University of Georgia Athletics
Photo by: Conor Dillon/UGAAA
Bulldogs Cruise Past Clemson 16-4 in Exhibition
October 18, 2026 | Baseball
ATHENS-----Georgia cruised past Clemson 16-4 in an 18-inning scrimmage Sunday at Foley Field in front of a crowd of 818.
The Bulldogs hit six home runs while the pitching staff combined for 22 strikeouts and only three walks. Georgia got a pair of home runs from first baseman Naulivou Lauaki, Jr., and one each from second baseman Mathew Farner, catchers Hunter Carns and Hayden Blair and third baseman Mikey Bell.
A total of 12 Bulldog pitchers saw action Sunday with sophomore Marcos Paz getting the start. He pitched two innings and allowed one run on one hit with two walks and three strikeouts. Then, Cristofer Cespedes, Luke Howe and Finn Edwards provided two scoreless innings apiece followed by a scoreless frame by Paul Farley as the Bulldogs built an 8-1 lead through the first nine innings.
The Tigers scored a run on a wild pitch in the second before the Bulldogs exploded for three runs in the fifth and sixth frames and added two more in the ninth. Farner got Georgia on the board with a solo shot to tie the contest in the fifth. Then, shortstop Casey McCoy put Georgia in front for good with an RBI-single. Carns followed with a run-scoring single for a 3-1 advantage in the fifth.
In the sixth, Georgia put two on after a walk to Jet Gilliam and a hit by pitch on Mikey Bell. Lauaki Jr. came to the plate and blasted a three-run shot to the trees in left field to make it 6-1. In the ninth, Georgia added two runs without a hit on a couple of bases-loaded walks.
In the 11th, Blair smashed a three-run shot off the light tower in right field. Bell and Naulivou smacked back-to-back home runs in the 12th. Carns led off the bottom of the 17th with a solo home run, and Georgia added two more runs in the 18th for the final.
Georgia's 15-hit attack was paced by Bell who finished the day 5-for-9 with three runs scored and two RBI while Lauaki was 3-for-9 with two home runs and four RBI.
Also, of note, Georgia got two scoreless innings from Cooper Walls, Gio Colasante and Joe Nottingham. Walls struck out three while Colasante struck out four of the eight hitters he faced. Freshman Matthew Sharman struck out three in two innings, scattering one run on four hits.
Georgia will face Walters State in an 18-inning scrimmage next Sunday at Foley Field. Admission is free again.
Ike Cousins Head Baseball Coach Wes Johnson
On the depth on this year's team…
"We're a little banged up. We don't have Henry Allen. We don't have Gio [Colasante] in the field, no Jake [Hanley], no Jack [Arcamone]. Those four guys didn't play today. It does make you feel good about your depth. You get those four guys in there, along with what you saw today. We have another freshman, Miles Young, who hurt his hand the other day. He's having a really good fall. I could've played him defensively today, but I didn't need to. We might see him next week. I think he's cleared to start hitting Tuesday, so maybe we'll get to see him against Walters. Overall, we did a good job of pounding the strike zone, and I liked how we performed against another opponent for the first time this fall."
On Naulivou Lauaki Jr. at first base…
"He's good at third too. With Jake Hanley being out, Mikey [Bell] can play third and can play second really well. Junior [Lauaki] can play either side. Junior's played some right field in some scrimmages. He'll fool you out there, he's really good. Jet [Gilliam] can really cover ground in center, so if you have a guy like Jet out there, you can put a Junior in right field."
#5 Mikey Bell | Gr. | INF
On being vocal on the field...
"I think for me it helps me to stay engaged on each pitch, especially on defense. It can get kind of monotonous, especially in an 18-inning game. I think it keeps confidence in the pitcher, knowing I'm behind him and keeps the other guys alert, so I try to direct a little bit of traffic when I can."
