunday’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 Weekend’s Promotions
» Admission to every home Georgia softball game is FREE
» The Georgia Athletic Association will be sponsoring a shuttle service to and from The Jack and The Shoppes of South Athens Saturday and Sunday.
» Friday, Apr. 6
– Christie Hamilton Bobblehead – 200 fans will receive a free bobblehead of Christie Hamilton. She will also throw out the first pitch.
» Saturday, Apr. 7
– Postgame autographs
» Sunday, Apr. 8
– Lu’Au Day – First 250 fans receive a free t-shirt
Georgia Softball Notebook
Series History
Missouri – Georgia leads 7-5
» The Bulldogs lead the series in Athens, 2-1
» Since Missouri joined the league, Georgia’s record against the Tigers is 6-3
» The Bulldogs won the lone series in Athens in 2015
» Georgia swept the last meeting in Columbia in 2016
A Look Back
Georgia won its series at Tennessee over the weekend, the first series win over the Lady Vols since 2010, also in Knoxville. Georgia dropped the series opener by a score of 1-0 on a walk-off hit-by-pitch. Georgia bounced back with a 9-1, six-inning victory to even up the series. Georgia took the series with an 8-0 shutout in six innings. It was first time Tennessee has been run-ruled in back-to-back games at home ever in the program’s history. The last time Tennessee was run-ruled in back-to-back games was at Alabama in 2008. Georgia won its midweek contest at rival Georgia Tech, 1-0. The Bulldogs were successful behind a solo home run by Alyssa DiCarlo, a shutout by Brittany Gray, and stellar defense.
A Look Ahead
Georgia State comes to town for a midweek game next Wednesday, Apr. 11. Georgia steps out of conference play when Mercer comes to town for a weekend series Apr. 14-15. USC-Upstate closes the homestand Apr. 18.
Georgia in the Top 25
The Bulldogs stayed steady at #6 in the week eight USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll. Georgia climbed to #5 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll. Both are Georgia’s highest ranking since being top five 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
Week 8: 5/6
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.
A Great Start
Through 37 games, Georgia is off to its second-best start in program history. The Bulldogs opened the 2002 season winning 34 of 37 games; however, the Bulldogs lost two of the next three to go 35-5 through 40 contests. Georgia opened the season winning 24-straight games that season.
Milz Earns SEC Player of the Week
The SEC named second baseman Justice Milz its Player of the Week. Milz hit three home runs, driving in seven runs, at Tennessee, guiding the Bulldogs to their first series win over the Lady Vols since 2010. The junior from Kearney, Missouri hit .462 on the week, going 6-for-13 at the plate. In Sunday’s game, she knocked a three-run home run, finishing the game with four RBI and a pair of runs scored. She concluded the series on Monday with two home runs and three runs scored, both tying career bests. She led the team with six runs (29% of the team’s run on the week) and eight RBI and co-led in hits. She began the week going 2-for-4 with an RBI in a midweek matchup with Kennesaw State.
Winning Series is Key
Georgia has opened Southeastern Conference play winning four-straight series. 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. The Bulldogs are 4-2 when tied or trailing after six innings in league play.
There’s No Place Like The Jack
Georgia has played 25 games at Jack Turner Stadium this season, winning 24 of said contests. The Bulldogs have nearly topped their home winning total from the past three seasons (24, 2017; 23, 2016; 26, 2015). Georgia is .783 at home with 560 wins.
Solid in the Circle
The Georgia pitching staff has been sharp this season, recording a 1.05 ERA through 37 games and 239.2 innings. Georgia’s ERA is the second-best in the SEC and fourth in the nation. The staff has struck out 269 opposing hitters, allowing only 35 earned runs and putting 18 shutouts in the books.
Brittany Gray has the second-best ERA in the country at 0.51. She did not allow an earned run until her 14th appearance this season. She has allowed just 3.16 hits per seven innings pitched, ranking seventh in NCAA.
A Power-Packed Offense
At the plate, Georgia leads the SEC in five offensive categories including batting average (.353), slugging (.578), runs scored (254), home runs (49), and total bases (565).
In the country, Georgia’s team batting average ranks second to UCLA. The Bulldogs lead the NCAA in slugging while coming in fourth in on base pct. and in fourth in scoring (7.03 runs/game).
It Begins at the Top
The top of Georgia’s lineup features two hitters batting north of .400 through 37 games in Cortni Emanuel (.425) and Alysen Febrey (.405). Justice Milz and Alyssa DiCarlo are each hitting just under .400 at .385 and .383, respectively.
The first inning is the second-highest run producing inning for Georgia, scoring 48 runs in the opening stanza. The Bulldogs have scored in the first 20 times, winning all 18 of said games.
The RUNdown
The Bulldogs have outscored opponents 254-48 this season. Nationally, Georgia ranks fourth in scoring with 7.03 runs per game. Georgia’s .353 batting average is second-best in the NCAA.
Individually, Cortni Emanuel leads the team with 42 runs scored while Alyssa DiCarlo is a close second with 36. Emanuel ranks sixth in the nation with 1.17 runs scored per game.
The Iron Woman
Senior pitcher Brittany Gray has worked a team-leading 102.1 innings in the circle, 43% of Georgia’s innings. Through 102.1 innings, she has allowed just seven earned runs. She is 16-1, shutting out seven opponents in 12 complete games. She has also struck out 134 batters. Her 3.16 hits allowed per seven innings ranks seventh nationally while her 9.5 strikeouts per seven innings comes in at 16th.
Her 495 strikeouts ranks sixth all-time at Georgia. She is only the sixth Georgia pitcher to pitch 500 innings in her career.