2015 Georgia Softball Season Recap
June 24, 2015 | Softball
The Georgia softball team finished the 2015 season with an overall record of 44-17 that included a 14-9 mark in the Southeastern Conference. Following the regular season, the Bulldogs earned the No. 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament, allowing them to host their eighth Regional in Athens, Ga. After falling to Western Kentucky 2-1 in a 14-inning marathon game, Georgia fought its way back, winning the next three games to take the Regional championship. The Bulldogs won those three games in convincing fashion, outscoring their opponents 35-8.
Georgia faced a tough task in the NCAA Super Regional, as it needed to defeated third-seeded Michigan on its home turf. Georgia fell just shy of its third Women's College World Series appearance, as a late-inning rally fell short in Ann Arbor. Michigan went on to finish second in the Women's College World Series.
Georgia got off to a hot start, winning 24 of its first 27 games, including a win over No. 4/3 Oklahoma. Georgia also picked up a win over No. 5/5 Alabama. A 14-0 win over Georgia started a five-game win streak for the Bulldogs that included an SEC sweep of Arkansas.
The Bulldogs picked up series wins over No. 21/21 Missouri, Ole Miss and No. 17/19 Kentucky to finish out the regular season.
As a team offensively, Georgia set several program records. The 2015 hitters posted program-best marks in batting average (.343), runs scored (440) and on-base percentage (.420). The 554 hits were the fourth most in program-history and the most since 2006, while the 380 RBIs was the second-highest mark in school history and the best since 2011. The pitching staff finished with its lowest team ERA since 2012.
In addition to the team accomplishments, the Bulldogs had several players earn individual awards. Alex Hugo and Cortni Emanuel highlighted the award season, as each earned NFCA All-America honors. Emanuel was also a top-10 finalist for the USA Softball Freshman of the Year. Georgia put seven players on the NFCA All-Region team and had five All-SEC selections.
