Bulldogs Return to Jack Turner Stadium to Host Furman Wednesday

#20/23 Georgia (22-5)
vs. Furman (6-14)
Date: Wednesday, March 31, 2021
First Pitch: 6 p.m.
Location: Athens, Ga.
Stadium: Jack Turner Stadium

Media Information
Streaming: SEC Network+
   Play-by-play: Kaleb Frady
   Analysis: Natalie Kerns
Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com
Twitter Updates: @UGAsoftball

Georgia softball returns to Jack Turner Stadium to host the Furman Paladins in midweek action Wednesday. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

Follow the Bulldogs
» Wednesday's game will stream live on SEC Network+. Kaleb Frady (play-by-play) and Natalie Kerns (analysis) will be on the call.
» Live stat links can be found on the softball schedule at GeorgiaDogs.com.
» Live Twitter updates will be available at the official Twitter page of Georgia softball, @UGAsoftball.

2021 Georgia Softball Fan Attendance Policy
One hundred and fifty (150) free general admission seats will be available each game to the public on a first-come, first-served basis at softball games. Gates will officially open one hour prior to first pitch. The player pass list will continue to be utilized for student-athlete families and guests at Jack Turner Stadium this season. Social distancing measures will be in effect while in the stadium and face coverings will be required. Only cashless payments will be accepted at Jack Turner Stadium for concessions. For more information: gado.gs/6jz.

BULLDOGS BULLETIN
Series History
» Georgia leads the all-time series 19-1
» The Bulldogs have won 16-straight against the Paladins
» All but two meetings have been in Athens, Georgia winning 17 of the 18 meetings
» Georgia and Furman met in the final game of 2020 before the season was shut down due to COVID-19

A Look at What's Ahead
The Bulldogs play host to No. 5 Florida in a three-game series beginning Saturday under the lights of Jack Turner Stadium. First pitch in the series opener is set for 8 p.m. on ESPN. Sunday and Monday's games will air on SEC Network and will begin at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively.

Chambley for Three!
Freshman Sydney Chambley enters the weekend leading the nation with six triples. The number already ties for fifth-most in a season at Georgia. The record is 12 set by Nicole Barber in 2002. Barder holds the top-three spots in the single-season category (12, 10, 8) and holds Georgia's career record of 35.

Georgia's Win Streak Ends
Georgia softball snapped a 16-game win steak after falling to Missouri in the SEC opener on March 19. The streak tied for sixth-longest (2008, 2013) in Georgia softball history and was the longest since the Bulldogs tied the record of 25 in 2018.

Pitching Staff Locks In
The Bulldogs' 1.40 ERA ranks ninth in the nation and second in the SEC. Georgia's seven shutouts rank 24th in the country. The veteran trio of Mary Wilson Avant, Alley Cutting, and Lauren Mathis all own a sub-1.35 ERA.

Bulldogs Dig the Long Ball
Georgia ranks ninth in the country with 1.7 home runs per game, hitting 46 home runs in 27 games. The Bulldogs tied a season-high five home runs against Missouri (3/20) including four in the first inning. The Bulldogs hit three-straight in the inning, the first time since 2018 against Florida. Individually, Lacey Fincher's 10 home runs rank 19th in the nation and sixth in the SEC. Georgia's .568 slugging percentage is 18th nationally.

Fields Named SEC Newcomer of the Week
Jaiden Fields went 5-for-10 against Missouri including a double and a home run. She drove in four runs on the weekend. Her three-run home run in the bottom of the first of Saturday's game sparked three-straight home runs for Georgia. She later provided a sacrifice fly in the fourth to bolster Georgia's lead on the Tigers. Her leadoff double in the fifth inning of Sunday's game led to Georgia's seventh run of the day.

Kearney Picks Up SEC Freshman of the Week
Jayda Kearney went 4-for-8 in two games against Missouri. Her first-career home run came at the end of Georgia's three-straight homers in the first inning Saturday. She contributed a two-RBI double in the third to widen the Bulldogs' lead to 10-3. On Sunday, Kearney's RBI single in the third was part of Georgia's six-run go-ahead inning in the third. Georgia won Sunday's rubber game on an error, which Kearney put the ball in play on.

