University of Georgia Athletics
Friday, February 12
Athens, Ga.
2:00 p.m.
University of Georgia
8
vs
3
South Alabama
No. 14 Bulldogs Split Opening Day with South Alabama
February 12, 2021 | Softball
ATHENS, Ga. – The University of Georgia softball team split a doubleheader with South Alabama on opening day at Jack Turner Stadium.
Georgia defeated the Jaguars in the opener 8-3. The Bulldogs mounted a seventh-inning comeback in the nightcap, but the late push fell short, falling 9-8.
Georgia 8, South Alabama 3
Graduate Mary-Wilson Avant (1-0) started in the circle for the Bulldogs in game one of the twin bill. Avant completed six innings, recording 12 strikeouts, giving up three runs on five hits.
At the plate, sophomore Sydney Kuma tallied two hits with two RBI. Georgia out-hit South Alabama 7-5.
After a scoreless first, senior Tyler Armistead ignited the Bulldog offense with a single to lead off the bottom of the second frame. Senior Jessica Morgan drew a walk to get reach first, and freshman Ellie Armistead followed up with a sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position. Junior CJ Landrum plated the Bulldog's first run of the season with a single to the first base side, scoring Armistead. Sophomore Sydney Kuma responded with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Morgan and widening the early Georgia lead to 2-0.
South Alabama responded in the top of the third with a bases-clearing double giving the Jaguars a 3-2 lead. The Bulldogs answered in the bottom of the frame drawing back-to-back walks by Tyler and Ellie Armistead. A single off the bat of Kuma plated both runners, gaining back the 4-3 Georgia lead. Fincher also recorded an RBI with a shot to right center to score Kuma, extending the Bulldog lead to 5-3 at the end of the fourth.
Georgia's bats stayed hot in its end of the fifth inning when senior Jessica Morgan blasted a two-run home run, the first Bulldog blast of the season to extend the lead to 7-3. A sacrifice fly off the bat of junior Lacey Fincher in the sixth brought the final tally to 8-3.
Senior Lauren Mathis entered in relief and denied the Jaguars another run, picking up three strikeouts to complete the first game of the day.
South Alabama 9, Georgia 8
Georgia's bats were led by freshman Sydney Chambley in the second game of the day, finishing with a triple and a home run with three RBI. Kuma added two more hits in the second game.
Graduate Alley Cutting (0-1) suffered the loss in the circle, giving up four runs on three hits through two and two-thirds innings of work. Mathis worked the final three and two-thirds innings for Georgia in the circle, picking up eight strikeouts.
After a slow offensive start for each side, South Alabama cashed in three walks and a single with the bases loaded to claim a 4-0 lead in the top of the third. The Jaguars rang in another based-loaded walk in the fifth, extending their lead 5-0.
Chambley launched a deep triple to centerfield, picking up her first hit and RBI as a Bulldog to score Mosley, who reached on an error. Morgan followed up by reaching on an error, plating Chamlbey to cut the Georgia deficit to 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth.
A two-run shot over the centerfield fence gave Chambley her first-career homerun and cut the Jaguar lead to 5-4 in the Georgia sixth.
South Alabama extended their lead to 9-4 on two walks, an error, and a homerun in their half of the seventh. The Bulldogs responded in the bottom of the frame with a solo shot off the bat of Kuma and a Fincher two-run homer over the centerfield wall slicing the lead to 9-7. A pair of hits from Mosley and Puckett kept Georgia alive, putting them each in scoring position. Chambley reached first on a walk, and Morgan drew a bases-loaded walk to plate another run and make it a one-run game. The Bulldogs left the bases loaded, falling to the Jaguars 9-8.
Georgia Head Coach Lu Harris-Champer
On Lauren Mathis' performance in the second game…
"I thought Lauren was awesome. I thought she really settled in and started throwing better pitches out there. She had tough luck late in the game, but I feel like she really pitched well, and I was really excited about a lot of her changeups she threw in there for strike three. So I thought she did a great job for us leading the way."
On Sydney Chambley and the other hot bats in today's games…
"Chambley really set us up. She did a great job at the plate and did what she's been doing in practice. It was nice to see her get her swings off. I thought Fincher got her swing at the end of the day, she got two runs for us. Kuma got a run in for us. In game one, Sydney Kuma was unreal. She got three runs in for us in that game. Her, Lacey, and Jessica Morgan really hit the ball well in game one. I thought Mary was outstanding on the mound, and I love when the pitcher and the defense combine well. She did an outstanding job."
Graduate Mary Wilson Avant
On keeping her composure in the first game…
"I think it's really important to stay even kill and composed so the hitters can feel comfortable and can play free and so can the defense."
