Georgia scored seven runs in the fourth inning to lift the Bulldogs (17-12, 4-5 SEC) past No. 21 Alabama (16-11, 5-4 SEC) on Saturday at Foley Field with a final score of 12-4 in front of a sellout, season-high crowd of 3,630.
Connor Jones pitched a career-high 7.2 innings as Georgia claimed the series 2-1.
The Bulldogs jumped to an early lead with a solo homerun from Stephen Wrenn to start the first inning. Trevor Kieboom doubled to right field and ultimately scored on a base hit from Daniel Nichols.
Alabama evened the score in the top of the second before Georgia answered with a run scored on its turn at bat.
The scoring continued for the Bulldogs through the third and into the fourth innings. In the third, Curry hit a solo home run to extend Georgia’s lead to two.
Georgia sealed the win in the fourth inning with seven runs scored. Skyler Weber’s single to right field brought Nick King home, before Keegan McGovern followed suit, bringing Wrenn home. A double from Nichols allowed Weber to score before Curry brought two more home. Georgia went through the batting order and King’s second time at bat in the inning he singled to center field adding another RBI. The last run in the fourth came from Webb after Wrenn reached base on an error. Georgia led 11-2 after four innings.
Georgia scored one more run in the sixth inning after Weber’s single to right field brought King across home plate.
Alabama scored two runs in the eighth to cut Georgia’s lead to 8.
Dawg Tracks
-Every Georgia starter had, at least, a base hit and scored a run, first time since 2010 against Stetson.
– Connor Jones pitched a career-high 7.2 innings.
– Kieboom extended his hitting-streak to 8 games.
– King reached a career-high 5 game hitting streak.
– Georgia’s last 12 home runs have been solo home runs.
Stricklin Says
On the consistency the hitters showed today…
“I thought that we were really good, especially off of Eicholtz. He came in with a 0.5 ERA and I thought that our hitters were really disciplined. Stephen Wrenn set the tone with that first swing. Hitting off of him you have to see the ball up because he’s a sinker-ball pitcher. I thought our hitters did a really good job of being disciplined in the strike zone.”
On how the offense gives the pitching staff confidence…
“When you get out on the bound and you have a lead like that it just makes you a little more aggressive. You don’t have to be so fine and you can really go after it and be aggressive in the strike zone. I thought that Connor was really good. Robert was great yesterday and Connor was great today. To get those two starts back to back it gives our team a big jolt.”
On what this win does for the team…
“We’re right back in the middle of things now. We came in this weekend 2-4 in the SEC and we had a couple chances to win some games and we just couldn’t pull them off. To win this series at home, now we are right back in the middle of it. This conference is so deep and there are so many great teams, but every win is going to count at the end of the day.”
On how Wrenn’s homerun affected the game..
“That swing gave our team a lot of energy. It was one that we have been waiting for wondering when it was going to happen. He hit that ball as hard as you can possibly hit a ball and with the wind blowing out it went a long ways. It gave us a lot of energy and momentum and I’m really happy for Stephen to get himself going again.”
Players’ Perspective
Jr. LHP Connor Jones
On if he turned the corner…
“I think that I have had mostly good outings for the most part this year. It’s just been probably one or two that haven’t been there, so I think for me it’s just finding that consistency and I think I’m definitely working towards it.”
On what pitch he had working…
“I think that I was just keeping my fastball down in the zone. My breaking ball was really working and I was able to throw that first strike. I was really just getting ahead of the fastball and they were giving themselves out.”
On what this win does for the team…
“We’re a good team. We’ve had a tough start to the SEC. We’ve had some tough games that we could have won. We’re a good team and we know it. If we stay together and keep working hard it’s going to come together for us like it did this weekend.”
Fr. C Michael Curry
On the importance of this game…
“It’s all about momentum and we’re going to take this and feed off of it. We have a couple tough weekends coming up for us. There are some really tough teams in this league. This was a big win for us.”
Center Fielder Stephen Wrenn
On if the team is turning the corner…
“Totally. Guys are putting together very good at bats and young guys are confident against good pitchers. It looks good.”
If the team surprised him today…
“No because I can expect it from these guys. We’ve just been waiting to turn the corner, me especially. That’s baseball and hopefully we can get hot.
Up Next
Georgia will take on Clemson in a mid-week game on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. at Foley Field before traveling to College Station for a weekend-series against Texas A&M.