Postgame News and Notes

Corey Collins had just a split second to make a decision on Payton Green’s bouncer off the bag between first and second bounded in his direction.

What to do?

Second baseman Slate Alford was too far away from the play, and that’s when Collins’ instincts kicked in. He went for the ball.

Collins made the play with Green steaming up the first base line. Pitcher Chandler Marsh bounced off the mound. Collins’ throw was to the outside of the bag, but somehow Marsh kept his size 17 shoe on the corner of base for what turned out to be the game-changing third out.

Marsh’s play in the bottom of the ninth inning with the bases loaded kept the game tied, enabling the Bulldogs to put themselves in position for their three-run 10th inning that ultimately allowed Georgia to beat Georgia Tech 8-6 to earn a spot in this week’s Super Regionals against North Carolina State.

"I looked over at Slate right before and he was way over. I saw the ball off the bat and just went and got it,” Collins said. “I turned and Chandler Marsh ... he did great to get over there and picked me up. It wasn't the greatest of throws but his big ole ass got over there and caught it and made the play. I just reacted as we all do."

After the play, Georgia’s dugout – as well as the crowd of 3,745 – exploded.

“That was a tremendous play, first of all to get to it, and second to be able to lead the pitcher to the base,” Georgia Tech coach Danny Hall said. “If he doesn’t make that play, we win the game.”

Adding to the drama was the fact Green’s ball came on a 3-2 pitch.

"I think preparation on stuff like that is every day. Every day you've got to wake up and believe in yourself no matter what it is in life. You're attacking it. That's something that we talk about,” Georgia head coach Wes Johnson said of Marsh, who was credited with the win. “I'm real big on being the hero of your imagination. If you're not, what are you? We talk about being the hero of your imagination, seeing yourself do great things, I had all the faith in the world in Chandler."

Collins’ play at first was just one of the reasons the senior was voted the Most Outstanding Player of the Athens Regional.

He also did it with his bat, hitting .364 in three games with one home run and two RBI, including two in the 10th inning on a ringing double to right-center that was the difference in the game.

Collins was one of six Bulldogs named to the All-Tournament team.

Others include designated hitter Tre Phelps (333-1-1), second baseman Slate Alford (.429-0-4), third baseman Charlie Condon (.500-1-2), shortstop Kolby Branch (.214-2-5) and outfielder Clayton Chadwick (.300-0-2).

Phelps’ home run in the eighth inning allowed Georgia to close within 5-4 before Branch led off the ninth with his 17th home run to tie the game.

"I think he’s broken. I don’t really know. He set the grand slam record yesterday, and I think he’s just broken,” Collins said of Branch. “But now, I think he’s a great kid. When he’s up there, he’s competing. It’s fun and he has fun with it. I get to hit behind him in the lineup, and in front of Condon. I can’t complain, really."

The rest of the All-Tournament Team included UNCW pitcher RJ Sales (Win, 7 innings pitched, zero runs, six strikeouts), Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress (.417-2-2), catcher Vahn Lackey (.333-1-3), pitcher Cam Jones (Win, seven inning’s pitched, one run, three strikeouts) and Army outfielder Braden Golinski (.375-0-0).

Georgia Tech took three games from North Carolina State earlier this year and Yellow Jackets' head coach Danny Hall believes the Bulldogs match up well.

“We played them the first weekend, played outstanding baseball, and were able to sweep them,” Hall said. “They’ve got very good arms. They’ve got some good young arms, but they’ve also got some older guys. They got transfers that have had some good years. It will be a great matchup. This time of year, there are 16 teams and all 16 teams probably have a chance to go (to the College World Series). But they (Georgia) have a great lineup, it will be hard to navigate.”

North Carolina State earned the right to face Georgia by winning the Raleigh Regional 3-0 by beating Bryant (9-2), South Carolina (6-4) and James Madison (5-3).

The Wolfpack are 36-20 on the year.

…The news does not appear good for Charlie Goldstein who was forced out of the game after appearing to re-injure his arm in the 10th inning after facing just one batter. Johnson did not have an update when asked in his post-game press conference.

… Georgia advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals for the fifth time in program history and the first time since 2008. The Bulldogs played in the College World Series that year, falling to Fresno State in three games in the championship series.

… Collins was hit by a pitch for the 27th time to lead off the game.

… Georgia will host NC State in the NCAA Super Regionals next weekend at Foley Field. The two teams will play a best-of-three series from Friday-Sunday, June 7-9, or Saturday-Monday, June 8-10. Game schedules for Super Regionals will be announced on Tuesday at 10 a.m.