No. 10 Georgia Begins Bulldog Classic with Wins Over Stetson, UMBC

Friday, February 28

Athens, Ga.

3:30 p.m.

University of Georgia

15-1

Stetson

10-8

Stetson

Georgia

No. 10 Georgia Begins Bulldog Classic with Wins Over Stetson, UMBC

February 28, 2025 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

SOFTBALL | vs. STETSON | W, 5-2
Winning pitcher: Lilli Backes (7-0)
Losing Pitcher: Hayley Arnold (4-3)
SOFTBALL | vs. UMBC | W, 10-2 (5 inn.)
Winning pitcher: Ella Troutt (2-0)
Losing Pitcher: Kya Matter (1-3)

Season Record: 16-1

ATHENS, Ga. – The 10^th-ranked Georgia softball team opened action at the Bulldog Classic on Friday with wins over Stetson (5-2) and UMBC (10-2, 5 innings).

Georgia improves to 16-1 on the season.

FAST FACTS

Freshman Esther White hit her first career home run, a two-run home run to right, to give the Bulldogs a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth against Stetson. She blasted a towering two-run home run over the video board in right in the bottom of the fifth to run rule UMBC in the nightcap, 10-2.
Lilli Backes (7-0) remained perfect in the circle on the season, pitching the complete game, allowing two runs on four hits, striking out eight Hatters.
Jaydyn Goodwin finished the Stetson game 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. She contributed a three-RBI triple to go ahead 8-1 in the night game.
Freshman Ella Troutt picked up her second win in the circle against UMBC. She pitched four innings, allowing one run on four hits, and struck out four Retrievers.
In total, Georgia hit four home runs on Friday: White (2), Goodwin, Tyler Ellison.

KEY QUOTES
Head coach Tony Baldwin
On how the team competed today...
"I thought we kept a real steady grittiness to us. In the first game, the easy evaluation was that we didn't play our best, but I actually thought we had a pretty good mindset. We did a lot of really good things, it just didn't translate to great outcomes. But, that's how the game goes and you just got to stick with it. And then same thing in game two. It didn't get off to a great start, but I thought we just kept playing. We just kept our mindset and we kept solving the problem. And, if we can keep doing that, we're going to be a pretty good team. We've got a lot of tough games coming up down the road. We have great competition coming in, and you just got to be able to stay in the fight, be present, and keep solving problems. And I thought we did a good job of that today."

On the pitching performances...
"I don't think Lilli [Backes] was really sharp, but I thought she competed like she always does and gave us a chance to win. I thought she got better as the game went along. She is kind of that type of a pitcher. She's a little bit of a volume pitcher, meaning the more she pitches, the better she gets. I'm proud of the way that she improved as the game went on. And then really glad to get Ella [Troutt] out there and let her continue to grow as a pitcher. I thought she settled in and really threw some good innings there. And, to get [Destin Howard] back out there and start to get her back on track, I think is going to be really important for us. She got a little bit of tough luck there on a couple of those hits, but I thought she threw the ball well. We'll have to keep doing that this weekend."

UP NEXT
Georgia is back in action Saturday when it takes on Stetson at 1 p.m. and Ohio State at 3:30 p.m. at Jack Turner Stadium. Tickets for every day of the Bulldog Classic can be purchased online at GeorgiaDogs.com.