Freshman Sydney Chambley
On her performance in her first game today…
"I was definitely nervous, but I kept being reminded of the inner 10-year old sitting in my basement watching Georgia play and one day wanting to be that girl, so being able to be that was incredible and I'm blessed to have that opportunity."
Georgia defeated the Jaguars in the opener 8-3. The Bulldogs mounted a seventh-inning comeback in the nightcap, but the late push fell short, falling 9-8.
Georgia 8, South Alabama 3
Graduate Mary-Wilson Avant (1-0) started in the circle for the Bulldogs in game one of the twin bill. Avant completed six innings, recording 12 strikeouts, giving up three runs on five hits.
At the plate, sophomore Sydney Kuma tallied two hits with two RBI. Georgia out-hit South Alabama 7-5.
After a scoreless first, senior Tyler Armistead ignited the Bulldog offense with a single to lead off the bottom of the second frame. Senior Jessica Morgan drew a walk to get reach first, and freshman Ellie Armistead followed up with a sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position. Junior CJ Landrum plated the Bulldog's first run of the season with a single to the first base side, scoring Armistead. Sophomore Sydney Kuma responded with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Morgan and widening the early Georgia lead to 2-0.
South Alabama responded in the top of the third with a bases-clearing double giving the Jaguars a 3-2 lead. The Bulldogs answered in the bottom of the frame drawing back-to-back walks by Tyler and Ellie Armistead. A single off the bat of Kuma plated both runners, gaining back the 4-3 Georgia lead. Fincher also recorded an RBI with a shot to right center to score Kuma, extending the Bulldog lead to 5-3 at the end of the fourth.
Georgia's bats stayed hot in its end of the fifth inning when senior Jessica Morgan blasted a two-run home run, the first Bulldog blast of the season to extend the lead to 7-3. A sacrifice fly off the bat of junior Lacey Fincher in the sixth brought the final tally to 8-3.
Senior Lauren Mathis entered in relief and denied the Jaguars another run, picking up three strikeouts to complete the first game of the day.
South Alabama 9, Georgia 8
Georgia's bats were led by freshman Sydney Chambley in the second game of the day, finishing with a triple and a home run with three RBI. Kuma added two more hits in the second game.
Graduate Alley Cutting (0-1) suffered the loss in the circle, giving up four runs on three hits through two and two-thirds innings of work. Mathis worked the final three and two-thirds innings for Georgia in the circle, picking up eight strikeouts.
After a slow offensive start for each side, South Alabama cashed in three walks and a single with the bases loaded to claim a 4-0 lead in the top of the third. The Jaguars rang in another based-loaded walk in the fifth, extending their lead 5-0.
Chambley launched a deep triple to centerfield, picking up her first hit and RBI as a Bulldog to score Mosley, who reached on an error. Morgan followed up by reaching on an error, plating Chamlbey to cut the Georgia deficit to 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth.
A two-run shot over the centerfield fence gave Chambley her first-career homerun and cut the Jaguar lead to 5-4 in the Georgia sixth.
South Alabama extended their lead to 9-4 on two walks, an error, and a homerun in their half of the seventh. The Bulldogs responded in the bottom of the frame with a solo shot off the bat of Kuma and a Fincher two-run homer over the centerfield wall slicing the lead to 9-7. A pair of hits from Mosley and Puckett kept Georgia alive, putting them each in scoring position. Chambley reached first on a walk, and Morgan drew a bases-loaded walk to plate another run and make it a one-run game. The Bulldogs left the bases loaded, falling to the Jaguars 9-8.
Georgia Head Coach Lu Harris-Champer
On Lauren Mathis' performance in the second game…
"I thought Lauren was awesome. I thought she really settled in and started throwing better pitches out there. She had tough luck late in the game, but I feel like she really pitched well, and I was really excited about a lot of her changeups she threw in there for strike three. So I thought she did a great job for us leading the way."
On Sydney Chambley and the other hot bats in today's games…
"Chambley really set us up. She did a great job at the plate and did what she's been doing in practice. It was nice to see her get her swings off. I thought Fincher got her swing at the end of the day, she got two runs for us. Kuma got a run in for us. In game one, Sydney Kuma was unreal. She got three runs in for us in that game. Her, Lacey, and Jessica Morgan really hit the ball well in game one. I thought Mary was outstanding on the mound, and I love when the pitcher and the defense combine well. She did an outstanding job."
Graduate Mary Wilson Avant
On keeping her composure in the first game…
"I think it's really important to stay even kill and composed so the hitters can feel comfortable and can play free and so can the defense."
Freshman Sydney Chambley
On her performance in her first game today…
"I was definitely nervous, but I kept being reminded of the inner 10-year old sitting in my basement watching Georgia play and one day wanting to be that girl, so being able to be that was incredible and I'm blessed to have that opportunity."
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF/1B
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
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