(Photo by John Kelley)
[su_spacer size=”40″]
For the second consecutive Sunday, Bulldog sophomore Stephen Wrenn led off a game with a home run. It was his fourth home run of the year and extended his on base streak to all 29 games this year. Senior Jared Walsh added a run-scoring single to make it 2-0 to cap the scoring in the frame as the Bulldogs left the bases loaded. The Gamecocks got one back in the bottom of the first. Centerfielder Gene Cone led off with a double and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Jordan Gore. A sacrifice fly by Clark Scolamiero tied the game at 2 in the bottom of the second. The Gamecocks took a 3-2 lead in the third when Kyle Martin smashed a solo home run, his team-leading sixth of the season. A sacrifice fly by Max Schrock in the fifth made it 4-2 USC. Georgia struck for a pair of runs on one hit and a pair of wild pitches to tie the game in the sixth. Sophomore Mike Bell made it 4-4 with a sacrifice fly off USC reliever Brandon Murray.
Neither starter figured in the decision. Bulldog sophomore right-hander Mike Mancuso was making his second career start including his first this season. He provided a career-high four innings, allowing three runs on four hits. USC starter Clarke Schmidt went five innings and surrendered four runs on five hits with three walks and a career-high eight strikeouts. Murray (3-0) earned the win while sophomore Connor Jones took the loss to fall to 0-2.
USC catcher Hunter Taylor broke a 4-4 tie with his first career home run, a solo shot in the sixth off Jones. The Gamecocks added three more in the seventh off Jones and Austin Wallace. Georgia tried to rally in the ninth off Jack Wynkoop as Bowers smacked an RBI-double to make it 8-5 and that brought the tying run to the plate, however the lefthander closed it out for save.
[su_spacer size=”40″]
USC improved to 19-9 overall and 5-4 in the SEC.
“I told the guys that overall it was a good weekend as we won the first two games and brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth today,” Georgia coach Scott Stricklin. “After our first SEC weekend, when you look at the big picture to be 5-4 at this point in the SEC, I’ll take that. There were a lot of positives this weekend but also a few things we need to improve on like our strikeouts and number of batters we walked. Still, our kids battled hard and we won two straight SEC road series. Now, it’s time to get ready for another tough week with Tech and Vanderbilt coming to Foley Field.”
Despite Sunday’s defeat, the Bulldogs have won two straight SEC series over a top 10 ranked Gamecock squad including winning their first in Columbia for the first time since 1994. In the past two weekends, Georgia went 5-1 in back-to-back SEC road trips (swept Tennessee last weekend), which was their best showing in two straight SEC series on the road since 2004, That year, Georgia went 5-1, sweeping Miss. State in Starkville and winning two of three over No. 22 Auburn in Auburn.
The Bulldogs (18-11) return to Foley Field Tuesday when they play host to Georgia Tech (17-10). The Yellow Jackets were swept on the road by eighth-ranked Louisville this past weekend. First pitch is set for 7:03 p.m., and the SEC Network will televise the contest.
For the second consecutive Sunday, Bulldog sophomore Stephen Wrenn led off a game with a home run. It was his fourth home run of the year and extended his on base streak to all 29 games this year. Senior Jared Walsh added a run-scoring single to make it 2-0 to cap the scoring in the frame as the Bulldogs left the bases loaded. The Gamecocks got one back in the bottom of the first. Centerfielder Gene Cone led off with a double and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Jordan Gore. A sacrifice fly by Clark Scolamiero tied the game at 2 in the bottom of the second. The Gamecocks took a 3-2 lead in the third when Kyle Martin smashed a solo home run, his team-leading sixth of the season. A sacrifice fly by Max Schrock in the fifth made it 4-2 USC. Georgia struck for a pair of runs on one hit and a pair of wild pitches to tie the game in the sixth. Sophomore Mike Bell made it 4-4 with a sacrifice fly off USC reliever Brandon Murray.
Neither starter figured in the decision. Bulldog sophomore right-hander Mike Mancuso was making his second career start including his first this season. He provided a career-high four innings, allowing three runs on four hits. USC starter Clarke Schmidt went five innings and surrendered four runs on five hits with three walks and a career-high eight strikeouts. Murray (3-0) earned the win while sophomore Connor Jones took the loss to fall to 0-2.
USC catcher Hunter Taylor broke a 4-4 tie with his first career home run, a solo shot in the sixth off Jones. The Gamecocks added three more in the seventh off Jones and Austin Wallace. Georgia tried to rally in the ninth off Jack Wynkoop as Bowers smacked an RBI-double to make it 8-5 and that brought the tying run to the plate, however the lefthander closed it out for save.
USC improved to 19-9 overall and 5-4 in the SEC.
“I told the guys that overall it was a good weekend as we won the first two games and brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth today,” Georgia coach Scott Stricklin. “After our first SEC weekend, when you look at the big picture to be 5-4 at this point in the SEC, I’ll take that. There were a lot of positives this weekend but also a few things we need to improve on like our strikeouts and number of batters we walked. Still, our kids battled hard and we won two straight SEC road series. Now, it’s time to get ready for another tough week with Tech and Vanderbilt coming to Foley Field.”
Despite Sunday’s defeat, the Bulldogs have won two straight SEC series over a top 10 ranked Gamecock squad including winning their first in Columbia for the first time since 1994. In the past two weekends, Georgia went 5-1 in back-to-back SEC road trips (swept Tennessee last weekend), which was their best showing in two straight SEC series on the road since 2004, That year, Georgia went 5-1, sweeping Miss. State in Starkville and winning two of three over No. 22 Auburn in Auburn.
The Bulldogs (18-11) return to Foley Field Tuesday when they play host to Georgia Tech (17-10). The Yellow Jackets were swept on the road by eighth-ranked Louisville this past weekend. First pitch is set for 7:03 p.m., and the SEC Network will televise the contest.