On Sunday, Georgia baseball coach Scott Stricklin talked about his Bulldogs needing go 3-1 in the final week of the regular season to assure themselves a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Following Tuesday’s 7-6 loss to Georgia Tech in 14 innings at Russ Chandler Stadium, that task is now a lot harder.
It was ugly to watch.
The five hour and 37-minute contest ended on a sacrifice fly by Justyn-Henry Malloy, as Tech improved to 26-20 while the Bulldogs dropped to 29-21. John Medich, the 10th pitcher of the night for the home team, pitched 1.1 scoreless innings for his first win. Freshman Hank Bearden pitched the final 3.2 innings and fell to 3-2.
Georgia used seven pitchers who combined for 15 walks and 14 strikeouts. The Bulldogs also made three errors and led 6-3 going to the bottom of the eighth.
"This was a tough one to lose. We had some opportunities. We were able to take a late lead and then let it get away,” Stricklin said. “We had too many walks and made some mistakes out there, too, and that can get you in position to lose. It was just too many free passes, and the mistakes we made on some plays—it's tough to win when you put it all together."
Georgia held a three-run lead heading into the bottom of the eighth. But after Darryn Pasqua and Nolan Crisp combined to walk the bases loaded, the Yellow Jackets scored three times on a hit and a throwing error by right fielder Garrett Spikes to tie the game.
The game moved on to the 10th, and it appeared Georgia Tech was about to end the game right there after loading the bases with just one out. But Crisp escaped, getting an out on the infield fly rule before enticing a ground-out off the bat of Jenkins to send the game to the 11th.
In the 13th, the Bulldogs had Garrett Blaylock at second when Shane Marshall doubled off the wall in left. However, Blaylock didn't get a good jump, and was thrown out at the plate. Following a walk to Cole Tate, who went 4-for-5, and a subsequent wild pitch to put runners at first and third, Chaney Rogers grounded out to end the inning.
The Yellow Jackets would ultimately score the go-ahead run in the 14th on a one-out sacrifice fly.
For the second straight game, Georgia redshirt junior Connor Tate, the team’s leading power hitter and run producer, was out of the starting lineup. He was hit in the ankle by a pitch in last Saturday’s contest at Florida. Tate had started every game this season. He has reached base safely in 28 straight games and owns an 11-game hitting streak, both career highs. Also, starting left fielder Riley King missed his third consecutive game with a sore knee. Spikes and Randon Jernigan replaced them in the lineup.
Georgia plays host to No. 11 Ole Miss starting Thursday night in the final regular season series at Foley Field. First pitch will be at 7:02 p.m., and the game will be available on SEC Network+ and can be heard on the Georgia Bulldog Sports Network.
