Column: Flush it

Well, that did not go as planned.

Georgia’s 18-1 debacle at the hands of North Carolina State in Game 1 of the Athens Super Regional was not quite what anyone expected when they strolled into Foley Field on Saturday.

Credit North Carolina State.

This wasn’t a case of a Georgia gifting hits and runs. The Wolfpack came in and delivered a second-inning uppercut to do Mike Tyson proud. It certainly left the Bulldogs reeling.

Now we’ll see if Georgia can dust itself off and force a third and deciding game.

“We’re just going to come out and play baseball, that’s all you can do, no matter what the situation is,” head coach Wes Johnson said. “This game, as I’ve talked about all year, is not about panicking. It’s the teams who can float through adversity and keep staying the course.”

Needing two wins to reach the College World Series, that course is plain.

The Bulldogs need Sunday starter Leighton Finley to pitch the game of his career and some balls to start falling for hits, which did not happen Saturday against the Wolfpack.

“We’ve had four or five of these games this year, and that’s fine. I think the resilience we’ve shown at that next game is what you build off of,” Johnson said. “As I told our guys, you just have to flush it.”

Come Sunday, we’ll see if the Bulldogs can do so.

But before everyone tucks their tails and says silly things like the loss will affect recruiting, and that the program is not any better or in better hands than a year ago, take a deep breath.

Georgia may or may not win Sunday’s game. But if this season has taught us anything, you’ll see a better version of the Bulldogs.

Will it be enough to force a Game 3? We’ll see.

For comparison's sake, Saturday’s final score resembled the team’s 19-9 loss at Texas A&M, although in that game the Bulldogs scored eight runs in the first before the Aggies came roaring back to win by 10.

The next day, Georgia rebounded from that embarrassment to win Sunday’s finale 5-4 to start a streak of nine-straight victories.

“Coach brought that up in our meeting after the game, they (Texas A&M) put up some runs and we bounced back,” first baseman Corey Collins said. “There’s no stat on the sheet that says how many guys hit balls over 100 mph, but I can tell you there was quite a bit. and those balls didn’t land. We’ve just got to keep swinging the bat on good pitches and get after it tomorrow.”

Although nobody is sitting here predicting another miracle run, the point is baseball is as unpredictable a sport as there is.

As bleak as it might look after Saturday’s whipping, take some solace.

In 2006, Georgia lost to South Carolina 15-6 in Game 1 of the 2006 Super Regional in Athens before winning the next two to advance to Omaha.

Look no further than Game 2 of the Knoxville Regional for a more recent example.

Earlier, Evansville upset Tennessee 10-8 Saturday to force a Game 3. Who would have figured that?

Although the Vols’ misstep won’t make Bulldog fans feel much better, these outcomes show how volatile it can be from game to game.

“We know the hitters are going to pick the pitchers up tomorrow and we know the pitchers are going to pick the hitters up tomorrow,” pitcher Chandler Marsh said. “I’m excited to see it happen. I’m excited to see those guys fight for each other and respond from the spot we’re in.”