Saturday, February 24
Athens, Ga.
12:30 p.m.
University of Georgia
10-1
7
vs
5
Virginia Tech
10-3-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Virginia Tech
0
2
1
1
0
0
1
5
8
0
Georgia
1
0
3
0
3
0
X
7
8
0
No. 3 Georgia Defeats No. 21 Virginia Tech, Radford Saturday
February 24, 2024 | Softball
ATHENS, Ga. – The third-ranked Georgia softball team picked up wins over No. 21 Virginia Tech, 7-5, and Radford, 10-1 in six innings, Saturday in the Georgia Classic at Jack Turner Stadium.
Georgia climbs to 11-1 on the season.
No. 3 Georgia 7, No. 21 Virginia Tech 5
The offense scattered eight hits for seven runs, led by two-hit performances by Emily Digby and Dallis Goodnight at the top and bottom of the lineup. Jayda Kearney and Lyndi Rae Davis each hit three-run home runs in the contest.
Madison Kerpics worked four innings in her start, suffering a no-decision. She allowed four runs on four hits. Shelby Walters (4-1) earned the win in relief, working three innings out of the pen, giving up one run on four hits.
After recording her first career home run Friday evening, Digby led off the game for the Bulldogs with a home run in the bottom of the first to quickly go ahead 1-0.
The Hokies (10-3-1) pushed two runs across the plate in the top of the second to go ahead 2-1. A leadoff home run in the third widened the Hokie lead to 3-1.
Kearney put the Dogs back in front with one swing of the bat, knocking a three-run home run to dead center field in the bottom of the third, 4-3.
Virginia Tech tied the game at 4-all in the fourth, but a three-run home run off the bat of Davis put Georgia back in the lead in the fifth, 7-4.
The Hokies mounted a comeback in the seventh, pushing a run across to cut the lead to 7-5, but Walters wiggled out of the bases-loaded situation to secure the win.
No. 3 Georgia 10, Radford 1 (6 inn.)
Georgia scattered 10 hits in the nightcap with Sydney Kuma, Jaiden Fields, and Kearney each scattering two hits. Fields and Sara Mosley each hit three-run home runs in the sixth inning en route to the run rule of the Highlanders (7-4).
Rachel Gibson worked two innings in her first start as a Bulldog, allowing one run on one hit. She struck out three Highlanders. Destin Howard (1-0) earned the win, working three scoreless innings in relief. Lilli Backes entered in the top of the sixth with Georgia ahead 3-1, picking up the save, her third of the season.
The Highlanders pushed a run across the plate early in the game, going up 1-0 after the opening frame.
Kearney blasted her second home run of the day, a solo shot, to tie the game at 1-1 in the first inning. Following a triple to right off the bat of Kuma, Sydney Chambley drove her in with a single to left to go ahead 2-1.
Digby drove in Ellie Armistead with a two-out double in the second to widen the lead to 3-1.
The bats came alive for the Dogs in the bottom of the sixth, plating seven runs. Armistead scored on a bad throw into the infield by the left fielder, 4-1. Three-run home runs from Jaiden Fields and Sara Mosley added six runs, enough to run rule the Highlanders in six innings, 10-1.
Georgia closes play of the Georgia Classic on Sunday at 1 p.m. when it faces off against the Dartmouth Mean Green at Jack Turner Stadium.
Head coach Tony Baldwin
On what he liked most about the Virginia Tech game throughout…
"Wow, what a great day. I mean, great crowd and playing a great team. I have tons of respect for the way Virginia Tech plays. They are as good as an offensive team as we are going to see this season. They can really swing it, they got a good plan. I thought our pitchers did a good job of just staying in it. I think today, and what we learned this weekend against the good Virginia Tech team, and what we've learned by challenging ourselves, is that we can take a punch and stay in the game. You can just be resilient and just keep competing. I thought we did that today. I didn't think we were our best on offense, but we have a deep enough lineup that we have to stay in it. We got a couple of big swings from Lyndi Rae [Davis] and Jayda [Kearney] as well as some walks. That gives us an opportunity to do some good things. I thought the pitching competed, I thought we were really sharp on defense, and did a good job of minimizing damage."
On his words to Jayda Kearney today…
"I just told her I love her, whether it goes well or not. That's not going to change. But we did talk about how she's really good with two strikes. She's just got to let herself be present. And sometimes, when things aren't going your way, you get so tense that you're not allowing your skills and talent to come out."
Georgia climbs to 11-1 on the season.
No. 3 Georgia 7, No. 21 Virginia Tech 5
The offense scattered eight hits for seven runs, led by two-hit performances by Emily Digby and Dallis Goodnight at the top and bottom of the lineup. Jayda Kearney and Lyndi Rae Davis each hit three-run home runs in the contest.