Georgia in the Polls
The Bulldogs fell across all four polls after dropping two-of-three Ole Miss last weekend. Georgia fell to No. 20 in the NFCA poll, No. 23 in the USA Softball poll, and No. 19 in the Softball America poll.

Fields has a Field Day
On March 6, redshirt-sophomore Jaiden Fields had quite the day at the plate. Down 5-2 against UAB, Fields hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth, her first career home run. The hit allowed Georgia to tie the game in the seventh and win 6-5 in 11 innings. In the next game against Mercer, Fields put the Bulldogs on the board with a two-run home run in the first. She followed it up with a grand slam in the fourth. She drove in eight runs on the day.

Avant Rules the Circle
Graduate pitcher Mary Wilson Avant has cemented herself as the Bulldogs' ace this season. She ranks 12th in the nation with 11 victories in the circle and her 117 strikeouts ranks 14th. She's averaging 9.8 strikeouts per seven innings.

Georgia Picks Up 45^th and 46^th No Hitter
The Bulldogs' pitching staff has recorded a pair of no hitters this season. The first by Mary Wilson Avant (W), Madison Kerpics, and Britton Rogers, came on Feb. 19 against Longwood. The second by Lauren Mathis (W) and Alley Cutting came at Georgia State on Feb. 27.

Chambley Named SEC Co-Freshman of the Week
Outfielder Sydney Chambley was named the first SEC Freshman of the Week on Feb. 15. In her first weekend in the Red and Black, the Dallas, Georgia native hit .833 (5-for-6) on the weekend. All five hits went for extra bases and she drove in a total of six runs. She totaled 15 bases as she slugged 2.500 through two games.

25 Seasons of Georgia Softball
The 2021 season will be the 25th of softball in Athens. In 25 seasons, Georgia has accumulated more than 1,000 program victories, 17 40-win season, 18 NCAA Tournament appearances, and four appearances in the Women's College World Series. 20 Bulldogs have earned All-American distinction and 17 have been drafted to the NPF.

Georgia Tabbed Seventh in SEC Preseason Poll
The Georgia softball team was picked seventh in the SEC Preseason Coaches Poll with 78 points in the poll. Alabama drew nine of the 13 first-place votes en route to being named the SEC preseason favorite, as voted on by the league's head coaches. LSU, who picked up the two first-place votes, was picked second. Florida (one first-place vote), Tennessee, and Kentucky rounded out the top five in the preseason poll.

Kuma Tabbed a Top Sophomore by Softball America
Sophomore infielder Sydney Kuma was ranked No. 16 on Softball America's list of top 25 college sophomores. Kuma, who stated all 28 games at shortstop last season, led the Georgia offense with a .438 average with 32 hits, 28 runs, eight doubles, and 24 RBI as a rookie in 2020.

Trio of Bulldogs Earn Undergraduate Degrees
This season roster will feature three Bulldogs who all earned their undergraduate degrees in May 2020. Mary Wilson Avant (Marketing), Alley Cutting (Psychology), and Jacqui Switzer (Communications Studies) became UGA graduates. All three began work toward their Masters degrees in the fall semester.

Freshman Class Ranked High in Recruiting
This season's freshmen class was ranked by Extra Innings Softball as the fourth-best signing class in the nation last year as the class featured five of its Elite 100 players and eight on its list of top 200.

Georgia Signs Five Georgia Natives in Early Signing Period
The Bulldogs signed five home-grown recruits in November during the early signing period. The class includes infielder Faith Barth, catcher/first baseman Lyndi Rae Davis, and pitchers Kylie Macy, Rebecca Muh, and Sydney Osada.

University of Georgia Athletics

Bulldogs Return to Jack Turner Stadium to Host Furman Wednesday

Players Mentioned

Mary Wilson Avant

Sydney Chambley

Alley Cutting

Jaiden Fields

Lacey Fincher

Jayda Kearney

Madison Kerpics

Sydney Kuma

Lauren Mathis

Britton Rogers

Jacqui Switzer

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