University of Georgia
36-17, 17-12
Arkansas
37-16, 18-11
Georgia Beats Arkansas To Clinch Top Four Seed in SEC Tournament
May 18, 2018 | Baseball
ATHENS, Ga. --- Needing just one win in their final two games to clinch a top four seed and bye in next week's SEC tournament, the Georgia Bulldogs (36-17, 17-12 SEC) rallied in extra innings to beat the sixth ranked Arkansas Razorbacks 8-7 in dramatic fashion.
The top four finish in the SEC regular season marks the first time the Bulldogs will enter the tournament as such since the 2008 College World Series Finalist team won the SEC title. It was once again a high scoring affair between two of the top four offenses in the conference as the lead was exchanged three times in the opening three frames. The visiting Razorbacks, the SEC's top hitting team, struck first in the opening frame when leftfielder Heston Kjerstad rifled a two run homerun to right field.
The resilient Bulldogs picked up freshman starter Emerson Hancock who lasted just 1.1 innings, scoring four times in the bottom of the first. Aaron Schunk answered the Razorback two-run homer with a two-run homerun of his own to extend his hitting streak to 21 games. Then, the Bulldogs got run-scoring singles by Adam Sasser and Mason Meadows that capped the hit parade giving Georgia a 4-2 lead.
After trading solo runs in the second the Razorbacks pushed across three runs in the third inning off of Bulldog reliever Zac Kristofak, reclaiming a 6-5 lead. As the teams completed a scoreless fourth inning, inclement weather struck delaying the contest two hours and two minutes. The Bulldog bats picked up right where they left off after the stoppage in play and as play resumed in the fifth inning Michael Curry promptly put the Bulldogs ahead on a long two-run homer to left giving Georgia a 7-6 edge.
Freshman C.J. Smith assumed duties on the mound moving from center field after the rain delay and turned in three scoreless innings of work inducing two inning ending double plays but ran into trouble in the eighth inning. A Cody Martin double and an RBI groundout off Smith knotted the game at seven. With two outs in the inning the Bulldogs called upon closer Aaron Schunk who stranded the go-ahead run at third base. Schunk dazzled in relief limiting the Razorback offense to just one hit in 2.1 innings on the mound as the teams took their 7-7 affair to extra innings.
Senior Keegan McGovern led off the bottom of the 10th inning with a double that was ruled fair on the field and confirmed after replay review. Curry drew an intentional walk and Patrick Sullivan put down a sacrifice bunt. After an intentional walk to Shepherd to load the bases for second baseman LJ Talley. He delivered the game-winning hit on a clean single through the hole in the left side scoring McGovern giving the Bulldogs their 17th SEC victory of the year.
PLAYER INTERVIEWS
Dawg Tracks
-Aaron Schunk (1-for-4) extended his hit streak to 21 games the longest active hit streak in the SEC.
-With 61 runs scored Keegan McGovern leads the SEC.
- Schunk (2-1) dazzled in relief going 2.1 innings allowing just one hit striking out three.
-The Bulldogs 17 SEC wins are the most since 2008 when the Bulldogs won 20 conference games.
-LJ Talley (2-for-5) recorded his second walk-off of the season, his first a sac-fly against Toledo.
Coach's Corner
Ike Cousins Head Baseball Coach Scott Stricklin
On getting a huge SEC victory:
"That's a big time win for us, we needed it. Last night was a tough loss, it was a long day. Our kids just found a way to win. C.J. Smith was great for us keeping them at bay, that's a great offense and this was an awesome, awesome win."
On the rain delay:
"The rain delay allowed both teams to kind of loosen up a little bit neither team was locked in. All the pitchers weren't having a great day, we went in re-grouped and started playing a little better."
On earning top four seed in the SEC:
"It's pretty thrilling for all of us to be a top four seed in this league and I'm pretty sure have locked up a regional host and now we're securely in that conversation for a national seed and securing this series will go along way in cementing that. We've worked really hard everybody on this staff, everyone in this program everyone in this administration for one goal to get this program where it needs to be."
Player's Perspective
Sophomore 3B/Closer Aaron Schunk
On the gameplan versus a tough lineup…
"I just told the guys we have a lot to play for and to leave it all out on the field. On the mound my mentality was just to shut it down and not give them any freebies. Coach (Sean) Kenny and Mason had good pitch calling and I was able to locate where I needed to. I was able to locate fastballs really well inside and that worked well for us."
On clinching a top four SEC seed…
"Fighting for a spot to go to Hoover last year to being locked into at least a four seed is a big momentum push for our team and shows we can make a run going to the postseason and that we are a really good baseball team with a lot to play for."
Next Up
The Bulldogs (36-17, 17-12) will conclude their regular season with the a rubber match versus the Razorbacks Satirdau with first pitch of scheduled for 12:02 pm on the SEC Network. Senior Day recognition for five Bulldogs will begin at 11:40 a.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Schunk, Aaron (2-1)
L: Barrett Loseke (2-2)
Batting:
2B: Casey Martin 1 ; Grant Koch 1 ; Jack Kenley 1
HR: Heston Kjerstad 1
RBI: Eric Cole 2 ; Heston Kjerstad 3 ; Jared Gates 1 ; Jack Kenley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Eric Cole 2 ; Heston Kjerstad 1 ; Dominic Fletcher 1 ; Grant Koch 2 ; Jack Kenley 1
SB: Luke Bonfield 1
HBP: Heston Kjerstad 1
Batting:
2B: McGovern, Keegan 1 ; Webb, Mitchell 1
HR: Schunk, Aaron 1 ; Curry, Michael 1
RBI: Schunk, Aaron 3 ; Curry, Michael 2 ; Sasser, Adam 1 ; Talley, LJ 1 ; Meadows, Mason 1
SH: Smith, C.J. 1 ; Sullivan, Patrick 1 ; Maxwell, Tucker 1
SF: Schunk, Aaron 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Smith, C.J. 1 ; Schunk, Aaron 1 ; McGovern, Keegan 3 ; Curry, Michael 1 ; Sasser, Adam 1 ; Webb, Mitchell 1
