University of Georgia Athletics
Wednesday, April 27
Athens, Ga.
6:00 p.m.
University of Georgia
38-11
9
vs
2
Furman
18-27
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Furman
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
2
5
2
Georgia
0
2
0
4
2
1
X
9
9
0
Georgia Defeats Furman in Final Midweek Game, 9-2
April 27, 2022 | Softball
ATHENS, Ga. – The 15th-ranked Georgia Bulldogs beat Furman Wednesday evening at Jack Turner Stadium 9-2 in the Bulldogs' final midweek game of the 2022 season.
The Bulldogs are now 38-11 on the season, closing regular-season non-conference play 28-3.
Georgia's nine runs came on nine hits from nine different hitters in the lineup. Sophomore Ellie Armistead highlighted the offense with her first-career grand slam in the fourth, her ninth home run of the season. Six of Georgia's nine hitters in the starting lineup contributed a hit Wednesday.
Senior Lauren Mathis (5-1) picked up the win in the circle. Mathis worked four complete innings and fanned a season-high nine hitters, allowing both runs on four hits. Britton Rogers, Riley Orcutt, and Kylie Macy all saw time out of the pen to combine for the final three innings.
A passed ball on a two-out strikeout extended the top of the second inning. Furman (18-27) proceeded to load the bases and scored on an infield single to go ahead 1-0.
With runners on first and second in the second, Aniyah Black singled to right to drive in Jaiden Fields and put the Bulldogs on the board. A bobble in right on the play allowed both runners to move into scoring position. Mackenzie Puckett grounded out to second to plate pinch runner Sydney Chambley and put Georgia ahead 2-1.
Georgia loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth then Armistead provided the big hit, a grand slam down the left field line widened Georgia's lead to 6-1. It was the first grand slam of Armistead's career. It was also Georgia's 88th home run of the season.
The Paladins quickly plated a run in the top of the fifth to cut Georgia's lead to four, 6-2.
With runners on the corners in the bottom of the inning, an infield single off the bat of Payden Bordeau plated pinch runner CJ Landrum. A throwing error on the play allowed runners to move up to second and third. Hayley Eaton flew out to center, deep enough for Jayda Kearney to tag up and score, widening the lead to 8-2 for Georgia.
The Bulldogs added one run in the bottom of the sixth on a wild pitch that scored Sara Mosley, 9-2. Landrum represented the winning run on third but was stranded there.
Kylie Macy entered in the top of the seventh and closed the game in the circle.
The Bulldogs take to the road for their final road SEC series this weekend at Auburn. First pitch of the series is set for 7 p.m., ET, from Auburn on SEC Network+.
Head Coach Tony Baldwin
On Lauren Mathis' performance in the circle…
"That LSU game was a little odd. I thought she got off to a decent start. They hit a home run in the first there on Saturday, but I thought her stuff was actually pretty good. Then, we scored 12 in the bottom of the first, and I think she lost her concentration. I think that was more of a learning experience more than it was a mechanic or working on her pitches. She had a good practice yesterday, and I thought she came out sharp today. There were a few more free passes, the one inning we get two quick outs, and we end up giving up a run. I think we have to tighten that up a little bit. All in all, I though she commanded the circle. I thought she gave us a chance, and I thought her stuff was pretty good. I think there were six straight changeups at one point, and I thought she was just doing a really good job of using her stuff."
On Ellie Armistead…
"She's just a good player. She's learning to find the joy in this game. We talk a lot about our perspective, and we get to choose whatever it is that we want to focus on. The last couple of days, she's really had a positive mindset. She's played with a smile on her face. The outcomes take care of themselves when you're in that kind of a headspace. I'm really proud of her for just staying with it and letting her talent come out. I'm really proud of her. She obviously changed the game today."
Senior Lauren Mathis
On her focus rebounding after a tough weekend…
"Really just throwing strikes and staying in the strike zone. I think I had a lot of faith in my defense. So, being around the strike zone just knowing that if they hit it, my defense had it."
On her focus this weekend in Auburn…
"Just really the same thing, being in the strike zone and knowing that my team has my back."
Sophomore Ellie Armistead
On her first career grand slam and her mindset stepping into the batter's box with the bases loaded…
"The pitcher was a drop ball pitcher and slower than usual, so I was just thinking about getting the bottom of the ball and it worked. It was a little pop-up homerun, so it worked."
On how the grand slam affects her mindset going into the series at Auburn this weekend…
"It definitely gives me a lot more confidence, but I mean I just have to stay with the process like Coach [Tony Baldwin] always says."
The Bulldogs are now 38-11 on the season, closing regular-season non-conference play 28-3.
Georgia's nine runs came on nine hits from nine different hitters in the lineup. Sophomore Ellie Armistead highlighted the offense with her first-career grand slam in the fourth, her ninth home run of the season. Six of Georgia's nine hitters in the starting lineup contributed a hit Wednesday.
