The 15th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs downed in-state rival Georgia State, 5-1, in its midweek finale at Jack Turner Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Junior Ciara Bryan continued to highlight the Georgia (34-15) offensive performance, going three-for-four at the plate, tying her career high hits, while also tallying an RBI. Also contributing to the impressive offensive performance was senior Alyssa DiCarlo and juniors Justice Milz and Jordan Doggett, each contributing an RBI apiece. Junior Mahlena O’Neal and freshmen Savanna Sikes and Lacey Fincher each chipped in a hit to give Georgia a total of five runs on 10 hits.
Junior Amanda Ablan earned her first start of the season in the circle for the Bulldogs. In her two innings pitched, Ablan struck out one, allowing one hit but no runs. Redshirt-junior Alley Cutting (9-4) came in for relief, pitching three innings, striking out three and surrendering one home-run. Sophomore Lauren Mathis came out of the pen in the top of the sixth to finish the game, allowing no runs, no hits and recording strikeouts.
“You come out and give what you have in every game, but these games are great opportunities to touch on little things here and there that we can take into conference play,” said Georgia Head Coach Lu Harris-Champer. “When we get back into conference play Friday, we are just going to compete and bring the joy and fight our tails off for Georgia.”
After reaching on a single in the leadoff spot, Bryan scored Georgia’s first run of the night on a wild pitch.
With runners on the corners, Ablan got out of the top of the second inning unscathed with a third-out strikeout, maintaining Georgia’s 1-0 lead.
Cutting entered with no outs and one on in the top of the third. Cutting retired the next three batters, leaving the inherited runner stranded.
Sikes sparked the Georgia offense in the bottom of the fourth with a single. Back-to-back RBI doubles from Doggett and Bryan extended Georgia’s lead to 3-0. Milz and DiCarlo followed with RBI singles of their own, widening the lead to 5-0 heading into the fifth.
Georgia State scored their first and only run of the night in the top of the fifth on a solo shot to center field.
An impressive two-inning pitching performance from Mathis sealed the 5-1 victory for the Bulldogs.
Up next, Georgia travels to South Carolina for its final SEC road-series of the season. The Bulldogs and Gamecocks will play Friday, April 26 at 6 p.m. on SEC Network.
