University of Georgia Athletics
University of Georgia
12-2
Presbyterian
6-7
Two Grand Slams Lead Georgia Past PC
March 08, 2019 | Baseball
ATHENS, Ga. – Ninth-ranked Georgia tied a school record with a pair of grand slams as part of an offensive highlight reel in a 17-0 victory against Presbyterian College Friday at Foley Field.
Sophomore right-hander Emerson Hancock worked six shutout innings against the Blue Hose after escaping a bases-loaded situation in the first inning. Hancock notched eight strikeouts to bring his season total to 25 and improved his record to 4-0. Sophomore Darryn Pasqua tossed two scoreless frames. Junior Christian Ryder took care of the ninth as the Bulldogs ran their record to 12-2 while the Blue Hose dropped to 6-7.
Georgia graduate transfer John Cable started the game as the Bulldogs' designated hitter and ignited the offense in the second inning with a double to center field. Cable scored on a single by freshman Randon Jernigan (2-for-2, 3 runs). An RBI double by junior center fielder Tucker Maxwell capped the Bulldogs' offensive effort for the inning. Junior third baseman Aaron Schunk homered to left field to extend Georgia's lead in the third inning to 3-0.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth inning, sophomore right fielder Riley King knocked a ball over the left field fence for his first career grand slam and third home run of the season and an 8-0 advantage. The Bulldogs loaded the bases again in the bottom of the fifth inning to set the stage for Maxwell (2-for-2, 6 RBI). The junior from Dawsonville, Georgia, launched a ball to right field for his first career grand slam and 11th career home run. The Bulldogs added seven runs in the fifth and single runs in the sixth and seventh for the final.
Dawg Tracks
- Sophomore Riley King notched his first career grand slam and third home run of the season in the bottom of the fourth inning as part of a career-high 5 RBI day.
- Junior Tucker Maxwell hit his first career grand slam and 11th career home run in the bottom of the fifth inning as he tallied a career-high six RBI.
- This is the fourth game in Georgia Bulldog history with two grand slams (1982 against Vanderbilt, 1987 against Georgia College and 2009 against Ohio State in an NCAA Regional game in Tallahassee, Fla.).
- Graduate transfer John Cable, juniors Tucker Maxwell and Aaron Schunk each extended hitting streaks to four games.
Coach's Corner
Ike Cousins Head Baseball Coach Scott Stricklin
Player's Perspective
Sophomore RF Riley King
On the team's approach...
"In the past couple days, I would say the midweek games, Coach [Stricklin] really talked about it that. we kind of looked a little timid going up to the plate, so I think really all of us just went up there with a lot of aggression. Just looking to damage balls. That was what Coach has been preaching over this past week. Don't worry about the outcome, just go up there, be aggressive, and obviously, swing at the right pitches, but be aggressive at the same time. I think we came out with that. It worked for us well."
On his first career grand slam...
"Going up to the plate, I told myself to just be as confident as I can. I went up there, like I said, Coach has been emphasizing aggressiveness, so I was going up there trying to be as aggressive as I can, see my pitch, hit it. It happened to get away."
On how well the team is seeing the ball going into a doubleheader tomorrow...
"For sure. It's going to be a long day tomorrow, but again it's a fresh start. It's a 0-0 ballgame. These runs don't carry over tomorrow, so we've got to come out with the same aggression, same confidence and good things should work out."
Junior CF Tucker Maxwell
On his approach at the plate...
"Just looking for pitches that I can drive up the middle, and they just happen in pitches that I can get my barrel out in front of them."
On the team's focus today...
"We were just trying to focus more on each individual pitch. If we have one bad at bat, we're just trying to move on. We're trying to pick out the goods from the previous games."
On what the team did best today...
"The other day, we pulled up some stats, and our bases-loaded statistics were weren't very good. We weren't very good with bases loaded, and today I think we had 11 RBIs with bases loaded, and we're just trying to get better each and every day with what we do."
Sophomore RHP Emerson Hancock
On his approach to another great start...
"Just go out there, try to fill up the zone, try to get ahead early and just let the guys behind me play."
On whether pitching with a big lead affects the psyche...
"I think maybe it relaxes you a little bit, but you've still got to go out there, still got to fill up the zone, still got to try to limit the walks and just try to pitch to contact."
Up Next
Georgia completes the three-game series against the Blue Hose with a doubleheader Saturday at Foley Field. First pitch of game one is set for noon and game two will begin 30 minutes after the end of game one.
Follow the Dawgs
For the latest on Georgia baseball, follow the Georgia baseball team on twitter (@baseballuga), Instagram (baseballuga), and Facebook (Georgia Baseball).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hancock, Emerson (4-0)
L: MILES, Eric (1-1)
Base Running:
CS: WHITE, Jonathan 1 ; JONES, Garrett 1
HBP: WHITE, Jonathan 1 ; MATTHEWS, Luke 1
Batting:
2B: Tate, Connor 1 ; Biggar, Austin 1 ; Cable, John 1 ; Maxwell, Tucker 1
HR: King, Riley 1 ; Schunk, Aaron 1 ; Maxwell, Tucker 1
RBI: King, Riley 5 ; Schunk, Aaron 1 ; Biggar, Austin 3 ; Jernigan, Randon 1 ; Maxwell, Tucker 6 ; Smith, C.J. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Shepherd, Cam 1 ; King, Riley 2 ; Schunk, Aaron 1 ; Talley, LJ 1 ; Meadows, Mason 1 ; Biggar, Austin 1 ; Cable, John 3 ; Sullivan, Patrick 1 ; Jernigan, Randon 3 ; Rogers, Chaney 1 ; Maxwell, Tucker 2
SB: Jernigan, Randon 1
HBP: King, Riley 1 ; Rogers, Chaney 1 ; Maxwell, Tucker 1