Senior Lauren Mathis (5-1) picked up the win in the circle. Mathis worked four complete innings and fanned a season-high nine hitters, allowing both runs on four hits. Britton Rogers, Riley Orcutt, and Kylie Macy all saw time out of the pen to combine for the final three innings.
A passed ball on a two-out strikeout extended the top of the second inning. Furman (18-27) proceeded to load the bases and scored on an infield single to go ahead 1-0.
With runners on first and second in the second, Aniyah Black singled to right to drive in Jaiden Fields and put the Bulldogs on the board. A bobble in right on the play allowed both runners to move into scoring position. Mackenzie Puckett grounded out to second to plate pinch runner Sydney Chambley and put Georgia ahead 2-1.
Georgia loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth then Armistead provided the big hit, a grand slam down the left field line widened Georgia's lead to 6-1. It was the first grand slam of Armistead's career. It was also Georgia's 88th home run of the season.
The Paladins quickly plated a run in the top of the fifth to cut Georgia's lead to four, 6-2.
With runners on the corners in the bottom of the inning, an infield single off the bat of Payden Bordeau plated pinch runner CJ Landrum. A throwing error on the play allowed runners to move up to second and third. Hayley Eaton flew out to center, deep enough for Jayda Kearney to tag up and score, widening the lead to 8-2 for Georgia.
The Bulldogs added one run in the bottom of the sixth on a wild pitch that scored Sara Mosley, 9-2. Landrum represented the winning run on third but was stranded there.
Kylie Macy entered in the top of the seventh and closed the game in the circle.
The Bulldogs take to the road for their final road SEC series this weekend at Auburn. First pitch of the series is set for 7 p.m., ET, from Auburn on SEC Network+.
Head Coach Tony Baldwin
On Lauren Mathis' performance in the circle…
"That LSU game was a little odd. I thought she got off to a decent start. They hit a home run in the first there on Saturday, but I thought her stuff was actually pretty good. Then, we scored 12 in the bottom of the first, and I think she lost her concentration. I think that was more of a learning experience more than it was a mechanic or working on her pitches. She had a good practice yesterday, and I thought she came out sharp today. There were a few more free passes, the one inning we get two quick outs, and we end up giving up a run. I think we have to tighten that up a little bit. All in all, I though she commanded the circle. I thought she gave us a chance, and I thought her stuff was pretty good. I think there were six straight changeups at one point, and I thought she was just doing a really good job of using her stuff."
On Ellie Armistead…
"She's just a good player. She's learning to find the joy in this game. We talk a lot about our perspective, and we get to choose whatever it is that we want to focus on. The last couple of days, she's really had a positive mindset. She's played with a smile on her face. The outcomes take care of themselves when you're in that kind of a headspace. I'm really proud of her for just staying with it and letting her talent come out. I'm really proud of her. She obviously changed the game today."
Senior Lauren Mathis
On her focus rebounding after a tough weekend…
"Really just throwing strikes and staying in the strike zone. I think I had a lot of faith in my defense. So, being around the strike zone just knowing that if they hit it, my defense had it."
On her focus this weekend in Auburn…
"Just really the same thing, being in the strike zone and knowing that my team has my back."
Sophomore Ellie Armistead
On her first career grand slam and her mindset stepping into the batter's box with the bases loaded…
"The pitcher was a drop ball pitcher and slower than usual, so I was just thinking about getting the bottom of the ball and it worked. It was a little pop-up homerun, so it worked."
On how the grand slam affects her mindset going into the series at Auburn this weekend…
"It definitely gives me a lot more confidence, but I mean I just have to stay with the process like Coach [Tony Baldwin] always says."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Mathis, Lauren (5-1)
L: Emme Buzhardt (3-4)
Batting:
2B: Ashlee Lykins 1
RBI: Ashlee Lykins 1 ; Alex Rose Molinar 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ashlee Lykins 1 ; Caitlin Goldwait 1
SB: Ashlee Lykins 1
Batting:
HR: Armistead, Ellie 1
RBI: Bordeau, Payden 1 ; Black, Aniyah 1 ; Eaton, Hayley 1 ; Puckett, Mackenzie 1 ; Armistead, Ellie 4
SF: Eaton, Hayley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mosley, Sara 1 ; Landrum, CJ 1 ; Kearney, Jayda 2 ; Fields, Jaiden 1 ; Chambley, Sydney 1 ; Bordeau, Payden 1 ; Puckett, Mackenzie 1 ; Armistead, Ellie 1
SB: Landrum, CJ 1 ; Kearney, Jayda 1
HBP: Puckett, Mackenzie 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
pr/cf
AB
1
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
cf/dp
AB
1
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
RHP/UT
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballGeorgia Softball vs Florida NCAA Super Regional Game 3 Postgame Press Conference
Monday, May 26
Georgia Softball vs Florida NCAA Super Regional Game 2 Postgame Press Conference
Saturday, May 24
Georgia Softball vs Florida NCAA Super Regional Game 2 TV Highlights
Saturday, May 24
Georgia Softball vs Florida NCAA Super Regional Postgame Press Conference
Friday, May 23