Saturday, March 13
Athens, Ga.
11:30 a.m.
University of Georgia
17-2
6
vs
2
East Carolina
9-8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
East Carolina
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
5
0
Georgia
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
4
6
10
1
No. 18 Georgia Sweeps Day Two of UGA Classic
March 13, 2021 | Softball
ATHENS, Ga. – The 18th-ranked Georgia softball team defeated Eastern Carolina 6-2 in nine innings and North Dakota 7-1 Saturday at Jack Turner Stadium.
Junior Lacey Fincher highlighted the day for Georgia, first hitting a walk-off grand slam in game one then knocking another long ball in the second game.
#18 Georgia 6, East Carolina 2 (9 inn.)
Georgia (18-2) began the day with a nine-inning affair with the East Carolina Pirates (9-8). Junior Lacey Fincher provided the winning hit in the form of a walk-off grand slam in the ninth to beat ECU 6-2.
Fincher was one of three Bulldogs to tally two hits, along with freshmen Sydney Chambley and Hayley Eaton. Senior Mackenzie Puckett contributed the game-tying home run in the fourth.
In the circle, Lauren Mathis worked 2.0 innings in her start. Madison Kerpics (3-0) picked up the win in relief, working 7.0 shutout innings, striking out nine Pirates.
With runners on the corners and two out for Georgia in the bottom of the first, the Bulldogs executed a delayed double steal to plate sophomore Sydney Kuma and take a 1-0 lead.
ECU responded in the top of the second with a leadoff home run to tie the game. Later in the inning, the Pirates loaded the bases and pushed the go-ahead run in on a bases-loaded walk, 2-1.
Puckett blasted her third home run of the season over the wall in center to tie the game at 2-2 in the home half of the fourth.
The game became locked in the 2-2 tie through the seventh inning and the game was sent into extra innings.
Eaton and Chambley each knocked base hits to put the first two Bulldogs on in the bottom of the ninth. Savana Sikes was then hit by a pitch to load the bases for Fincher who blasted her team-leading eighth home run down the right field line, a grand slam, to walk off the Pirates, 6-2. It was Fincher's first career grand slam and the second for Georgia this season.
#18 Georgia 7, North Dakota 1
Georgia scattered nine hits in the second game of the day. Kuma and Chambley each recorded two hits while redshirt-sophomore Jaiden Fields and Fincher contributed a home run each.
In the circle, Alley Cutting (3-1) picked up the win, going 4.0 shutout innings in her start, allowing just three hits and striking out seven. Freshman Britton Rogers earned the three-inning save, striking out five. Neither Cutting or Rogers allowed a walk in the contest.
Chambley led off the bottom of the third with a triple into the left center gap. She immediately tagged up and scored on a sac fly to center off the bat of Eaton, 1-0 Georgia.
A pair of home runs, first a solo shot by Fincher, then a three-run home run by redshirt-sophomore Jaiden Fields, widened Georgia's lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth.
Junior Savana Sikes doubled to the wall in right center to plate Kuma and length the lead to 6-0 in the fifth for the Bulldogs.
The Fighting Hawks (6-12) jumped on the board in the top of the sixth with a solo home run, 6-1.
Kuma brought the Bulldogs' lead back to six with an RBI single to center in the bottom of the sixth.
Rogers retired the Fighting Hawks in order in the seventh to close the game, 7-1.
Georgia and North Dakota face off again Sunday at 2 p.m. at Jack Turner Stadium to close the UGA Classic.
Georgia Head Coach Lu Harris-Champer
On Lacey Fincher hitting the walk-off grand slam…
"It was a big moment for Lacey [Fincher], given the fact that they kept pitching around her, and yesterday, she went after too many of the pitches. Today, she showed really good composure by going ahead and taking her walks, and when they had to throw to her, she took her opportunity. It was really big for her to do that and get her swing off on those pitches."
On the team's confidence after their win streak…
"It's fun to see different people step up. Today, Madi Kerpics was outstanding. She came in and ended up pitching seven innings. She had nine strikeouts, and she was clutch in so big moments for us. So that was fun to see her grow after seeing what she has been doing in practice. Hayley Eaton and Sydney Chambley at the bottom of the order come in, and obviously Lacey [Fincher] and [Mackenzie] Puckett, too. Ally [Cutting] started the game with some beautiful pitches with really good breaks, and she was in the 70s in several throws. And then [Britton] Rogers came in a did what she does in practice. And of course, when the offense takes off like it did in game two, it makes for a good day, and things are a little bit easier."
Junior Lacey Fincher
On her walk-off grand slam to end the first game…
"I wouldn't say that I've been struggling, but I have not been myself lately. I was speeding things up, and not being on time for pitches. I told myself that I want to be in that position, I want to be in the position with the bases loaded. I was ready to get after it when she through me the pitch, and I thought that it was go-time. So, I think I was mentally prepared for that. I couldn't get walked at the moment with the bases loaded, so I was just looking for my pitch and drove it."
On the confidence within the team…
"I think we are coming together a lot more, and each game we get better and better. We have to trust each other – that's the main thing. Trust each other, work with everyone to get into their process, to get their swings off. When you do the best, you can and compete the way you know you can compete, it [confidence] just comes along.
Junior Lacey Fincher highlighted the day for Georgia, first hitting a walk-off grand slam in game one then knocking another long ball in the second game.
#18 Georgia 6, East Carolina 2 (9 inn.)
