MARIETTA, Ga. - The Owls pushed No. 8 Georgia to the brink in Tuesday's night match at home, but the Bulldogs late-game spurts put them over the top 6-4.
The action began early as
Chris Cole started off the ball game with an infield single toward second base. A
Donovan Cash single to left center sent the table for a deep sac fly from
Cooper Williams to score first over the top-ranked Bulldogs.
In the second,
Shamaar McDuffie scorched a single into left center, scoring
Nate Anderson from second base and extending the lead by two runs. Andrson reached base off a swinging bunt that slowly rolled to third base for the infield single.
That opened the door for a two-run triple by leadoff hitter
Chris Cole, scoring
Aaron Posey and
Shamaar McDuffie, putting the Owls up by four runs. Cole laced the ball into right field, forcing the fielder to dive and miss.
The Bulldogs retaliated in the top of the fourth inning with two runs scored, making it 4-2 Owls.
JT Gibson came in from the bullpen with the bases juiced and got two momentous strikeouts to hold the UGA treat at bay in the fourth stanza.
Ryan Renfroe did nearly the same thing in the following inning with two runners as he punched out the Bulldog pinch hitter to maintain the two-run lead going into the home half of the fifth.
Cole walked on four straight pitches and then stole second base on the next pitch. Willams nearly left the park but earned a double as the right fielder saved it from being a homer, but allowed the ball to enter the field of play. No runs were scored in the inning for KSU.
The game entered a quieter phase, with no runs and a series of strikeouts and outs back and forth in the fifth and sixth innings.
UGA chipped into the hole with a home run to left field making it just a one-run Owls lead.
Another homer for the Dawgs tied the game at four all in the bottom of the seventh inning.
A wild pitch in the top of the ninth inning surrendered the game-winning run to UGA making it a 5-4 game. The top-ranked SEC squad tacked on another run finishing with a 6-4 final over the Owls.
Game-winning run came to the plate for KSU in the ninth inning for the Owls but were they unable to complete the comeback.
Spotlight Performances
- Cole continues to pace the Owls in Avg. (.357) and hits (5). He now has a 1.026 OPS over four games. It was the first time this season an Owl has reached base three times in a game.
- McDuffie continues his solid start as he collected a hit and two walks, lifting his OBP to (.538)
- The pitching staff tallied eight pitchers and 14 strikeouts versus No. 8 Georgia, the highest total of the young season and the most Uga has struck out this year
- Ryan Renfroe shined in two innings of one-run ball, he accrued a team-high of four strikeouts
Next Up
It's the second leg of a double midweek as the Owls will face the Mercer Bears at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
