Georgia Records Fifth-Straight Shutout, Defeats Lipscomb 5-0
February 26, 2023 | Softball
ATHENS, Ga. – The 17th-ranked Georgia softball team shutout the Lipscomb Bisons Sunday afternoon in the final game of the 20th Annual Georgia Classic, 5-0.
The win was Georgia's fifth shutout of the weekend, and the first time Georgia has shut out five-straight opponents since February 2019. The Bulldogs improve to 12-4 after a 5-0 weekend in Athens.
Madison Kerpics (5-2) was once again electric in the circle, working seven scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. She fanned four batters in the contest. Kerpics carried a no-hit bid into the sixth, losing it on an infield single with two out in the frame.
Kerpics concluded the weekend pitching 19 scoreless innings, allowing seven hits, and striking out 18 batters in three starts.
The offense was led by a two-hit day from seniors Sydney Kuma and Jaiden Fields. Kuma provided the big hit of the game, a three-run home run in the fourth. In total, Georgia recorded six hits as a team.
A three-run home run to centerfield by Kuma sparked a big inning for the Dogs in the fourth. The homer was the third of the season for Kuma and broke up a no-hit bid by Lipscomb's pitcher. Fields followed with a triple then scored on a groundout off the bat of Marisa Miller to widen the lead to 4-0 in the fourth.
With Kuma on third in the sixth, Miller dropped down a squeeze bunt to plate Kuma and make it a 5-0 advantage for Georgia.
Kerpics retired the Bisons (4-7) in order in the final inning to secure the shutout.
Georgia is back on the road Tuesday for a showdown at rival Georgia Tech. First pitch in Atlanta is slated for 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
Head Coach Tony Baldwin
On the win and Madison Kerpics' performance...
"I'm just really proud of the whole team. I thought we got back to really competing at the level we can, and it started in the circle. I don't claim to be the smartest person in the room, but I know that if you don't give up runs, you're hard to beat. I don't know what the record book is, but it's been a minute since we've gone through five games in a weekend and not given up any runs. Hats off to our pitching staff. I thought Madison [Kerpics] was outstanding again today. Chelsea [Wilkinson] really was prepared and did a great job calling the pitches. I thought our defense was really sharp all weekend. I thought Ellie Armistead made a lot of really good plays, Sydney Kuma as well. I thought Marisa Miller did a really good job behind the plate catching. Really proud of the pitching and defense, and I thought we started to have a few more competitive at bats. That's what we'll need to keep doing to be successful going forward."
The win was Georgia's fifth shutout of the weekend, and the first time Georgia has shut out five-straight opponents since February 2019. The Bulldogs improve to 12-4 after a 5-0 weekend in Athens.
Madison Kerpics (5-2) was once again electric in the circle, working seven scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. She fanned four batters in the contest. Kerpics carried a no-hit bid into the sixth, losing it on an infield single with two out in the frame.
Kerpics concluded the weekend pitching 19 scoreless innings, allowing seven hits, and striking out 18 batters in three starts.
The offense was led by a two-hit day from seniors Sydney Kuma and Jaiden Fields. Kuma provided the big hit of the game, a three-run home run in the fourth. In total, Georgia recorded six hits as a team.
A three-run home run to centerfield by Kuma sparked a big inning for the Dogs in the fourth. The homer was the third of the season for Kuma and broke up a no-hit bid by Lipscomb's pitcher. Fields followed with a triple then scored on a groundout off the bat of Marisa Miller to widen the lead to 4-0 in the fourth.
With Kuma on third in the sixth, Miller dropped down a squeeze bunt to plate Kuma and make it a 5-0 advantage for Georgia.
Kerpics retired the Bisons (4-7) in order in the final inning to secure the shutout.
Georgia is back on the road Tuesday for a showdown at rival Georgia Tech. First pitch in Atlanta is slated for 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
Head Coach Tony Baldwin
On the win and Madison Kerpics' performance...
"I'm just really proud of the whole team. I thought we got back to really competing at the level we can, and it started in the circle. I don't claim to be the smartest person in the room, but I know that if you don't give up runs, you're hard to beat. I don't know what the record book is, but it's been a minute since we've gone through five games in a weekend and not given up any runs. Hats off to our pitching staff. I thought Madison [Kerpics] was outstanding again today. Chelsea [Wilkinson] really was prepared and did a great job calling the pitches. I thought our defense was really sharp all weekend. I thought Ellie Armistead made a lot of really good plays, Sydney Kuma as well. I thought Marisa Miller did a really good job behind the plate catching. Really proud of the pitching and defense, and I thought we started to have a few more competitive at bats. That's what we'll need to keep doing to be successful going forward."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kerpics, Madison (5-2)
L: Emily Yakubowski (3-3)

Batting:
3B: Fields, Jaiden 1
HR: Kuma, Sydney 1
RBI: Kuma, Sydney 3 ; Miller, Marisa 2
SH: Armistead, Ellie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mosley, Sara 1 ; Kearney, Jayda 1 ; Kuma, Sydney 2 ; Fields, Jaiden 1
SB: Chambley, Sydney 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
Players Mentioned
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