The No. 6 Bulldogs continued their winning streak Saturday in Boca Roton, Florida, beating both Bethune-Cookman (1-2) and Virginia (0-3).
Georgia’s first game was pushed back 50 minutes due to a rain delay, but the weather had no affect on their play. They went on to shutout Bethune-Cookman 12-0 in five innings.
The Bulldogs had to turn around and play Virginia right after their first game. They lagged behind the Cavaliers until the fourth inning, but were able to secure the lead and won 15-7.
“I love that we got to come from behind today. Not that I like to be behind, but I love that we scrapped and fought and found a way to figure it,” head coach Lu Harris-Champer said.
#6 Georgia 12, Bethune-Cookman 0 (5 innings)
Georgia took a substantial lead early in the game during the top of the second inning.
Alysen Febrey started off the inning with a home-run, followed by Jordan Doggett with a home-run and two RBI. Bases were loaded when Alyssa DiCarlo took to the plate late in the second inning and homered to make the score 6-0.
Madison McPherson had her first career start and pitched three scoreless innings. She only allowed four hits.
During the top of the fourth the Bulldogs scored five more runs. Four of these runs were scored off homers by DiCarlo and Febrey. Georgia finished out this inning 11-0, and DiCarlo scored again in top of the fifth to make the score 12-0.
Lauren Mathis finished out the last two innings pitching in relief for McPherson and held Bethune-Cookman scoreless.
The offense was key to Georgia’s substantial win, but Harris-Champer added how important pitching was in this game as well.
“I thought our offense was on point, they did a lot of really good things. [Alyssa] DiCarlo is just DiCarlo. I thought she did a really great job looking for her pitch, finding it, and doing really good things with it. Alysen [Febrey] was really clutch today with really big hits. And I thought Mahlena [O’Neal] had at least one really clutch hit, which was fantastic. Pitching was really good. I can’t say enough about [Kylie] Bass and Madison [McPherson]; spinning the ball was really beautiful” Harris-Champer said.
#6 Georgia 15, Virginia 7
In the top of the first Georgia was able to score two runs, Savana Sikes and DiCarlo, who added to her three hits from earlier.
However, the Bulldogs were not able to secure a lead over the Cavaliers early. Two doubles allowed for Virginia to take the lead in the bottom of the first 3-2.
Georgia could not accomplish anything in the top of the second. A quick strike out followed by two grounded outs gave Virginia the momentum, and they added another run to make it 4-2 in the bottom of the second.
The top of the fourth was were the Bulldogs were able to find the momentum they had against Bethune-Cookman. Febrey tripled and Mahlena O’Neal doubled to make the score 7-4. Virginia was able to score one run in the bottom of the fourth off a double and triple.
Virginia’s pitching allowed for Georgia to further their lead in the top of the fifth 8-5. Georgia held Virginia to five runs up until the bottom of the seventh. Even then, Virginia’s shot at a comeback was not enough to make up for the seven more runs Georgia scored. Lacey Fincher hit her first career home run in the top of the seventh, and the Bulldogs finished out 15-7.
The undefeated Bulldogs will finish up the FAU First Pitch Classic Sunday at 11:15 a.m. against Indiana. The Hoosiers have also defeated Bethune-Cookman and Virginia.