Madison Kerpics worked four innings in her start, suffering a no-decision. She allowed four runs on four hits. Shelby Walters (4-1) earned the win in relief, working three innings out of the pen, giving up one run on four hits.
After recording her first career home run Friday evening, Digby led off the game for the Bulldogs with a home run in the bottom of the first to quickly go ahead 1-0.
The Hokies (10-3-1) pushed two runs across the plate in the top of the second to go ahead 2-1. A leadoff home run in the third widened the Hokie lead to 3-1.
Kearney put the Dogs back in front with one swing of the bat, knocking a three-run home run to dead center field in the bottom of the third, 4-3.
Virginia Tech tied the game at 4-all in the fourth, but a three-run home run off the bat of Davis put Georgia back in the lead in the fifth, 7-4.
The Hokies mounted a comeback in the seventh, pushing a run across to cut the lead to 7-5, but Walters wiggled out of the bases-loaded situation to secure the win.
No. 3 Georgia 10, Radford 1 (6 inn.)
Georgia scattered 10 hits in the nightcap with Sydney Kuma, Jaiden Fields, and Kearney each scattering two hits. Fields and Sara Mosley each hit three-run home runs in the sixth inning en route to the run rule of the Highlanders (7-4).
Rachel Gibson worked two innings in her first start as a Bulldog, allowing one run on one hit. She struck out three Highlanders. Destin Howard (1-0) earned the win, working three scoreless innings in relief. Lilli Backes entered in the top of the sixth with Georgia ahead 3-1, picking up the save, her third of the season.
The Highlanders pushed a run across the plate early in the game, going up 1-0 after the opening frame.
Kearney blasted her second home run of the day, a solo shot, to tie the game at 1-1 in the first inning. Following a triple to right off the bat of Kuma, Sydney Chambley drove her in with a single to left to go ahead 2-1.
Digby drove in Ellie Armistead with a two-out double in the second to widen the lead to 3-1.
The bats came alive for the Dogs in the bottom of the sixth, plating seven runs. Armistead scored on a bad throw into the infield by the left fielder, 4-1. Three-run home runs from Jaiden Fields and Sara Mosley added six runs, enough to run rule the Highlanders in six innings, 10-1.
Georgia closes play of the Georgia Classic on Sunday at 1 p.m. when it faces off against the Dartmouth Mean Green at Jack Turner Stadium.
Head coach Tony Baldwin
On what he liked most about the Virginia Tech game throughout…
"Wow, what a great day. I mean, great crowd and playing a great team. I have tons of respect for the way Virginia Tech plays. They are as good as an offensive team as we are going to see this season. They can really swing it, they got a good plan. I thought our pitchers did a good job of just staying in it. I think today, and what we learned this weekend against the good Virginia Tech team, and what we've learned by challenging ourselves, is that we can take a punch and stay in the game. You can just be resilient and just keep competing. I thought we did that today. I didn't think we were our best on offense, but we have a deep enough lineup that we have to stay in it. We got a couple of big swings from Lyndi Rae [Davis] and Jayda [Kearney] as well as some walks. That gives us an opportunity to do some good things. I thought the pitching competed, I thought we were really sharp on defense, and did a good job of minimizing damage."
On his words to Jayda Kearney today…
"I just told her I love her, whether it goes well or not. That's not going to change. But we did talk about how she's really good with two strikes. She's just got to let herself be present. And sometimes, when things aren't going your way, you get so tense that you're not allowing your skills and talent to come out."
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Walters, Shelby (4-1)
L: Lyndsey Grein (2-1)
Batting:
2B: Addy Greene 1 ; Bre Peck 1 ; Emily LeGette 1
HR: Emma Ritter 1
RBI: Emma Ritter 1 ; Addy Greene 1 ; Bre Peck 1 ; Emily LeGette 1 ; Kylie Aldridge 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Emma Ritter 1 ; Cori McMillan 1 ; Bre Peck 1 ; Michelle Chatfield 1 ; Kylie Aldridge 1
SB: Emma Ritter 1
Batting:
2B: Chambley, Sydney 1
HR: Digby, Emily 1 ; Kearney, Jayda 1 ; Davis, Lyndi Rae 1
RBI: Digby, Emily 1 ; Kearney, Jayda 3 ; Davis, Lyndi Rae 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Digby, Emily 2 ; Kearney, Jayda 1 ; Davis, Lyndi Rae 1 ; Armistead, Ellie 1 ; Goodnight, Dallis 2
SB: Kuma, Sydney 1 ; Goodnight, Dallis 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
OF/1B
/ SoftballC
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
OF/1B
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
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