Fast Start, ‘Easy’ Energy Propel Bulldogs
May 06, 2025 | Softball, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Before Kentucky had even gotten a Georgia batter or runner out in the bottom of the first inning Tuesday, the Wildcats had gathered in the circle at Jack Turner Stadium for meetings three times, coach Rachel Lawson had visited twice, and there had even been a pitching change.
At the end of a lengthy and productive first, the Bulldogs had a 3-0 lead in the first game of the SEC softball tournament. That was more than enough for No. 12-seeded Georgia to advance against the No. 13-seeded Wildcats. In the end, the Bulldogs rolled to an 8-0 win in five innings.
"I would say this is a crazy, funny game," Georgia coach Tony Baldwin said. "And, you know, Sunday, I felt like we hit the ball well for seven innings, and we get shut out (1-0 at Missouri to end the regular season). And today, you know, we just had some things fall in that we'll certainly take. We've taken our fair share of the tough breaks that this game provides, so we'll take the good breaks today and just enjoy the win and get ready to go again tomorrow."
The Bulldogs (31-19) will face fifth-seeded (and sixth-ranked) Arkansas (38-11) on Wednesday. The SEC is a powerhouse softball conference, and the top six teams in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate top 25 are all here this week, as are five other ranked SEC teams.
Georgia spent most of the regular season among those top 25, but the Bulldogs hit a rough patch in the final six weeks, losing 11 of their final 16 games. The postseason offers a fresh start, and Georgia made the most of it against Kentucky.
"It's a new phase of the season," said senior center fielder Dallis Goodnight, who had two hits, scored twice and drove in a run. "Nothing before now matters. It's the postseason, it's kind of like life or death now, so just competing and not letting anything from the past — it doesn't matter anymore. We're just ready to go."
Georgia was certainly ready to go on Tuesday. After pitcher Lilli Backes and the defense shut down the Wildcats in the top of the first, the Bulldogs took control of the game in the bottom of the inning.
Goodnight, Georgia's leadoff hitter, slapped a single to right to kick off the frame. That prompted the Wildcats' first gathering in the circle, presumably to discuss how to deal with the speedy senior. She swiped second anyway for her 27th steal of the season.
Tyler Ellison followed that with a soft grounder back to the pitcher, Carson Fall, who threw to third to try to get Goodnight out, but she was safe and Ellison was safe at first. That put runners on the corners with nobody out, resulting in another gathering in the circle, this one with Lawson present.
Jaydyn Goodwin came to bat next, and before she could take a swing, Ellison stole second, putting runners on second and third. Goodwin then belted a two-run double to right field, scoring Goodnight and Ellison for a 2-0 lead.
That two-run double not only prompted another meeting with Lawson, the Wildcats also made a pitching change, bringing in Sarah Haendiges. Later in the inning, Emily Digby singled to left field, scoring Goodwin from third and putting the Bulldogs ahead 3-0.
"Having a three-run lead off the bat was a good cushion. It gave me some confidence out there. I think that was huge for us to come out swinging and score really early," said Backes, who allowed three hits and struck out six in five innings.
In the fourth, Georgia put together a big pile of singles to add to its lead. A one-out hit to left field by Marisa Miller got things started; Emma Castorri followed that with another single to left — and suddenly the Bulldogs had something cooking. Mua Williams followed that with a bloop single that dropped just inside the foul line behind first base. Mollie Mitchell, pinch-running for Miller, tried to score on the play but was thrown out at the plate.
Goodnight came to bat next and hit a bloop RBI double to shallow left-center field, scoring Castorri from second and pushing the lead to 4-0. That led to another Wildcat gathering in the circle and another pitching change, but it didn't matter.
Two batters later, Goodwin slapped a two-run single to left for a 6-0 lead. A dropped pop fly by the catcher right at home plate allowed Goodwin and Ellison to score and make it 8-0. Goodwin finished 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and four RBIs.
"Shorty did what Shorty does," Baldwin said of Goodwin, who is now second on the team with 44 RBIs, behind only Sarah Gordon's 46. Goodwin and Goodnight share the team lead with 43 runs scored.
Baldwin said he saw his team play "pretty free in our competitiveness, and we didn't make it a bigger deal that it is," referring to the tough ending to the regular season and the start of the postseason.
"At the end of the day, you can't do anything about what has happened," he added, "but you can take the lessons that we've learned and apply them. It is a fresh start, and every game is that way."
Tuesday's win was a great start to the SEC tournament, and the Bulldogs will get to start fresh again Wednesday.
