With two out and runners at first and second in the bottom of the 12th, head coach Scott Stricklin was relatively relaxed when Connor Tate strolled to the plate.

He was feeling even better after the senior’s hard shot to center brought home Ben Anderson, enabling the Bulldogs to snatch a 3-2 win for the team’s sixth straight victory.

This wasn’t the first big extra inning hit of Tate’s career. On April 16, 2019, it was Tate’s RBI single in the 20th inning that beat Clemson by the same 3-2 score.

“I said I’ll take a three-hop ground ball in the six-hole, envisioning Clemson,” Stricklin said. “It was tough to almost let this one get away, but it was good that we showed some fight to hang on and win.” Tate said having that previous experience certainly didn't hurt.

“The key is just not to let the moment get too big,” said Tate, who went 2 for 5 and drove in two of the Bulldogs’ three runs. “I've just got to hit the ball hard up the middle.”

Fortunately for the Bulldogs, that’s just what he did. After tallying single runs in the first and second, Georgia did not score again for the next 9-2/3 innings before Tate’s no-doubt single.

Starting pitcher Jonathan Cannon, making just his second start after mono, was on a pitch count of 40, but made quite an impression during his four innings.

Cannon retired the first nine batters he faced before giving up a leadoff double to start the fourth, following a 15-minute delay when home plate umpire Danny Everett was hit by a foul pitch.

The big right-hander would recover, however, stranding a runner at third base with a strikeout and groundout to second. Cannon didn't walk a batter, and struck out four, before being pulled to start the fifth in favor of freshman Jaden Woods.

Cannon, who needed just five pitches in the first and 10 in the second, said being able to capitalize on some early efficiency was huge for Sunday’s success.

“It’s a huge confidence booster to go out there, throw two pitches, get an out to get out of an inning,” Cannon said. “My defense was playing well behind me, and that always makes it easier. That will mean a lot going into SEC play next week against Tennessee, to have those kinds of innings. It’s what allows you to get to the sixth, seventh, and eighth.”

Woods was not bad himself.

The freshman lefty from Houston County retired 12 of the first 13 batters he faced before giving up a leadoff walk in the ninth and going 3-1 on the next hitter before Stricklin replaced him with Liam Sullivan.

Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Lipscomb was not done.

A sacrifice fly by Chris Bashlor cut the lead to one, before a two-out single by Malik Williams tied the game. The Bisons would ultimately load the bases before Sullivan escaped further trouble by getting a foul fly to left with the bases loaded. Both runs were charged to Woods.

Lipscomb had a chance to take the lead in the bottom of the 12th following a one-out triple by Tiger Borom. But after Ben Harris (1-0) struck out Carson Wright, the Bisons would run themselves out of the inning. When Harris’ back was turned, Borom attempted the delayed steal of home, only to be thrown out with ease to end the inning.

“It’s nice to go out on the mound, hit my left arm, and Jaden Woods comes out, or go out, hit my right arm, and Michael Polk comes out,” Stricklin said. “Having those guys in the pen just extends it, it gives us more options. Ben Harris was great today. That was awesome to see.”

Georgia grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first, thanks to some nice hustle by Josh McAllister, who had three of the Bulldogs’ 10 hits.

With Corey Collins at third and two out, McAllister hit a shot that was momentarily bobbled by third baseman Carter Smith. Smith appeared to recover in time, as the first base umpire ruled McAllister out. But after a review, the call was overturned, and the Bulldogs had their lead.

The Bulldogs’ second run came in the second, when Connor Tate was hit with the bases loaded.

Boxscore

At 6-foot-3 and 234 pounds, Corey Collins looks like he could be playing outside linebacker for Kirby Smart’s Bulldog football team.

As you might suspect, he’s plenty strong. A team-leading four home runs is a good indicator of that. However, it was his at-bat during the fourth that proved how strong the big left-handed hitter truly is.

Leading off the inning, Lipscomb went into a shift, with three infielders on the right side, with only the third baseman on the left side.

In an attempt to take advantage, Collins fouled off three pitches before lining the next one off the top of the wall in left field for a double.

“He’s got power to all fields,” Stricklin said. “I know teams are going to shift on him, but he hits the ball the other way probably better than anybody we have.”

Collins currently is hitting .364 with four homers and 16 RBIs, both which lead the team.

In the third, home plate umpire Danny Everett had to leave the game when he was accidentally drilled on the facemask by a foul tip on a pitch that registered 95 mph.

Everett was able to complete the inning and Georgia’s subsequent turn at bat, but was unable to open the fifth, forcing a change at the plate with the remaining umpires employing a three-man crew.

Bulldog officials said later that Everett was OK.

Georgia travels to Greenville Tuesday to play Wofford, weather permitting.