After the two teams combined for 16 runs in Georgia’s 9-7 win of Saturday’s Game 1 doubleheader, logic seemed to dictate more of the same for Game 2.
Right? Wrong.
No, instead four Kentucky pitchers combined to scatter 10 hits before its hitters eked out a run eighth to take a 1-0 win and earn a split of the twin bill.
The loss capped what was a frustrating weekend for Georgia, especially knowing how close it came to taking all three games of the series.
On Friday, the Bulldogs were one strike away on two batters in the ninth from winning, and on Saturday, one hit away from taking what would have been a huge Saturday sweep.
“We’re a really good team and I think everyone is starting to realize that,” Bulldogs skipper Scott Stricklin said. We’re not going anywhere. We’re going to continue to battle and fight, compete every single game we play.”
Nevertheless, this one hurt considering how many chances the Bulldogs had to win.
The score tied 0-0, Ryan Webb (0-1), who entered the game in relief, appeared on the verge of getting out of a first-and-third, one-out jam in the seventh. But luck was against him and the Bulldogs (25-11, 9-6) as Cole Cottam hit a little dribbler that Aaron Schunk had no chance to pick up in time, allowing Tristan Pompey to score the go-ahead run from third.
Georgia had its opportunities, twice getting runners at third base with less and two out but were unable to score. Another would-be run was thrown out at the plate.
The Bulldogs – who stranded 13 runners - also left two on in the eighth and two more in the ninth, with the game ending on a groundout back to the pitcher by Michael Curry, who one pitch earlier hit a long bomb that would have won the game but was instead foul to right.
“The two big ones when we got a runner on third base and one out and don’t get them in twice,” Stricklin said. “In the ninth inning, you really couldn’t script it any better, first and second with Curry up. That’s what you want. He gave one a ride, it was foul, but we put ourselves in position to win a series against a Top 10 team in the country. We just came up a little short.”
Freshman C.J. Smith certainly did his part.
The Royston native, who had allowed zero runs in 10 prior innings, got the start after Webb, the normal Sunday starter, was used in Saturday’s first game.
He still hasn’t.
Smith went six innings, shutting out Kentucky (25-11, 7-8) on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts before coming out of the game after the first batters reach base to start the seventh.
He only found out he was getting the start at the conclusion of Game 1.
"That was next man up kind of deal. We didn't know exactly what we were going to do in Game 1, and when it came right down with it, we went with Ryan Webb because we felt he gave us the best chance to win that game (Game 1)," Stricklin said. "Once that game ended, we patted him on the back and said get stretched out and get ready to go."
Smith said the short notice didn't give him time to get nervous.
"It definitely gives me a lot of confidence," said Smith, who has now pitched 16 innings of scoreless ball. "It's great to have the defense behind me knowing all I've got to get them to do is put the ball in play behind me and still get outs."
The Wildcats would ultimately load the bases with one out following an intentional walk by Will Proctor. But Webb escaped the major jam by striking out pinch hitter Ryan Johnson before getting Trey Dawson on a fly out to center sending the game into the bottom of the seventh still scoreless before Kentucky scored in the eighth for the game's only run.
Georgia’s 9-7 win in Game 1 also kept Bulldog fans on the edge of their respective seats.
After scoring seven runs in the third on eight straight hits, Georgia built a seemingly safe 8-1 lead.
However, Kentucky – which featured eight of nine starters hitting .300 or higher – made the Bulldogs sweat.
A three-run seventh, which featured back-to-back home runs by Cottam and T.J. Collett, drew the Wildcats within three before closing within in two with a single run in the eighth.
Georgia – which blew a 4-1 lead in the ninth on Friday – appeared heading toward a similar fate on Saturday after the Wildcats put runners at first and second with one out off Webb, before the lefty induced a 5-4-3 double play grounder off the bat of Trey Dawson to end the game.
The save was the first of Webb’s career.
Keegan McGovern and Cam Shepherd each homered to spark Georgi’s 12-hit attack. For McGovern, the home run was his 12th, while Shepherd continues to break out of his recent slump by going 3-for-3. The homer was his third this year.
Walks did help Georgia’s cause.
Five Bulldog pitchers combined to walk nine batters, six by starter Emerson Hancock (4-2), who only gave up three hits for three runs with eight strikeouts before coming out to start the sixth after throwing 106 pitches.
NOTES: McGovern has now reached base in 24 straight games. … Georgia returns to action Tuesday when the Bulldogs host Clemson at 7 p.m.