#27 Marcos Paz | So. | RHP
On the scrimmage…
"It was great. We've been playing each other for a long time now. Just getting to compete against somebody else and see where we stack up, even though we have another three or four months. But it was really fun to compete."
The Bulldogs hit six home runs while the pitching staff combined for 22 strikeouts and only three walks. Georgia got a pair of home runs from first baseman Naulivou Lauaki, Jr., and one each from second baseman Mathew Farner, catchers Hunter Carns and Hayden Blair and third baseman Mikey Bell.
A total of 12 Bulldog pitchers saw action Sunday with sophomore Marcos Paz getting the start. He pitched two innings and allowed one run on one hit with two walks and three strikeouts. Then, Cristofer Cespedes, Luke Howe and Finn Edwards provided two scoreless innings apiece followed by a scoreless frame by Paul Farley as the Bulldogs built an 8-1 lead through the first nine innings.
The Tigers scored a run on a wild pitch in the second before the Bulldogs exploded for three runs in the fifth and sixth frames and added two more in the ninth. Farner got Georgia on the board with a solo shot to tie the contest in the fifth. Then, shortstop Casey McCoy put Georgia in front for good with an RBI-single. Carns followed with a run-scoring single for a 3-1 advantage in the fifth.
In the sixth, Georgia put two on after a walk to Jet Gilliam and a hit by pitch on Mikey Bell. Lauaki Jr. came to the plate and blasted a three-run shot to the trees in left field to make it 6-1. In the ninth, Georgia added two runs without a hit on a couple of bases-loaded walks.
In the 11th, Blair smashed a three-run shot off the light tower in right field. Bell and Naulivou smacked back-to-back home runs in the 12th. Carns led off the bottom of the 17th with a solo home run, and Georgia added two more runs in the 18th for the final.
Georgia's 15-hit attack was paced by Bell who finished the day 5-for-9 with three runs scored and two RBI while Lauaki was 3-for-9 with two home runs and four RBI.
Also, of note, Georgia got two scoreless innings from Cooper Walls, Gio Colasante and Joe Nottingham. Walls struck out three while Colasante struck out four of the eight hitters he faced. Freshman Matthew Sharman struck out three in two innings, scattering one run on four hits.
Georgia will face Walters State in an 18-inning scrimmage next Sunday at Foley Field. Admission is free again.
Ike Cousins Head Baseball Coach Wes Johnson
On the depth on this year's team…
"We're a little banged up. We don't have Henry Allen. We don't have Gio [Colasante] in the field, no Jake [Hanley], no Jack [Arcamone]. Those four guys didn't play today. It does make you feel good about your depth. You get those four guys in there, along with what you saw today. We have another freshman, Miles Young, who hurt his hand the other day. He's having a really good fall. I could've played him defensively today, but I didn't need to. We might see him next week. I think he's cleared to start hitting Tuesday, so maybe we'll get to see him against Walters. Overall, we did a good job of pounding the strike zone, and I liked how we performed against another opponent for the first time this fall."
On Naulivou Lauaki Jr. at first base…
"He's good at third too. With Jake Hanley being out, Mikey [Bell] can play third and can play second really well. Junior [Lauaki] can play either side. Junior's played some right field in some scrimmages. He'll fool you out there, he's really good. Jet [Gilliam] can really cover ground in center, so if you have a guy like Jet out there, you can put a Junior in right field."
#5 Mikey Bell | Gr. | INF
On being vocal on the field...
"I think for me it helps me to stay engaged on each pitch, especially on defense. It can get kind of monotonous, especially in an 18-inning game. I think it keeps confidence in the pitcher, knowing I'm behind him and keeps the other guys alert, so I try to direct a little bit of traffic when I can."
#27 Marcos Paz | So. | RHP
On the scrimmage…
"It was great. We've been playing each other for a long time now. Just getting to compete against somebody else and see where we stack up, even though we have another three or four months. But it was really fun to compete."
Players Mentioned
Wednesday, June 17
Wednesday, June 17
Monday, June 15
Sunday, June 14