12th Annual Bulldog Classic Schedule Altered; Bulldogs to host UAB, Mercer

#19/21 Georgia (9-2)
hosting the 12^th Annual Bulldog Classic
Date: Friday, March 5 - Sunday, March 7, 2021
Location: Athens, Ga.
Stadium: Jack Turner Stadium
Participating Teams: Georgia, UAB, Mercer
Tournament Schedule
Friday
     UAB vs. Georgia – 5 p.m.
Saturday
     UAB vs. Georgia – 11 a.m.
     Mercer vs. Georgia – 2:15 p.m.
     UAB vs. Mercer – 5:30 p.m.
Sunday
     UAB vs. Mercer – 11 a.m.
     Mercer vs. Georgia – 2 p.m.

Media Information
Streaming: SEC Network+ (Saturday and Sunday only)
   Play-by-play: Karlie Smith
Live Stats: GeorgiaDogs.com
Twitter Updates: @UGAsoftball

The 19th-ranked Georgia softball team will host the 12th Annual Bulldog Classic this weekend at Jack Turner Stadium. The schedule has changed to include the Bulldogs, UAB, and Mercer.

Georgia will open tournament play against UAB Friday at 5 p.m. The Bulldogs and Blazer will square off again Saturday morning at 11 a.m. Georgia will play Mercer Saturday afternoon at 2:15 p.m. before closing the Bulldog Classic Sunday against Mercer at 2 p.m.

Follow the Bulldogs
» Georgia's games on Saturday and Sunday will stream live on SEC Network+. Karlie Smith 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
Due to COVID-19 and social distancing guidelines, guests will be permitted through a "Player Pass List" only. Admission will not be open to the general public. For student-athlete families and guests, 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 this season for concessions.

BULLDOGS BULLETIN
Series History
UAB
» Georgia leads the all-time series 11-2
» All but one meeting have been in Athens; Georgia leads the series in Athens 10-2
» Last meeting was in 2019 in the 10th Annual Bulldog Classic
Mercer
» Georgia leads all-time series 18-1
» In Athens, Georgia is 13-1 against the Bears
» The last meeting was a midweek doubleheader in 2018. The Bulldogs and Bears split the twin bill

A Look at What's Ahead
The Bulldogs will host Georgia State in midweek action next Wednesday. First pitch against the Panthers is set for 6 p.m. Georgia will host the UGA Classic next weekend, the final tournament of the regular season. East Carolina and North Dakota will come to Athens for the eight-game tournament.

Bulldogs Dig the Long Ball
Georgia ranks seventh in the country with 2.08 home runs per game, hitting 25 home runs in 12 games. Individual, Lacey Fincher and Sydney Kuma's six home runs tie for 11th in the nation and third in the SEC. As a team, Georgia has hit nearly as many home run as runs opponents have scored (25 home runs, 28 runs given up). Georgia's .649 slugging percentage is ninth nationally.

Avant Rules the Circle
Graduate pitcher Mary Wilson Avant has cemented herself as the Bulldogs' ace this season. She co-leads the nation with six victories in the circle and her 58 strikeouts ranks eighth. She's averaging 11.3 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.

Welcome to the Sydney Show
Sophomore Sydney Kuma and freshman Sydney Chambley have made immediate impacts in the Bulldogs' lineup this season. The two have combined for 10 of Georgia's 25 home runs, 29 RBI, and are hitting a collective .309. Their combined 15 extra base hits comprises 34 percent of the teams total. They each hit two home runs against Kent State Feb. 20.

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. Her first Bulldog hit came in her second at-bat, an RBI triple to center. Her second hit of the game was a two-run home run to straight-away center in the sixth inning. In Saturday's game against Virginia, Chambley tied a Georgia single-game record with two more triples. She is only the third Bulldog to triple twice in a game and the first since Alex Hugo did it against Illinois in 2015. She concluded her three-hit day with a two-RBI double in Georgia's go-ahead fifth inning.

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 in the Polls
The Bulldogs held at No. 19 in the NFCA and fell to No. 21 in the USA Softball poll in week three. The Bulldogs rejoined the D1Softball and Softball America polls at No. 24.

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.

Roster Breakdown
The 2021 roster carries 27 student-athletes including 12 upperclassmen. Graduates Mary Wilson Avant and Alley Cutting returned for their final season after being granted another year of eligibility. The rest of the upperclassmen feature seven seniors and a trio of juniors. The roster offers a good mix of experience and youth with five sophomores and a 10-member freshmen class.

A Look a the Schedule
The 2021 schedule features 55 total games, 39 of which are set to be played at Jack Turner Stadium. The Bulldogs will host four non-conference tournaments to begin the season. Home SEC series include Missouri, Florida, Arkansas, and Alabama. Georgia will also host Oklahoma on April 20 in a midweek doubleheader.

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.

12th Annual Bulldog Classic Schedule Altered; Bulldogs to host UAB, Mercer

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Players Mentioned

Mary Wilson Avant

Sydney Chambley

Alley Cutting

Lacey Fincher

Madison Kerpics

Sydney Kuma

Lauren Mathis

Britton Rogers

Jacqui Switzer

University of Georgia Athletics