Georgia (18-2) began the day with a nine-inning affair with the East Carolina Pirates (9-8). Junior Lacey Fincher provided the winning hit in the form of a walk-off grand slam in the ninth to beat ECU 6-2.
Fincher was one of three Bulldogs to tally two hits, along with freshmen Sydney Chambley and Hayley Eaton. Senior Mackenzie Puckett contributed the game-tying home run in the fourth.
In the circle, Lauren Mathis worked 2.0 innings in her start. Madison Kerpics (3-0) picked up the win in relief, working 7.0 shutout innings, striking out nine Pirates.
With runners on the corners and two out for Georgia in the bottom of the first, the Bulldogs executed a delayed double steal to plate sophomore Sydney Kuma and take a 1-0 lead.
ECU responded in the top of the second with a leadoff home run to tie the game. Later in the inning, the Pirates loaded the bases and pushed the go-ahead run in on a bases-loaded walk, 2-1.
Puckett blasted her third home run of the season over the wall in center to tie the game at 2-2 in the home half of the fourth.
The game became locked in the 2-2 tie through the seventh inning and the game was sent into extra innings.
Eaton and Chambley each knocked base hits to put the first two Bulldogs on in the bottom of the ninth. Savana Sikes was then hit by a pitch to load the bases for Fincher who blasted her team-leading eighth home run down the right field line, a grand slam, to walk off the Pirates, 6-2. It was Fincher's first career grand slam and the second for Georgia this season.
#18 Georgia 7, North Dakota 1
Georgia scattered nine hits in the second game of the day. Kuma and Chambley each recorded two hits while redshirt-sophomore Jaiden Fields and Fincher contributed a home run each.
In the circle, Alley Cutting (3-1) picked up the win, going 4.0 shutout innings in her start, allowing just three hits and striking out seven. Freshman Britton Rogers earned the three-inning save, striking out five. Neither Cutting or Rogers allowed a walk in the contest.
Chambley led off the bottom of the third with a triple into the left center gap. She immediately tagged up and scored on a sac fly to center off the bat of Eaton, 1-0 Georgia.
A pair of home runs, first a solo shot by Fincher, then a three-run home run by redshirt-sophomore Jaiden Fields, widened Georgia's lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth.
Junior Savana Sikes doubled to the wall in right center to plate Kuma and length the lead to 6-0 in the fifth for the Bulldogs.
The Fighting Hawks (6-12) jumped on the board in the top of the sixth with a solo home run, 6-1.
Kuma brought the Bulldogs' lead back to six with an RBI single to center in the bottom of the sixth.
Rogers retired the Fighting Hawks in order in the seventh to close the game, 7-1.
Georgia and North Dakota face off again Sunday at 2 p.m. at Jack Turner Stadium to close the UGA Classic.
Georgia Head Coach Lu Harris-Champer
On Lacey Fincher hitting the walk-off grand slam…
"It was a big moment for Lacey [Fincher], given the fact that they kept pitching around her, and yesterday, she went after too many of the pitches. Today, she showed really good composure by going ahead and taking her walks, and when they had to throw to her, she took her opportunity. It was really big for her to do that and get her swing off on those pitches."
On the team's confidence after their win streak…
"It's fun to see different people step up. Today, Madi Kerpics was outstanding. She came in and ended up pitching seven innings. She had nine strikeouts, and she was clutch in so big moments for us. So that was fun to see her grow after seeing what she has been doing in practice. Hayley Eaton and Sydney Chambley at the bottom of the order come in, and obviously Lacey [Fincher] and [Mackenzie] Puckett, too. Ally [Cutting] started the game with some beautiful pitches with really good breaks, and she was in the 70s in several throws. And then [Britton] Rogers came in a did what she does in practice. And of course, when the offense takes off like it did in game two, it makes for a good day, and things are a little bit easier."
Junior Lacey Fincher
On her walk-off grand slam to end the first game…
"I wouldn't say that I've been struggling, but I have not been myself lately. I was speeding things up, and not being on time for pitches. I told myself that I want to be in that position, I want to be in the position with the bases loaded. I was ready to get after it when she through me the pitch, and I thought that it was go-time. So, I think I was mentally prepared for that. I couldn't get walked at the moment with the bases loaded, so I was just looking for my pitch and drove it."
On the confidence within the team…
"I think we are coming together a lot more, and each game we get better and better. We have to trust each other – that's the main thing. Trust each other, work with everyone to get into their process, to get their swings off. When you do the best, you can and compete the way you know you can compete, it [confidence] just comes along.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kerpics, Madison (3-0)
L: WOODALL, Kama (4-4)
Batting:
2B: WOODRING, Taylor 1
HR: ESTES, Logyn 1
RBI: INAE, Ashleigh 1 ; ESTES, Logyn 1
SH: INAE, Ashleigh 1 ; LEDVINA, Bailey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: ESTES, Logyn 1 ; YODER, Sydney 1
Batting:
2B: Chambley, Sydney 1
HR: Fincher, Lacey 1 ; Puckett, Mackenzie 1
RBI: Fincher, Lacey 4 ; Puckett, Mackenzie 1
SH: Sikes, Savana 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kuma, Sydney 1 ; Sikes, Savana 1 ; Fincher, Lacey 1 ; Puckett, Mackenzie 1 ; Eaton, Hayley 1 ; Chambley, Sydney 1
SB: Kuma, Sydney 1 ; Mosley, Sara 1
HBP: Sikes, Savana 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
4
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF/1B
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
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