University of Georgia
Tennessee State
No. 15/17 Georgia Defeats Tennessee State 8-3
March 12, 2014 | Softball
March 12, 2014
ATHENS, Ga. - In its final test before the start of Southeastern Conference play, the No. 15/17 Georgia softball team defeated Tennessee State 8-3 on Wednesday, March 12 at Jack Turner Stadium in Athens, Ga. With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 22-2 on the year, while Tennessee State dropped to 12-16 overall.
Chelsea Wilkinson got the win to improve her record to 12-2 on the year. She allowed three runs on two hits and three walks on her way to a complete-game performance. She also struck out 11 batters. Hannah St. Clair took the loss to fall to 2-4 overall. She allowed one run on two hits in two innings of work. Olivia Gamache saw 1.2 innings in the circle, giving up six runs on six hits, two walks and two hit batters. Shea Morris was the third TSU pitcher to see time in the circle, throwing the final 2.1 innings. She allowed one run on three hits and one walk. TSU pitchers also hit three Georgia batters.
Kaylee Puailoa and Samantha LaZear led the offense on the day, each going three-for-three. Puailoa had two doubles in the game and drove in two runs, while LaZear scored twice.
Georgia struck first, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Puailoa led off the inning with a single through the right side. A sacrifice bunt moved pinch runner Niaja Griffin to second and brought Katie Browne to the plate. With a runner at second, Browne grounded out to short, but Griffin showed off her speed, coming home on the play to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.
Wilkinson cruised through the top of the third, striking out the side. For the third-straight inning, Georgia got its leadoff runner aboard as LaZear beat the throw from short for an infield single. Anna Swafford followed with a fielder's choice but the throw to second was high and rolled deep into center, allowing LaZear to score and Swafford to move to third. With a runner at third, Wilson singled to third, allowing Swafford to come home to make it a 3-0 game. A bunt single by Alex Hugo put two on for Puailoa, who doubled off the wall in left, scoring Wilson and Hugo to make it a 5-0 game. After a walk, the final two outs were recorded, ending the inning with Georgia up 5-0.
Tennessee State got its first hit of the game in the top of the fourth, but Wilkinson got the final batter to strike out swinging to end the inning. The strikeout was her 112th of the season, which tied her season total from a year ago.
Georgia tacked on two runs in the bottom of the fourth to extend its lead to 7-0. LaZear singled up the middle, allowing the leadoff runner to reach for the fourth time. After stealing second and third, LaZear was able to score on an errant throw by the catcher that sailed into left field, giving Georgia a 6-0 lead. After a pair of hit batsmen and a sacrifice bunt, Maeve McGuire delivered an RBI-single to short that scored Swafford and made it a 7-0 game.
Tennessee State got on the board in the top of the fifth. After a pair of walks put runners on, Lindsey Burgess hit a home run to left that made it a 7-3 game.
The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Puailoa led off the inning with her second double of the game. Two batters later, she came home on a RBI groundout off the bat of Browne, giving Georgia an 8-3 lead.
Wilkinson retired the final three Tennessee State batters in order to seal Georgia's 8-3 win.
Georgia returns to action this weekend, March 14-16, when it opens Southeastern Conference play against Mississippi State at Jack Turner Stadium in Athens, Ga. First pitch for the series opener on Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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