Georgia pounded out 19 hits in a 15-5 win over Kennesaw State Tuesday at Foley Field that ended in eight innings due to the 10-run rule.
Kolby Branch’s bases-loaded run-scoring single ended the contest as he was one of five Bulldogs to collect three hits on the night. Branch (3-for-4, 3 RBI), Charlie Condon (3-for-4, 2 RBI), Tre Phelps (3-for-6, 2 RBI) Slate Alford (3-for-5), and Clayton Chadwick (3-for-5, 1 RBI) led the Bulldogs at the plate.
Georgia (25-8) employed eight pitchers as part of a staff night with sophomore Zach Harris picking up his third win. KSU reliever Bryaden Eidson dropped to 0-1. The Owls fell to 17-14.
The Bulldogs scored in six of the eighth innings including a five-run first and a four-run fifth to build a big lead. Condon hit his NCAA-leading 21st home run in the fourth inning while Branch added a two-run blast in the seventh for his 10th this year.
“I told our guys today that we have to be careful because this could be a trap game,” said head coach Wes Johnson. “We got in late Sunday, or I guess that was technically Monday, after a hard SEC weekend so I went ahead and gave them Monday off, which we normally don’t do. We were able to come out tonight and put up 20 hits, walk 10 times, and for the most part, the pitchers attacked the strike zone. I think coming out doing that with some energy is tough and they did it.”
Georgia freshman right-hander Luke Wiltrakis struck out the side in the sixth for an impressive frame. He came on with two on and nobody out and struck out the first batter he faced. Then after allowing a single, he came back to strike out Issac Bouton and Spencer Hanson, the No. 2 and 3 hitters in the Owls lineup. KSU tied the game in the third and then Georgia outscored the Owls 10-0 the rest of the night. Georgia's Max DeJong provided two scoreless frames to close out it.
Georgia returns to SEC action here Thursday against Missouri. First pitch will be at 7:02 p.m. ET, and the game will be available on SEC Network and the Georgia Bulldog Sports Network.
