Even as starters Tre Phelps and Ryan Black looked on from the dugout, the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs still eased to a series opening win over No. 11 Auburn.
Led by Devin Obee and Daniel Jackson, the Bulldogs rallied past the Tigers with a 4-1 win. Obee and Jackson hit two-run home runs, which gave the Bulldogs an early 4-0 advantage over the Tigers. Georgia’s pitching staff held Auburn’s hitters relatively silent.
Starting pitcher Charlie Goldstein saw three innings of work. He didn’t allow a run despite giving up three hits and issuing four walks. However, he did total four strikeouts in his seventh start of the season.
“I thought we did a really nice job - Charlie, we're gonna get that fastball in the strike zone,” Georgia head coach Wes Johnson said of his starter’s performance. “I thought his off-speed was really good tonight. It's what got him out of trouble.”
Kolten Smith relieved Goldstein and ended up working five innings for Georgia. The junior right-hander didn’t allow a hit as he struck out eight Auburn batters, while his only baserunner came via a hit by pitch.
“And then Kolten Smith, there's a guy, he was here last year, he did a phenomenal job for us last year,” Johnson said. “He's just now starting to get built back up. There was a small talk of sending him back out in the ninth, but I just thought it was time.”
Georgia’s pitching staff held the Tigers scoreless for eight innings. The shutout ended in the ninth after Brian Zeldin came out of the bullpen and issued two walks before DJ Radtke replaced him.
Despite inheriting two runners on base, Radtke allowed just one run before closing the door on Auburn. The junior right-hander recorded two strikeouts and allowed just one hit in 23 pitches, earning his second save of the season.
Georgia’s offense, even without Black and Phelps, jumped on the Tigers early. First, via a second inning two-run home run from Devin Obee. Then, Jackson added to it with a two-run homer of his own in the fourth inning.
Obee and Slate Alford were the only Bulldogs to register multiple hits. Each finished Friday 2-for-4 at the plate. Meanwhile, Jackson and Nolan McCarthy had Georgia's other hits, finishing 1-for-4 batting. Much like it has been all season, Georgia had a team-first approach at the plate.
“It's a relaxing feeling. You don't have to do everything,” Obee said of Georgia’s lineup depth. “You don't have to be that guy, that ‘I have to go 4 for 4 today for us to have a chance to win.’ I don't have to do anything. Just go up there and play my game, and somebody's going to pick me up.”
Georgia will look to carry that approach at the plate into Saturday, where they will once again be without the former freshman All-American, Phelps.
“Tre will be out tomorrow, so no news there,” Johnson said.
Georgia will take the field for Game 2 of the three-game series Saturday at 11 a.m. in the first game of a doubleheader due to inclement weather forecast for Sunday.
