University of Georgia Athletics
Saturday, May 21
Durham, N.C.
3:30 p.m.
University of Georgia
6
vs
3
UMBC
Georgia Eliminates UMBC, Liberty to Advance to Regional Final
May 22, 2022 | Softball
DURHAM, N.C. – The Georgia Bulldogs defeated UMBC, 6-3, and Liberty, 7-2, Saturday evening and early into the morning Sunday to stay alive in the NCAA Tournament and advance to the Durham Regional final against No. 12 Duke.
Georgia (42-17) will have to beat the Blue Devils twice on Sunday to advance to the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament against the winner of the Los Angeles Regional. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. Sunday. Game seven, if necessary, will be 30 minutes after.
Georgia 6, UMBC 3
Georgia's offense knocked four home runs in the first game of the evening, two from senior Lacey Fincher. Sophomore Aniyah Black and junior Sydney Kuma also went deep. Georgia out-hit UMBC 7-5.
Britton Rogers pitched three and a third innings in her start, allowing three runs on three hits. Riley Orcutt (1-0) earned her first-career win in relief, working two scoreless innings, striking out three. Madison Kerpics earned her fourth save, pitching the final inning and two-thirds.
A switch up in Georgia's batting order paid off as Fincher led off the game with a home run, her 17th of the season, to put Georgia ahead 1-0.
A pair of leadoff walks came in to score on a two-out single in the bottom of the inning to put the Retrievers (31-12) ahead 2-1.
Georgia answered back in with top of the second with a trio of runs. A leadoff single from Lyndi Rae Davis followed by a double from Savana Sikes put two in scoring position. Davis tagged up and scored to tie the game on a sac fly off the bat of Jaiden Fields. Black followed with a no-doubter, her fifth homer of the year, over the wall in left, putting the Bulldogs ahead 4-2.
A two-out solo shot to center off the bat of Kuma widened Georgia's lead to 5-2 in the top of the third. It was her 13th home run of the season.
A two-out wild pitch plated a Retriever run in the bottom of the fourth, cutting Georgia's lead to 5-3.
Fincher's second home run of the game added insurance for the Georgia Bulldogs, taking a 6-3 lead into the final three outs.
Kerpics held the Retrievers in the seventh to keep Georgia's season alive.
Georgia 7, Liberty 2
Kerpics (19-10) went the distance in the circle, pitching seven innings, allowing just two hits to the Lady Flames. She struck out eight opponents in her outing.
Junior Sara Mosley paced Georgia's offense, scattering three hits. Davis and Sikes each picked up two hits as the Bulldogs scattered 10 hits for its seven runs.
A one-out single up the middle from Mosley followed by a two-out walk to Kuma put a runner in scoring position. Davis dropped a flare into left center as Mosley raced home to score and put Georgia ahead 1-0 on the Lady Flames.
Kuma's second home run of the day was a two-run shot to right center, widening the Bulldogs' lead to 3-0.
The Lady Flames (44-18) broke up Kerpics' no hitter with a two-out, two-run in the bottom of the third, cutting Georgia's lead to 3-2.
Georgia loaded the bases in the top of the fifth and a walk to Fields pushed in Georgia's fourth run, making it a 4-2 advantage.
With Kuma on third, Davis knocked a long single to the wall in right, plating Kuma and making it 5-2. With two runners on, Fields singled up the middle to drive in both runners and make it a five-run lead for the Bulldogs.
Kerpics closed the game in the seventh, securing the win for the Dogs.
Georgia and Duke throw first pitch Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Duke Softball Stadium.
Georgia (42-17) will have to beat the Blue Devils twice on Sunday to advance to the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament against the winner of the Los Angeles Regional. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. Sunday. Game seven, if necessary, will be 30 minutes after.
Georgia 6, UMBC 3
Georgia's offense knocked four home runs in the first game of the evening, two from senior Lacey Fincher. Sophomore Aniyah Black and junior Sydney Kuma also went deep. Georgia out-hit UMBC 7-5.
Britton Rogers pitched three and a third innings in her start, allowing three runs on three hits. Riley Orcutt (1-0) earned her first-career win in relief, working two scoreless innings, striking out three. Madison Kerpics earned her fourth save, pitching the final inning and two-thirds.
A switch up in Georgia's batting order paid off as Fincher led off the game with a home run, her 17th of the season, to put Georgia ahead 1-0.
A pair of leadoff walks came in to score on a two-out single in the bottom of the inning to put the Retrievers (31-12) ahead 2-1.
Georgia answered back in with top of the second with a trio of runs. A leadoff single from Lyndi Rae Davis followed by a double from Savana Sikes put two in scoring position. Davis tagged up and scored to tie the game on a sac fly off the bat of Jaiden Fields. Black followed with a no-doubter, her fifth homer of the year, over the wall in left, putting the Bulldogs ahead 4-2.
A two-out solo shot to center off the bat of Kuma widened Georgia's lead to 5-2 in the top of the third. It was her 13th home run of the season.
A two-out wild pitch plated a Retriever run in the bottom of the fourth, cutting Georgia's lead to 5-3.
Fincher's second home run of the game added insurance for the Georgia Bulldogs, taking a 6-3 lead into the final three outs.
Kerpics held the Retrievers in the seventh to keep Georgia's season alive.
Georgia 7, Liberty 2
Kerpics (19-10) went the distance in the circle, pitching seven innings, allowing just two hits to the Lady Flames. She struck out eight opponents in her outing.
Junior Sara Mosley paced Georgia's offense, scattering three hits. Davis and Sikes each picked up two hits as the Bulldogs scattered 10 hits for its seven runs.
A one-out single up the middle from Mosley followed by a two-out walk to Kuma put a runner in scoring position. Davis dropped a flare into left center as Mosley raced home to score and put Georgia ahead 1-0 on the Lady Flames.
Kuma's second home run of the day was a two-run shot to right center, widening the Bulldogs' lead to 3-0.
The Lady Flames (44-18) broke up Kerpics' no hitter with a two-out, two-run in the bottom of the third, cutting Georgia's lead to 3-2.
Georgia loaded the bases in the top of the fifth and a walk to Fields pushed in Georgia's fourth run, making it a 4-2 advantage.
With Kuma on third, Davis knocked a long single to the wall in right, plating Kuma and making it 5-2. With two runners on, Fields singled up the middle to drive in both runners and make it a five-run lead for the Bulldogs.
Kerpics closed the game in the seventh, securing the win for the Dogs.
Georgia and Duke throw first pitch Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Duke Softball Stadium.
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
C/1B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP/UT
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
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