University of Georgia Athletics
Friday, February 17
Athens, Ga.
3:00 p.m.
University of Georgia
0-1
5
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8
Jacksonville State
1-0
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5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Jacksonville State
0
4
1
0
0
0
0
0
3
8
10
0
Georgia Bulldogs
0
0
2
1
1
0
1
0
0
5
9
2
JSU Spoils Season Opener
February 17, 2023 | Baseball
ATHENS - The University of Georgia baseball team fell to Jacksonville State, 8-5, in the 2023 season opener on Friday in front of a crowd of 3,119 at Foley Field.
The Bulldogs' five runs came from nine hits highlighted by a two-run home run from graduate Ben Anderson. Junior Corey Collins sent Georgia's (0-1) second home run of the afternoon over the right field wall. Three Bulldogs tallied two hits against the Gamecocks.
"We had too many free passes," Ike Cousins Head Baseball Coach Scott Stricklin said. "We walked eight and hit five. It just caught up to us. We were able to get out of a lot of jams. When you just keep putting guys on base with free passes, it is going to catch up to you. It is going to get you, and that is what happened. One pitch away from getting back into the dugout in the ninth, but we get a hit by pitch and a walk. It just happened too often. When you give teams free opportunities, it is going to come back to get you. We have to win a series, and we have to come back and fight back. We need a good start out of Liam Sullivan. We certainly have to bounce back. We will find out what kind of team we are tomorrow."
Georgia held the Gamecocks to five scoreless innings. Jaden Woods started on the mound for the Bulldogs, pitching 2.0 innings and allowing four runs on three hits (two home runs) before junior Charlie Goldstein relieved him in the third. Graduate Kyle Greenler stepped onto the mound in the top of the fifth and threw 1.1 innings allowing no hits and tallied three strikeouts. Graduate Dalton Rhadans tossed 1.0 scoreless inning with two strikeouts.
After a scoreless first inning, Jacksonville State (1-0) took an early 4-0 lead from two-run home runs from Michael Dallas and T.J. Reeves. The Gamecocks added another run to the board in the top of the third to claim a 5-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the third, graduate Mason LaPlante picked up the first hit of the season with a double into center field. With Anderson up next, the Bulldogs got on the board as the graduate launched a two-run home run, the 17th of his career, to center field.
Collins kept Georgia's offense rolling in the fourth frame with a solo homer to left field to put the Bulldogs within two runs of the Gamecocks' lead.
A leadoff single from Anderson clipped the glove of the third baseman to get the Bulldogs on base in the fifth. Harber sent a double down the left field line to put Anderson in scoring position on third. With two outs and a full count, a balk from the Gamecocks' pitcher sent Anderson across home plate as Georgia trailed by one, 5-4, heading into the top of the sixth.
Georgia knotted the board in the seventh. Graduate Connor Tate ripped a double deep into center field to set up Harber. The junior sent the ball bouncing off third base for a double and scored Tate to tie the game 5-5.
Jacksonville State scored three runs in the top of the ninth to solidify its 8-5 lead to win the game.
JSU reliever Jake Peppers (1-0) earned the win by pitching three innings and allowing one run on three hits while Reid Fagerstrom notched the final two outs for his first save. Junior Luke Wagner (0-1) took the loss as the fifth pitcher on the day.
Game two of the series will be Saturday at 2 p.m. (SECN+).
The Bulldogs' five runs came from nine hits highlighted by a two-run home run from graduate Ben Anderson. Junior Corey Collins sent Georgia's (0-1) second home run of the afternoon over the right field wall. Three Bulldogs tallied two hits against the Gamecocks.
"We had too many free passes," Ike Cousins Head Baseball Coach Scott Stricklin said. "We walked eight and hit five. It just caught up to us. We were able to get out of a lot of jams. When you just keep putting guys on base with free passes, it is going to catch up to you. It is going to get you, and that is what happened. One pitch away from getting back into the dugout in the ninth, but we get a hit by pitch and a walk. It just happened too often. When you give teams free opportunities, it is going to come back to get you. We have to win a series, and we have to come back and fight back. We need a good start out of Liam Sullivan. We certainly have to bounce back. We will find out what kind of team we are tomorrow."
Georgia held the Gamecocks to five scoreless innings. Jaden Woods started on the mound for the Bulldogs, pitching 2.0 innings and allowing four runs on three hits (two home runs) before junior Charlie Goldstein relieved him in the third. Graduate Kyle Greenler stepped onto the mound in the top of the fifth and threw 1.1 innings allowing no hits and tallied three strikeouts. Graduate Dalton Rhadans tossed 1.0 scoreless inning with two strikeouts.
After a scoreless first inning, Jacksonville State (1-0) took an early 4-0 lead from two-run home runs from Michael Dallas and T.J. Reeves. The Gamecocks added another run to the board in the top of the third to claim a 5-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the third, graduate Mason LaPlante picked up the first hit of the season with a double into center field. With Anderson up next, the Bulldogs got on the board as the graduate launched a two-run home run, the 17th of his career, to center field.
Collins kept Georgia's offense rolling in the fourth frame with a solo homer to left field to put the Bulldogs within two runs of the Gamecocks' lead.
A leadoff single from Anderson clipped the glove of the third baseman to get the Bulldogs on base in the fifth. Harber sent a double down the left field line to put Anderson in scoring position on third. With two outs and a full count, a balk from the Gamecocks' pitcher sent Anderson across home plate as Georgia trailed by one, 5-4, heading into the top of the sixth.
Georgia knotted the board in the seventh. Graduate Connor Tate ripped a double deep into center field to set up Harber. The junior sent the ball bouncing off third base for a double and scored Tate to tie the game 5-5.
Jacksonville State scored three runs in the top of the ninth to solidify its 8-5 lead to win the game.
JSU reliever Jake Peppers (1-0) earned the win by pitching three innings and allowing one run on three hits while Reid Fagerstrom notched the final two outs for his first save. Junior Luke Wagner (0-1) took the loss as the fifth pitcher on the day.
Game two of the series will be Saturday at 2 p.m. (SECN+).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jake Peppers (1-0)
L: Wagner, Luke (0-1)
S: Reid Fagerstrom (1)
Batting:
2B: Mason Maners 1
HR: T.J. Reeves 1 ; Derrick Jackson 1 ; Michael Dallas 1
RBI: Mason Maners 2 ; T.J. Reeves 3 ; Derrick Jackson 1 ; Michael Dallas 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Javon Hernandez 1 ; Mason Maners 1 ; T.J. Reeves 1 ; Trent Hoogerwerf 1 ; Jarrett Eaton 1 ; Derrick Jackson 1 ; Michael Dallas 2
HBP: T.J. Reeves 1 ; Carson Crowe 2 ; Jarrett Eaton 1
Batting:
2B: Tate, Connor 1 ; Harber, Parks 2 ; Wagner, Cole 1 ; LaPlante, Mason 1
HR: Anderson, Ben 1 ; Collins, Corey 1
RBI: Anderson, Ben 2 ; Harber, Parks 1 ; Collins, Corey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Anderson, Ben 2 ; Tate, Connor 1 ; Collins, Corey 1 ; LaPlante, Mason 1
HBP: Murillo, Sebastian 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
5
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
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INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
LHP/OF
/ Baseball
LHP
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