#7 Georgia Begins Regional Play Friday

#7 Georgia (43-11)
vs. Harvard (23-16)
Dates: May 18-20, 2018
Opening Game Times: 2:30 p.m., EDT
Location: Athens, Ga.
Stadium: Jack Turner Stadium

Media Information
TV: SEC Network
Streaming Video: SEC Network+/ESPN app
Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com
Twitter Updates: @UGAsoftball

NCAA Athens Regional Website

#7 Georgia has been selected to host the 2018 NCAA Athens Regional. Georgia will host California, Northwestern, and Harvard in the four-team, double elimination tournament beginning Friday, May 18 at Jack Turner Stadium. Georgia will play Harvard Friday at 2:30 p.m., EDT, on the SEC Network. The tournament will kick off Friday between Northwestern and California at 12 p.m. on ESPNU.

The winner of the Athens Regional will take on the winner of the Knoxville Regional, hosted by Tennessee, next weekend.

Follow the Bulldogs
» Georgia's opening game of the Athens Regional will air nationally on the SEC Network. Alex Loeb will provide play-by-play while Megan Willis will provide analysis.
» Every game will stream online on the SEC Network+ and via the ESPN app. » Every game of the SEC Tournament will air on SiriusXM SEC Radio channel 374.
» Live stats will be available. Live stat links can be found on the softball schedule at GeorgiaDogs.com.
» Live Twitter updates will be available all season long at @UGAsoftball.

Bulldog Bulletin
NCAA Tournament Tidbits
» Georgia softball will make its 17th-consecutive NCAA Regional appearance this weekend.
» Georgia is 62-35 all-time in NCAA Tournament action, advancing to nine Super Regionals and three Women's College World Series. The 2009 and 2010 seasons saw the Bulldogs advance to the Final Four.
» In Regional action alone, Georgia is 45-17
» Athens will be host to its 10th NCAA Regional Tournament. Athens has hosted four Super Regionals in the past.
» In Athens, Georgia is 35-11in NCAA Tournament play; in just home Regional action, UGA is 30-7.
» Four current Bulldogs were part of the team that last hosted an NCAA Regional (2016): Cortni Emanuel, Brittany Gray, Alyssa DiCarlo, and Kylie Bass
» The Bulldogs faced 14 total teams in this season's NCAA Tournament field and posted a 23-10 record against said teams.

Series Histories
Cal - Georgia lead 2-1
» Georgia hosted Cal in the 2010 Super Regional, winning the series in two games and advancing to a second-straight WCWS.
Northwestern - Georgia leads 5-1
» Georgia has won the last five meetings including a Regional game in Athens in 2016
Harvard - First Meeting

Harris-Champer Named SEC Coach of the Year
Lu Harris-Champer, who wins her third SEC Coach of the Year honor (2003, 2005) guided the Bulldogs to a 43-10 regular-season record, finishing second in the SEC with a 16-8 clip. Georgia's second-place exceeded expectations as the Bulldogs were picked to finish ninth in the Preseason Poll, finishing in last place a season ago. Georgia won seven of eight conference series including wins over then #2 Florida, #7 Tennessee, and #17 Alabama. The Bulldogs opened the season 26-1, the best start in school history, including a 25-game winning streak to tie the program record. 2018 is the 16th40-win season under Harris-Champer. Georgia's 16 SEC wins are the most since 2012 (17). The Bulldogs are expected to make their 17th-consecutive NCAA Regional appearance this month.

Four Bulldogs Earn All-SEC Honors
Pitcher Brittany Gray, infielder Alyssa DiCarlo, and outfielder Cortni Emanuel earned First Team All-SEC accolades while infielder Justice Milz earned Second Team honors. The honors for Gray and Milz are firsts in their careers while Emanuel earns her fourth (All-Freshman Team in 2015, Second Team in 2016, then First Team in 2017). It's the third-straight for DiCarlo (First Team, All-Freshman in 2016; Second Team in 2017).

