Georgia’s 6-4 win over Texas A&M Sunday could not have come at a better time.
Down 0-2 in their series against the Aggies, the Bulldogs trailed 4-1 on Sunday, before mounting a four-run rally in the seventh to give what acting head coach Scott Daeley acknowledged was one of the team’s bigger victories this season.
“That’s putting it lightly,” Daeley said in a telephone interview with UGASports. “That’s exactly what we talked about after the game. You’re down 0-2 on the road against a good team, then you’re down 4-1 and it’s the seventh inning.”
The win meant a lot in light of how close and how disappointing the previous contest had been. On Saturday, the Bulldogs (16-7, 2-4) held a one-run lead in the ninth before the Aggies (17-9, 2-4) stormed back for the victory.
Down by three in the seventh on Sunday, a sweep was looking like the likely outcome. However, that’s when the Bulldogs struck for three runs to tie the game, getting RBI singles from Josh McAllister, Connor Tate, and Riley King to knot the game. A wild pitch put the Bulldogs up 5-4.
McAllister would give Georgia some insurance with a solo home run—his team-leading fifth—to cap a three-hit afternoon.
“We hit some balls hard, they made some great plays defensively, and it seemed like we just couldn’t get it going offensively,” Daeley said. “Then all of a sudden, they claw back in it and take the lead, and I couldn’t be prouder of them for the way they played and the way they were able to come back and get a big win on the road.”
After starter Jonathan Cannon went the first five innings, allowing three runs on five hits, with a walk and five strikeouts, pitcher Jaden Woods did the rest.
The freshman allowed a run in the sixth to extend the Aggies lead to 4-1, before shutting out Texas A&M over the final three innings to earn his first collegiate win.
In four innings, Woods allowed just one run on three hits, with one walk and three strikeouts.
“He should be confident. He’s really good. He’s one of the toughest guys to hit in the league so far this year; he doesn’t give up many hits,” Daeley said. “He competed really well. It was really big for him to hold them there when we were behind, and then shut them down and not let them get anything going.”
In the ninth, Woods retired the first two batters easily, which included his third strikeout. The next batter saw Woods fall behind 3-0 before making a very nice play on a bouncer back to the mound for the game’s final out.
Georgia was 0-8 lifetime at Texas A&M coming into play. “This place is tough to play. And just like last night, when they can get a runner or two there in the ninth, it can be really hard to slow those two guys down. So, when he got those first two guys out in the ninth after falling behind 3-0 to their leadoff hitter (Bryce Blaum) then come back and get him, was huge,” Daeley said. “But it's been great all year, and that’s why we have him in those roles. I think he’s going to be on the mound closing out a lot of wins this year for us.”
NOTES: Third baseman Parks Harber had to come out of the game in the third inning due to illness. “He was sick. He was back there between innings; it actually happened before the game. He was back there getting sick,” Daeley said. “He hung in there for a couple of innings, but just could not do it after that.” … Georgia wraps up a four-game road trip Tuesday with a single contest at Clemson. The Bulldogs return home Friday for the first of three against South Carolina.
