The first game of Georgia's NCAA Tournament went a little differently this year.

Last season, the Bulldogs fell behind Army early before clawing their way to an 8-7 win. No such dramatics were necessary on Friday, as the 1-seed Bulldogs jumped on 4-seed Binghamton early and often en route to a 20-4 win.

"Yeah, you're always trying to jump out there," Georgia head coach Wes Johnson said after the game. "I think that's where experience, we had a lot of guys last year that hadn't played in postseason. I've been asked a lot why, not in any reason, but hey, so you're going Leighton (Finley) game one. Yeah, I want a guy with experience. I want us to get out, because we've got some guys who haven't played in postseason as well on this team."

Johnson gave his starting pitcher credit for setting the tone to open tournament play.

Finley retired Binghamton in order in the first inning, requiring just 14 pitches. He bookended the inning with strikeouts on his fastball, which touched 96 miles per hour.

"When you do that, as I've said today, I mean, it relaxes your team and gives those hitters confidence," Johnson said. "Like, hey, our guy on the mound, he's locked in. He's going to put up zeroes. We just, we've got to get them across the plate."

Finley started the opener against Army last year, giving up four runs in 3.2 innings before being pulled.

"Just going out there and having fun, not trying to do too much," Finley said of his mindset. "Obviously, with the rain delay, I feel like that played a little part in slowing it down. I was able to just hang out and get with the team and slow the game down. But definitely after last year, I know I wanted a better start coming off of last year, but yeah, I was happy with it."

Aside from allowing a pair of runs in the third, Finley kept the Bearcats at bay all day. He recorded the first two outs in the seventh, throwing a career-high 114 pitches before Johnson removed him to a standing ovation.

Zach Brown pitched the final 2.1 innings, setting up the entirety of the bullpen aside from Finley and Brown to be available for game two.

Johnson said the nine days off from last week's SEC tournament loss proved a huge benefit to his hitters. During the downtime, the Bulldogs worked more on "slowing down the game" at the plate.

"There's going to be the time when you get up there and you're sitting on a pitch and you pull it and you hit it over the lights, right? But at the end of the day, the majority of homers are going to come because you're working in the middle of the field and you react to the pitch," Johnson said. "We've worked a lot on that this week, which was, as I've told people before, this week was good for us. We needed the reset from an offensive standpoint."

Georgia wasted no time showcasing their approach. First baseman Tre Phelps lifted a two-run homer in the first inning to get the scoring started. Left fielder Daniel Jackson added a three-run opposite field shot later in the frame, putting the Bulldogs up 5-0 after one.

Phelps and Jackson both hit two home runs in the game. A shot from Nolan McCarthy gave the Bulldogs five as a team as they posted 20 runs, one off their season high.

Friday's game was delayed roughly three and a half hours due to rain and lightning.

The Bulldogs found their own ways to pass the time. Finley locked in for his start. Jackson, meanwhile, had other things on his mind.

"I went and got some food, went to Surchero's right up the street," Jackson said. "I watched a couple of the boys play blitz ball in the bullpen. And I chilled out in the locker room for a little bit. It was kind of, it's hard to wait around. Everyone's so excited to play and then you get pushed back."

Jackson added that he wanted to go get food in full uniform, but decided against it. Johnson cracked that an NIL deal with Surchero's, a local Mexican restaurant, could be in order for Jackson.

The delay didn't hamper the Bulldogs, who dominated from the get-go.

"I think that's just something that you get used to in our league, right?" Johnson said. "I mean, we played a lot of doubleheaders. We've had some different start times. I think our guys are used to that. It helps that you've got an older team when those situations come up, from the standpoint of, they understand that we can't control it."

- Georgia third baseman Slate Alford was hit in the right hand or wrist by a pitch early in Friday's game. He remained in the game until being removed in the seventh, along with several other defensive replacements. Johnson said he is expected to be fine.

- Phelps hit two homers against Binghamton, giving him 10 on the year. That gives the Bulldogs nine hitters on the team with double-digit home runs. Eight of the nine hitters in Friday's lineup have cracked the 10 home run mark.

- Both of Jackson's home runs were three-run shots.

- Robbie Burnett returned to the lineup after missing the last four games. Playing right field, Burnett went 0-4 with a walk before being removed in the seventh.

- Shortstop Kolby Branch went a perfect 4-4 on the afternoon. Branch scored three runs and drove in two.

- Georgia's 27-man postseason roster features just one left-handed pitcher, junior Alton Davis II. No freshmen are on the roster.

- Johnson didn't say for certain, but the Bulldogs are expected to send Brian Curley to the mound tomorrow against the winner of the Duke-Oklahoma State game on Friday night. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.