When you’ve witnessed as many Georgia baseball games as I have over the past 25-plus years, the countless contests and innings tend to blur one’s memory.
The Bulldogs’ 8-6 win in 10 innings over Georgia Tech to advance to the Super Regionals will not fall victim to such lapses.
Longtime Georgia baseball announcer Jeff Dantzler summed it up best during his call of Sunday’s final play, stating the game would “go down in one of greatest victories in Georgia baseball lore.”
Dantzler is correct.
Racking my brain, this was the most memorable, significant victory by the Bulldogs since the three-home run game by Jeff Keppinger to beat Coastal Carolina for the 2001 Athens Regional crown, including a two-run blast in the ninth to carry Georgia to the 8-7 win.
Although the way Georgia went about earning Sunday’s victory was different, the energy – both in the dugout and in the stands at Foley Field – was similar.
Events like that you do not forget.
Let’s start with freshman Tre Phelps and sophomore Kolby Branch.
Phelps is one of the best freshmen in the SEC, and a future star. He’s also one of the most entertaining players you’ll find.
Even if it’s just to keep himself amused.
As the public address system played his walk-up music, Phelps walked up to the plate in the eighth inning singing along.
Moments later, he blasts a solo home run to cut Georgia Tech’s lead to 5-4.
Meanwhile, Branch may be the most dangerous nine-hole hitter in college baseball.
Against UNC-Wilmington, Branch’s fourth grand slam of the year carried the Bulldogs to Saturday’s 11-2 win. On Sunday, Branch fell behind 1-2 before homering over the fence in left to tie the game at 5.
Asked about his teammate during Sunday’s post-game press conference, Corey Collins joked that Branch was “broken.” As to exactly what that means, nobody was sure. One can assume it is due to Branch’s slow heart rate and ability to come through in the clutch, which he certainly did with his game-tying home run.
Collins’ role in Sunday’s victory will also be remembered for a long time.
In the bottom of the ninth, with the game tied and bases-loaded for Georgia Tech, Collin's defensive play sent the game to the 10th and saved the day for the Bulldogs.
Payton Green’s bouncer was wide to the bag at first. Collins made a play on the ball, but his throw was slightly up the line.
Fortunately, all 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds of Chandler Marsh hustled ready to take the flip, and did so, sprawling to grab the throw and touch first base with his size 17 cleat to tag the bag.
The umpires reviewed the play, but the call was upheld.
Collins gave reporters the quote of the night when he lauded Marsh for getting “his big ole ass” over to first base in time to make a play on the imperfect throw.
Give starting pitcher Zach Harris his flowers.
Harris allowed five runs over the first two innings, but nothing after that, giving Wes Johnson six solid innings to save the bullpen and set the Bulldogs up for their comeback.
Another player who played his rear end off was Leighton Finley.
We touched on Keppinger’s three-home run game to beat Coastal Carolina to win the Athens Regional in 2004.
What Finley did in the 10th inning after Marsh allowed the first two runners to reach was one of the more epic efforts you'll see.
Two days earlier against Army, Finley was not particularly effective. The Richmond Hill native allowed four earned runs in 3.2 innings and was taken out of the game after throwing 81 pitches.
As big as the Collins/Marsh play was to send the game to the 10th, which Georgia used to score three runs, Finley’s work in the bottom of the inning provided another “moment” Bulldog fans will not forget.
After Cam Jones singled to load the bases with nobody out freshman Drew Burress stepped to the plate.
Let me explain about Mr. Burress.
Arguably the best freshman in the country with a batting average of .379 with 25 homers and 67 RBI, Burress was seemingly on every pitch during Sunday’s game and a danger to win the game for the Yellow Jackets right there.
Finley struck him out swinging on a 2-2 count.
The next batter was Matthew Ellis. Ellis is second on the Yellow Jackets' roster with 16 home runs on the year. He took a 3-0 count against Finley before swinging away at the fourth, lofting a fly ball to right field. The play resulted in a sacrifice fly.
With two runners on, Finley bore down, retiring John Giesler on a groundout to Condon for the third out, sending the Bulldogs pouring onto the field to cap a crazy, memorable night at Foley Field.
Next up are the Super Regionals.
Georgia will host North Carolina State, but we will not know until Tuesday morning until the NCAA announces whether the best-of-three series will be on Friday or Saturday.
Either way, it’s shaping up to be another memorable weekend for the Bulldogs, who will attempt to make it back to the College World Series for the first time since 2008.