Staff Writer
Before Kentucky had even gotten a Georgia batter or runner out in the bottom of the first inning Tuesday, the Wildcats had gathered in the circle at Jack Turner Stadium for meetings three times, coach Rachel Lawson had visited twice, and there had even been a pitching change.
At the end of a lengthy and productive first, the Bulldogs had a 3-0 lead in the first game of the SEC softball tournament. That was more than enough for No. 12-seeded Georgia to advance against the No. 13-seeded Wildcats. In the end, the Bulldogs rolled to an 8-0 win in five innings.
"I would say this is a crazy, funny game," Georgia coach Tony Baldwin said. "And, you know, Sunday, I felt like we hit the ball well for seven innings, and we get shut out (1-0 at Missouri to end the regular season). And today, you know, we just had some things fall in that we'll certainly take. We've taken our fair share of the tough breaks that this game provides, so we'll take the good breaks today and just enjoy the win and get ready to go again tomorrow."
The Bulldogs (31-19) will face fifth-seeded (and sixth-ranked) Arkansas (38-11) on Wednesday. The SEC is a powerhouse softball conference, and the top six teams in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate top 25 are all here this week, as are five other ranked SEC teams.
Georgia spent most of the regular season among those top 25, but the Bulldogs hit a rough patch in the final six weeks, losing 11 of their final 16 games. The postseason offers a fresh start, and Georgia made the most of it against Kentucky.
"It's a new phase of the season," said senior center fielder Dallis Goodnight, who had two hits, scored twice and drove in a run. "Nothing before now matters. It's the postseason, it's kind of like life or death now, so just competing and not letting anything from the past — it doesn't matter anymore. We're just ready to go."
Georgia was certainly ready to go on Tuesday. After pitcher Lilli Backes and the defense shut down the Wildcats in the top of the first, the Bulldogs took control of the game in the bottom of the inning.
Goodnight, Georgia's leadoff hitter, slapped a single to right to kick off the frame. That prompted the Wildcats' first gathering in the circle, presumably to discuss how to deal with the speedy senior. She swiped second anyway for her 27th steal of the season.
Tyler Ellison followed that with a soft grounder back to the pitcher, Carson Fall, who threw to third to try to get Goodnight out, but she was safe and Ellison was safe at first. That put runners on the corners with nobody out, resulting in another gathering in the circle, this one with Lawson present.
Jaydyn Goodwin came to bat next, and before she could take a swing, Ellison stole second, putting runners on second and third. Goodwin then belted a two-run double to right field, scoring Goodnight and Ellison for a 2-0 lead.
That two-run double not only prompted another meeting with Lawson, the Wildcats also made a pitching change, bringing in Sarah Haendiges. Later in the inning, Emily Digby singled to left field, scoring Goodwin from third and putting the Bulldogs ahead 3-0.
"Having a three-run lead off the bat was a good cushion. It gave me some confidence out there. I think that was huge for us to come out swinging and score really early," said Backes, who allowed three hits and struck out six in five innings.
In the fourth, Georgia put together a big pile of singles to add to its lead. A one-out hit to left field by Marisa Miller got things started; Emma Castorri followed that with another single to left — and suddenly the Bulldogs had something cooking. Mua Williams followed that with a bloop single that dropped just inside the foul line behind first base. Mollie Mitchell, pinch-running for Miller, tried to score on the play but was thrown out at the plate.
Goodnight came to bat next and hit a bloop RBI double to shallow left-center field, scoring Castorri from second and pushing the lead to 4-0. That led to another Wildcat gathering in the circle and another pitching change, but it didn't matter.
Two batters later, Goodwin slapped a two-run single to left for a 6-0 lead. A dropped pop fly by the catcher right at home plate allowed Goodwin and Ellison to score and make it 8-0. Goodwin finished 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and four RBIs.
"Shorty did what Shorty does," Baldwin said of Goodwin, who is now second on the team with 44 RBIs, behind only Sarah Gordon's 46. Goodwin and Goodnight share the team lead with 43 runs scored.
Baldwin said he saw his team play "pretty free in our competitiveness, and we didn't make it a bigger deal that it is," referring to the tough ending to the regular season and the start of the postseason.
"At the end of the day, you can't do anything about what has happened," he added, "but you can take the lessons that we've learned and apply them. It is a fresh start, and every game is that way."
Tuesday's win was a great start to the SEC tournament, and the Bulldogs will get to start fresh again Wednesday.
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files.
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