SOFTBALL: Georgia Ready to Defend Home Field

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SOFTBALL: Georgia Ready to Defend Home Field

(Photo by Emily Selby)
(Photo by Emily Selby)

 
 
The No. 12 Georgia softball team (25-5, 1-2) opens a nine-game homestand with Georgia Southern (15-13) on Wednesday night at 6 p.m. ET.
 
 
The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+/WatchESPN while the first 100 fans to Jack Turner Stadium receive a voucher for free nachos. All regular-season home games have free admission.
 
 

GAME NOTES

 
 
LAST TIME OUT: SOUTH CAROLINA
In its SEC opener, Georgia went 1-2 at South Carolina after taking game one 4-1 and falling in the final two games by walk-off home runs. It was the first time since 2007 that the Gamecocks won the series against the Bulldogs while the last time Georgia lost an opening league series was in 2010 against top-10 Alabama.
 
 
In the series, Samantha LaZear hit a team-best .600 while Lacey Sumerlin and Sydni Emanuel had four hits each. Chelsea Wilkinson earned the lone win after holding the Gamecocks to four hits in game one. As a whole, the teams matched well in stats, but South Carolina’s four home runs would tilt the series in its favor.
 
 
CORTNI’S RECORD HIT STREAK COMES TO A CLOSE
Cortni Emanuel set a new school record with her 23-game hit streak on Sunday, but the record streak came to a close on Monday against South Carolina. The sophomore surpassed All-American Megan Wiggins’ 22-game streak she set in 2010 with a bunt single that landed right in front of the catcher. During the streak, Cortni hit .542 with 45 hits, including two doubles and two triples, while tabbing 29 runs.
 
 
Monday also marked the end of Cortni’s reach-base streak, as she had reached first safely in every prior game.
 
 
SUMERLIN COMES OUT SWINGING AT USC
After going eight-straight games without a hit, Sumerlin put forth a strong start to SEC action, notching a hit in each game against South Carolina. The freshman hit .571 for the three games, going 4-for-7 with two runs scored and a team-best three RBI. The Alabama native hit her first double of the year in Sunday’s game while she brought in the lone run on Monday with a bloop single over third base.
 
 
DICARLO PUTTING IN WORK AT THIRD BASE
Alyssa DiCarlo has provided a solid bat for the Bulldogs in year one, but she also has a solid glove at third base. In the games at South Carolina, DiCarlo put up 14 assists with three putouts and no errors. She had a personal-best six assists in the series finale and five in game two.
 
 
At the plate, DiCarlo added two hits while reaching on a walk and hit by pitch during the SEC series, as she posted a team-best three runs.
 
 
GEORGIA SOUTHERN GAME PITS MCGUIRE VS. MCGUIRE
With Georgia Southern in Athens, it will pit sister vs. sister, as Maeve McGuire’s sister, Rowan, is a sophomore for the Eagles. Listed as an outfielder/utility player, Rowan has played in 16 games this season, hitting .222.
 
 
Maeve is having a tremendous junior year for the Bulldogs, hitting .422 for fourth on the team with 38 hits, including nine doubles and six home runs.
 
 
NCAA RELEASES FIRST RPI STANDINGS
The NCAA released its first RPI of the year, as Georgia comes in at No. 24. Georgia has faced 13 teams in the top 100, holding an 11-5 mark against them. Breaking that down, the Bulldogs are 3-4 against top 50 teams and 1-2 against top 20 foes. From the first release, Georgia has nine opponents remaining in the top 100, including this weekend’s matchup against No. 6 Texas A&M.
 
 
In all, every SEC team is in the top 75, including five in the top 10 with Florida (2), Texas A&M (6), Kentucky (7), Alabama (9) and Missouri (10).
 
 
HOW TO FOLLOW GEORGIA SOFTBALL: For complete information on Georgia softball, follow the team on its social media channels via @UGASoftball on Twitter and Instagram and UGASoftball on Facebook.
 


 

 


 
 
 
 

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