WILMINGTON, N.C. – Georgia’s staff of power arms has been well-documented heading into the start of the 2025 season.

Saturday at UNC-Wilmington, that talent was on display after Alton Davis II and Brian Curley proved almost unhittable, pitching the Bulldogs to a 7-3 win.

The duo went combined for 5.2 innings of two-hit relief, giving up just one run, one walk, and 10 strikeouts. Davis earned the win.

“I knew what I needed to do to just control the adrenaline and use that adrenaline to just go out there and pitch good,” said Davis II, who allowed one run on a homer and two hits but little else.

The Alabama transfer struck out 10 in 3.2 innings, topping out at 97 mph before giving way to Curley in the eighth.

Curley, the transfer from Virginia Commonwealth and a 16th-round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates, was just as impressive.

Curley walked just one batter in two innings, striking out three more. His pitches topped out at 100 mph after showing off a fastball that consistently hit 98.

“It's just scary because we know we got him, and then we got a couple of secret weapons in the pen that can also get up there to 100,” Davis II said. “It’s not like we got one guy that showed it today, and he's like, all right. We’ve got a couple more that's coming out, so yeah. It was scary.”

Offensively, Georgia’s bats finally found some rhythm after scuffling in its first two games against Quinnipiac as the Bulldogs’ 11 hits represented the most for the team over the first three games.

It might have been more, but a strong wind blowing in from the outfield left several balls to die at the warning track. So, despite leaving 14 runners stranded, skipper Wes Johnson wasn’t concerned.

“This had a regional feel to it a little bit today. I mean, you've got the wind blowing in at this ballpark. Everybody's hitting, both teams hit some balls hard all day,” Johnson said. “You look at some of the balls we hit. We could have had six, eight homers today, and we didn't have one. I mean, that's how tough the conditions were. So, we had to do some unconventional things to score some runs today, so you don't see a ton from us.”

It was a frustrating three innings to start the game for the Bulldogs, who missed a pair of scoring opportunities by hitting into a pair of double plays.

Georgia would not make the same mistake in the fourth.

An RBI single off a 0-2 pitch by Henry Hunter, followed by a balk by pitcher Trace Baker gave Georgia a 2-0 lead.

Unfortunately for Georgia starter Brian Zeldin, his tight-rope act ran out of luck in the fourth.

Zeldin’s fourth walk of the game led to UNCW scoring its first run before tying the game on an RBI single by Kevin Jones.

“We’ve got to throw a few more strikes. I don't like our walks right now. It’s not like we're having big misses, but we're just a little off. Like Zeldin was just a tick off today; I've seen him a lot better,” Johnson said. “I mean, he obviously gave us three and a third or three and two-thirds, whatever it was. It was strong. He'll be better on his next outing.”

That’s when Davis took over.

The 6-foot-5 lefty allowed a steal but quickly silenced the Seahawks with a three-pitch strikeout before ending the inning on a groundout to short.

Georgia answered right back in the fifth, and Tre Phelps's RBI single put the Bulldogs back in front, extending the lead to four with three in the eighth.

Nolan McCarthy led the Bulldogs with three hits, followed by Phelps, Kolby Branch, and Hunter with two each. Hunter drove in three of Georgia’s seven runs.

Boxscore

…Robbie Burnett had his streak of at-bats reaching bases snapped at 10.

…Left fielder Devin Obee avoided a scare after he was hit in the helmet in the top of the sixth. Obee went down to his knees before walking off the field under his own power. He would come back into the game to start the seventh.

…Freshman Cade Brown made his college debut when he pinch-hit for Christian Adams in the seventh. He flew out to deep center.

…Johnson said pitcher Kolten Smith (back spasms) continues to improve. “Kolten played catch today. He's moving around. I'll have to check on him tomorrow to let you know if he's available,” Johnson said.

...Georgia and UNCW are set to play again on Sunday at 3, weather permitting.