Emanuel, DiCarlo Names Top 25 Finalists for USA Softball Player of the Year
Cortni Emanuel and Alyssa DiCarlo were named two of 25 finalists for the 2018 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award. 2018 is the second time Georgia has landed two on the finalist list, the other being 2015 (Alex Hugo, Paige Wilson). Georgia has had six top-25 finalists for the award in the program's history. Alisa Goler (2009) is Georgia's lone top-10 finalist. The 2018 season is Emanuel's second-straight season on the list.

Gray, Emanuel Selected in NPF Draft
Seniors Brittany Gray and Cortni Emanuel were drafted in the 2018 National Pro Fastpitch Draft Monday evening. Gray was selected by the Beijing Shougang Eagles as the 14th pick while Emanuel was selected as the 23rd pick by the USSSA Pride.

Gray and Emanuel become the 12th and 13th Georgia Bulldogs to be drafted in the NPF. Gray is the highest pick out of Georgia since Chelsea Wilkenson was taken as the 14th pick in 2016. 2016 was also the last time Georgia had two student-athletes drafted in the same year.

Shout-outs for Shutouts
The Georgia pitching staff has recorded 21 shutouts in 2018. UGA's record for shutouts in a season is 33 set in 2003. Georgia's 20 shutouts ranks tied for fifth-most all time. UGA had 20 in 2009 and 2015.

The Bulldogs recorded six-consecutive shutouts from Feb. 17-24, tying a program record set twice, first in 2003 then again in 2016.

DiCarLONG Ball
Junior Alyssa DiCarlo has knocked a team-leading 16 home runs this season, cracking Georgia's single-season top-10 list. In her career, she ranks 10th all-time with 40 home runs. She has recorded three two-home run games this season, bringing her career total to five. Her 16 is a career-high in a season for the Arizona native.

She has also cracked the career list with 185 RBI. With 58 this season, she is six shy of reaching the single-season list. She is tied for seventh with 64 RBI last season.

Down But Not Out
Georgia has come back to win five games when trailing after six innings this season. Three wins have been on the road while comebacks at home have been against Florida and Alabama.

In the road series at Mississippi State, Georgia found itself down a run in the top seventh with two out in every game. The Bulldogs either tied or took a lead in each game with one out left, winning games Friday and Sunday.

Emanuel Joins Greatness
In the Apr. 8 game against Missouri, Cortni Emanuel recorded her 300th career hit. She becomes only the third Georgia player with 300 career hits, joining Nicole Barber and Kim Wendland. She moved into second all-time during the Alabama series. She is also only one of four with over 200 runs scored at Georgia.

Winning Series is Key
Georgia won seven of eight Southeastern Conference series played. Georgia won all but one league series in 2006, a season after winning all 10 series in 2005. Game three of the series has been a rubber game in four of seven SEC series. Georgia won the opening game of the series six times.

A Power-Packed Offense
At the plate, Georgia leads the SEC in four offensive categories including batting average (.335), slugging (.516), hits (481), and total bases (740).

In the country, Georgia's team batting average ranks third while slugging ranks eighth and coming in 11th in on base pct. and 16th in scoring (6.04 runs/game).

There's No Place Like The Jack
Georgia has played 35 games at Jack Turner Stadium this season, winning 31 of said contests. 2018 is Georgia's first 30-win season at home since 2014 (35-6). It's the ninth 30-win home season.

The most wins at home was in 2011 when the Bulldogs won 38 games at Jack Turner Stadium.

Solid in the Circle
The Georgia pitching staff has been sharp this season, recording a 1.60 ERA. Georgia's ERA is fourth-best in the SEC and 11th in the nation. The staff has struck out 361 opposing hitters, and putting 21 shutouts in the books. Georgia's strikeout total ranks third in the league.

University of Georgia Athletics

Players Mentioned

Kylie Bass

Alyssa DiCarlo

Cortni Emanuel

Brittany Gray

Justice Milz

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