No. 3 Bulldogs Host Georgia Classic This Weekend

No. 3/3 Georgia (9-0)
hosting the Georgia Classic
Dates: Friday, Feb. 23-Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024
Participating Teams:
   No. 3 Georgia (9-0)
   No. 21 Virginia Tech (8-2-1)
   Radford (5-2)
   Dartmouth (0-0)
Location: Athens, Ga.
Stadium: Jack Turner Stadium
   Admission: FREE (no tickets required / seating is first come, first served)

Georgia Classic Schedule
Friday, Feb. 23
   12:30 p.m. – Dartmouth vs. Radford
   3 p.m. – Virginia Tech vs. Radford
   5:30 p.m. – Virginia Tech vs. Georgia
Saturday, Feb. 24
   10 a.m. – Radford vs. Dartmouth
   12:30 p.m. – Virginia Tech vs. Georgia
   3 p.m. – Radford vs. Georgia
   5:30 p.m. – Virginia Tech vs. Radford
Sunday, Feb. 25
   10 a.m. – Radford vs. Virginia Tech
   1 p.m. – Dartmouth vs. Georgia

Media Information
Streaming: SEC Network+
   Play-by-play: Patrick Cassat
Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com
Twitter Updates: @UGAsoftball

The third-ranked Georgia softball team returns to Athens to host the 21st Annual Georgia Classic at Jack Turner Stadium this weekend. The nine-game tournament featuring No. 21 Virginia Tech, Radford, and Dartmouth begins Friday, Feb. 23.

Follow the Bulldogs
» Every Georgia game of the Georgia Classic will stream live on SEC Network+. Patrick Cassat (play-by-play) will be on the call.
» Live stat links can be found on the softball schedule page on GeorgiaDogs.com.
» Live Twitter updates will be available on the official Twitter page of Georgia softball, @UGAsoftball.

Fan Information and Upcoming Promotions at Jack Turner Stadium
» Admission to every regular-season home game is free; no tickets are required to enter Jack Turner Stadium. Seating is first come, first served. Gates open one hour prior to first pitch or one hour before the first game of the day for home tournaments.
» For the 2024 season, parking is available in the lot closest to S. Milledge Ave. The back lot is closed due to construction.

BULLDOGS BULLETIN
Series Histories
Virginia Tech
- Georgia leads the all-time series 7-2
- The Dogs are 6-1 against the Hokies in Athens
- Virginia Tech came to Athens last season for the NCAA Regional; Georgia beat Virginia Tech twice
- The last six meetings have all been in Athens; Virginia Tech last visited in the regular season for the 2019 Bulldog Classic, splitting two matchups with Georgia
Radford
- Georgia leads the all-time series 8-0
- Seven of the eight all-time meetings have been in Athens, most recently in 2018 during the Bulldog Classic
Dartmouth
- Georgia leads the all-time series 1-0
- The lone meeting was in Athens in 2022 as part of the UGA Classic; Georgia won 11-2 in five innings

Georgia in the Polls
Georgia in the Poll: Week 2
     - USA Today/NFCA: 3
     - ESPN/USA Softball: 3
     - D1Softball: 3
     - Softball America: 3
*highest NFCA ranking since Week 11 2011 (3)
*highest USA Softball ranking since Week 9 2011 (2)

Recapping Action
The Bulldogs put together a strong performance at last week's Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational, going undefeated with wins over Wisconsin, No. 6/8 Oklahoma State, No. 19/20 UCLA, and a run-rule win over No. 7/5 Florida State. Georgia hit .311 in the tournament as a team, scoring 41 runs in four games. Sara Mosley drove in 10 runs to lead the Bulldogs, scattering four doubles. Sydney Kuma went 8-for-13 on the weekend to hit .615 with a home run. In all, Georgia hit eight home runs. In the circle, Lilli Backes finished the weekend 2-0 with a save in 16 innings, striking out 10 batters.

A Look at What's Ahead
Georgia hosts No. 9 Clemson in the first midweek game of the season on Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 5 p.m. It'll be Taylor Swift Night at Jack Turner Stadium. The first 250 fans receive an "Eras" t-shirt. Additionally, the first 100 UGA students will get free pizza, and kids fifth grade and younger will have the opportunity to run the bases after the game.

Lilli's Got Our Back(es)
Lilli Backes finished the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational with a 2-0 record and a save in 16 innings, striking out 10 batters. Backes began the weekend working 5.1 innings out of the pen against Wisconsin, exiting the game as extra innings began. She allowed just one hit, striking out six Badgers. She entered in the seventh inning against No. 6/8 Oklahoma State with a runner on first and got out of the inning en route to her second save of 2024. That same day, she started and went the distance against No. 19/20 UCLA, allowing just two runs in the second inning to a team that scored 14 against No. 7/5 Florida State the previous game. After the second, she shut the Bruins out through five innings, allowing just two hits in that span. She earned the win in relief against FSU on Saturday, working 2.2 innings out of the pen in the five-inning game.

The Sydneys Shine on Opening Weekend
The duo of Sydney Kuma and Sydney Chambley opened the 2024 season with big performances at the plate. Kuma hit .750 (9-for-12), scoring six runs, hitting two home runs and a double while recording an .813 on-base percentage with a pair of walks. Chambley hit .500, knocking three home runs and driving in 10 while slugging 1.417 with four walks and a .625 on-base clip. She hit two home runs against Purdue (2/10), then hit a grand slam the next day against the Boilermakers, the third grand slam of her career.

Pitching Staff Poised for Big 2024
Georgia's pitching staff allowed just two runs in 33 innings on opening weekend, holding opponents to a .162 batting average. The trio of Shelby Walters, Madison Kerpics, and Lilli Backes went 5-0 while striking out 30 hitters. Every pitcher on Georgia's staff appeared in the circle on opening weekend as Georgia started a different Bulldog in the circle each game.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Lilli Backes

Sydney Chambley

Madison Kerpics

Sydney Kuma

Sara Mosley

Shelby Walters