#5 Georgia (35-5) vs. Georgia State (20-18)
Date: Apr. 11, 2018
Times: 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
#5/6 Georgia welcomes in-state opponent Georgia State in a midweek contest Wednesday at Jack Turner Stadium. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m.
Follow the Bulldogs
» Wednesday’s game will stream live on the SEC Network+. Kaleb Frady will provide play-by-play while Natalie Kerns 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.
This Weekend’s Promotions
» Admission to every home Georgia softball game is FREE
» $1 Hot Dogs
Georgia Softball Notebook
Georgia leads 13-4
» Georgia leads the series in Athens 9-4
» The Bulldogs have won the last three meetings, dating back to 2015
A Look Back
Georgia recorded its fifth-straight Southeastern Conference series win over Missouri. The Bulldogs came back to win the opened with a three-run home run by Justice Milz in the sixth, 8-6. Missouri took the second game, limiting Georgia to a lone run, 5-1. For the third-straight week, Georgia faced off in a rubber game. The bats came alive, led by a four-hit, four-RBI day by Alysen Febrey.
A Look Ahead
Georgia steps out of conference play when Mercer comes to town for a three-game series this weekend. The Bulldogs and Bears will play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday’s finale will also begin at 2 p.m. USC-Upstate closes Georgia’s eight-game homestand Apr. 18.
Georgia in the Top 25
The Bulldogs moved up a spot to #5 in the week nine 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
Week 9: 5
In the latest RPI, Georgia comes in at number 5, the highest-ranked SEC team.
A Great Start
Through 40 games, Georgia has matched its best start in program history, winning 35 games. The Bulldogs opened the 2002 season winning 35 of 40 games. Georgia opened the season winning 24-straight games that season.
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 Apr. 8’s 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 scores 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 (.352), slugging (.567), runs scored (270), hits (374), home runs (50), and total bases (603).
In the country, Georgia’s team batting average ranks third. The Bulldogs lead the NCAA in slugging while coming in fourth in on base pct. and eighth in scoring (6.75 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 28 games at Jack Turner Stadium this season, winning 26 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 562 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 1.26 ERA through 260.2 innings. Georgia’s ERA is the fourth-best in the SEC and ninth in the nation. The staff has struck out 282 opposing hitters, and putting 18 shutouts in the books.
It Begins at the Top
The top of Georgia’s lineup features two hitters batting north of .400 through 37 games in Cortni Emanuel (.442) and Alysen Febrey (.421). Justice Milz and Alyssa DiCarlo are each hitting just under .400 at .383 and .374, respectively.
The first inning is the second-highest run producing inning for Georgia, scoring 49 runs in the opening stanza. The Bulldogs have scored in the first 21 times, winning all 21 of said games.
The RUNdown
The Bulldogs have outscored opponents 270-61 this season. Nationally, Georgia ranks eighth in scoring with 6.75 runs per game. Georgia’s .352 batting average is third-best in the NCAA.
Individually, Cortni Emanuel leads the team with 46 runs scored while Alyssa DiCarlo is a close second with 39. Emanuel ranks sixth in the nation with 1.17 runs scored per game.