Georgia only needed seven innings to run-rule UNC Asheville and complete a sweep, winning 10-0 on a combined two-hitter Sunday at Foley Field.
The Bulldogs (3-0) scored ten runs on ten hits, three doubles, and nine walks. Georgia sophomore right-hander Leighton Finley (1-0) and graduate Josh Roberge did not walk a batter and combined to strike out eight. Finley provided four innings of one-hit ball while Roberge took care of the final three frames.
Junior John Marant ignited the offense in the second inning, lining a double off of the top of the wall in left-center for his first career hit in a Georgia uniform. Graduate Dillion Carter followed with a two-out rope through the left side of the infield, allowing Marant to score for the first run of the game. Junior Slate Alford followed with a sharp single up the middle, driving in Carter to extend the lead to 2-0.
Georgia rode the carousel in the bottom of the third inning, batting around the order while stacking up five more runs including four that crossed the plate on bases loaded walks. Carter initiated the scoring in consecutive innings, working the first bases-loaded walk to bring in senior Corey Collins. Sophomore Charlie Condon registered the lone hit in the inning, and RBI-single as the Bulldogs built a 7-0 advantage. Condon made a tremendous diving catch on a ball in foul territory, ending up in the Ashville bullpen as he recorded the final out of the top of the sixth.
“There’s been a lot of hype around the ‘new era,’ were trying to show off, and I think that’s what we did this weekend,” said Condon. “We have a fire power offense. There’s not a weak link in this lineup.”
In the bottom of the fourth, junior Henry Hunter recorded his first hit as a Bulldog, one-hopping the right-center field fence for a stand-up double. Carter walked in his second consecutive at-bat; Alford followed with a single up the middle, driving in another run for Alford’s third RBI of the day. Condon recorded his third hit of the game, this one registering 115 miles per hour off of the pitcher Justin Needles, allowing Carter to score on an errant throw from Needles to first. Graduate Paul Toetz provided pinch-hit walk-off single, driving in Kolby Branch to make it 10-0. .
“The biggest challenge with a team in this game being consistent,” Ike Cousins Head Coach Wes Johnson. “It can be easy to look at a series after two games and decide we’re not going to be consistent or we’re going to take things for granted, but you just can’t in this game. We didn’t walk anyone today. that always makes a pitching coach really happy.”
Asheville dropped to 0-3 on the year. Robbie Burnett and Cameron Johnson had one hit apiece while Clay Edmondson got the loss, allowing seven runs on four hits over 2.2 innings.
Up next, Georgia travels to Atlanta on Tuesday to challenge Georgia State. The game is slated for 3 p.m. start and be available on the Georgia Bulldog Sports Network
©2024 Cox Media Group
Sign Up
