University of Georgia Athletics
Bulldogs Show A Different Kind Of Strength
May 31, 2026 | Baseball, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Georgia had its hands full Sunday night at Foley Field, both with Liberty's Cooper Harrington, who pitched one heck of a game in his first outing of more than three innings since March 21, and with a situation that developed in the sixth inning. To do with both, and earn their way into this week's Super Regional, the third-seeded Bulldogs needed to keep their heads about them and show a different kind of strength from the one that has made them an offensive machine with 165 home runs.
The Flames' regular closer with 14 saves, including one on Friday of the NCAA Athens Regional, Harrington started Sunday in a must-win game for Liberty, and held the Bulldogs' powerhouse lineup to one hit through 5.1 innings. And then a whole lot of things happened before Georgia pulled out a 6-1 win.
With one away in the bottom of the sixth and Liberty leading 1-0, Harrington hit Ryan Black with a pitch to put a runner on. Then, Tre Phelps, on the eighth pitch of his at-bat, hit a two-run home run that barely cleared the wall in left field to put Georgia ahead 2-1.
However, Phelps was tossed out of the game after his home-run trot for what was deemed taunting. Wes Johnson, Georgia's Ike Cousins Head Baseball Coach, was also thrown out for arguing on behalf of his player. The roar of cheers in the stadium quickly changed to boos.
Johnson said in the postgame news conference that Phelps was waving to his family, which was sitting above the visitors' dugout, as he made his way toward first base, not taunting Liberty's team. Because of the ejection, Phelps will have to miss the first game of Georgia's Super Regional series against No. 14 Mississippi State next weekend, while Johnson will "have no further penalties," he said.
Losing the head coach and a first-team All-SEC player and leader at such a critical juncture might have been Georgia's undoing, but this team isn't built like that. This is a close-knit, experienced squad, and it responded like one.
Reliever Zach Brown took over on the mound for Georgia to start the seventh, replacing Caden Aoki, who pitched a gem, allowing a run on six hits in six innings, with 11 strikeouts and one walk. Brown allowed a single in the seventh, but Liberty never threatened.
Liberty pulled Harrington in the bottom of the seventh after giving up a single, a successful sacrifice bunt, and then a hit batter, bringing in Tyler August to pitch. August got out of the jam, but not the next one.
Brown had a 1-2-3 inning in the eighth, and then the Bulldogs got going offensively. Michael O'Shaughnessy, who replaced Phelps at third base, hit a one-out home run to right field. That was followed by a Daniel Jackson double to center field and then a Rylan Lujo double to left that scored Jackson, pushing the lead to 4-1.
"Everyone in the dugout, all the hitters, support each other and tell each other to keep going. We knew it was only a matter of time before our offense got going, and it was all about keeping our foot on the gas and keep going," Jackson said.
Matt Porter replaced August on the mound for Liberty at that point, and then walked Brennan Hudson and Kenny Ishikawa to load the bases for Ryan Wynn. One of Georgia's most productive players throughout the Athens Regional, Wynn delivered again, hitting a two-run single to right that scored Lujo and Hudson for a 6-1 lead.
A junior who played two seasons at Wofford before transferring to Georgia, Wynn hit three home runs, scored six times and drove in seven runs over three games in the regional. Wynn was one of eight Bulldogs to make the Athens Regional All-Tournament team, and Hudson was named the Most Outstanding Player.
In the top of the ninth, Brown got a pair of ground ball outs and then struck out the final batter to seal the win and earn the save. In three innings of relief, Brown allowed a hit and struck out two, with no walks. After the chaos that followed Phelps' homer, Brown and the Bulldogs showed their strength by settling down and getting back to work.
Not every team would have handled the situation as well as Georgia did. But then again, these Bulldogs, winners of six straight games and 17 of their last 18, have been doing special things all season.
"I thought the game was, man, one to remember," Johnson said.
No doubt about it.
Staff Writer
Georgia had its hands full Sunday night at Foley Field, both with Liberty's Cooper Harrington, who pitched one heck of a game in his first outing of more than three innings since March 21, and with a situation that developed in the sixth inning. To do with both, and earn their way into this week's Super Regional, the third-seeded Bulldogs needed to keep their heads about them and show a different kind of strength from the one that has made them an offensive machine with 165 home runs.
The Flames' regular closer with 14 saves, including one on Friday of the NCAA Athens Regional, Harrington started Sunday in a must-win game for Liberty, and held the Bulldogs' powerhouse lineup to one hit through 5.1 innings. And then a whole lot of things happened before Georgia pulled out a 6-1 win.
With one away in the bottom of the sixth and Liberty leading 1-0, Harrington hit Ryan Black with a pitch to put a runner on. Then, Tre Phelps, on the eighth pitch of his at-bat, hit a two-run home run that barely cleared the wall in left field to put Georgia ahead 2-1.
However, Phelps was tossed out of the game after his home-run trot for what was deemed taunting. Wes Johnson, Georgia's Ike Cousins Head Baseball Coach, was also thrown out for arguing on behalf of his player. The roar of cheers in the stadium quickly changed to boos.
Johnson said in the postgame news conference that Phelps was waving to his family, which was sitting above the visitors' dugout, as he made his way toward first base, not taunting Liberty's team. Because of the ejection, Phelps will have to miss the first game of Georgia's Super Regional series against No. 14 Mississippi State next weekend, while Johnson will "have no further penalties," he said.
Losing the head coach and a first-team All-SEC player and leader at such a critical juncture might have been Georgia's undoing, but this team isn't built like that. This is a close-knit, experienced squad, and it responded like one.
Reliever Zach Brown took over on the mound for Georgia to start the seventh, replacing Caden Aoki, who pitched a gem, allowing a run on six hits in six innings, with 11 strikeouts and one walk. Brown allowed a single in the seventh, but Liberty never threatened.
Liberty pulled Harrington in the bottom of the seventh after giving up a single, a successful sacrifice bunt, and then a hit batter, bringing in Tyler August to pitch. August got out of the jam, but not the next one.
Brown had a 1-2-3 inning in the eighth, and then the Bulldogs got going offensively. Michael O'Shaughnessy, who replaced Phelps at third base, hit a one-out home run to right field. That was followed by a Daniel Jackson double to center field and then a Rylan Lujo double to left that scored Jackson, pushing the lead to 4-1.
"Everyone in the dugout, all the hitters, support each other and tell each other to keep going. We knew it was only a matter of time before our offense got going, and it was all about keeping our foot on the gas and keep going," Jackson said.
Matt Porter replaced August on the mound for Liberty at that point, and then walked Brennan Hudson and Kenny Ishikawa to load the bases for Ryan Wynn. One of Georgia's most productive players throughout the Athens Regional, Wynn delivered again, hitting a two-run single to right that scored Lujo and Hudson for a 6-1 lead.
A junior who played two seasons at Wofford before transferring to Georgia, Wynn hit three home runs, scored six times and drove in seven runs over three games in the regional. Wynn was one of eight Bulldogs to make the Athens Regional All-Tournament team, and Hudson was named the Most Outstanding Player.
In the top of the ninth, Brown got a pair of ground ball outs and then struck out the final batter to seal the win and earn the save. In three innings of relief, Brown allowed a hit and struck out two, with no walks. After the chaos that followed Phelps' homer, Brown and the Bulldogs showed their strength by settling down and getting back to work.
Not every team would have handled the situation as well as Georgia did. But then again, these Bulldogs, winners of six straight games and 17 of their last 18, have been doing special things all season.
"I thought the game was, man, one to remember," Johnson said.
No doubt about it.
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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