University of Georgia
33-10, 12-5
Florida
31-11, 8-7
Georgia Wins Final Game of Series, 8-2
April 16, 2023 | Softball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 12th-ranked University of Georgia softball team won the final game in a weekend series, 8-2, against the No. 15 Florida Gators Sunday afternoon at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
With the win, Georgia advances to 33-10 on the season and 12-5 in SEC competition.
The Bulldogs tallied seven hits on the afternoon. Junior Jayda Kearney and freshman Marisa Miller led the charge with two hits apiece. Kearney blasted a pair of home runs to break into the Georgia softball record books.
Georgia took a 1-0 lead in the first after senior Sara Mosley sent a long ball over the left field wall.
Senior Sydney Kuma drew a walk to start the second. Kuma then stole second and was advanced to third by a ground out by junior Sydney Chambley. Miller stepped to the plate and sent a single down the left field line as Kuma reached home, 2-0.
With Mosley waiting on first, Kearney launched a home run to center field to boost the Bulldogs' lead, 4-0.
Madison Kerpics started in the circle for the Bulldogs and was credited with the win. The junior tossed four and a fifth innings allowing two runs on two hits with four strikeouts. Graduate Shelby Walters was called in the fifth with bases loaded and worked just over two innings allowing three hits for the save.
Florida (31-11, 8-7 SEC) got on the board in the fifth with bases loaded. A two-run single from Reagan Walsch cut Georgia's lead to two, 4-2.
With bases loaded in the sixth, a single from Miller gave Hayley Eaton, in to pinch run for Lyndi Rae Davis, the go ahead to score. Junior Ellie Armistead stepped to the plate next and cranked a double to the center field wall and scored Jaydyn Goodwin and Chambley as Georgia built a 7-2 advantage.
An eighth run came for Georgia in the seventh when Kearney blasted her 17th home run of the season to left center to give Georgia its final 8-2 lead. This homer boosted Kearney onto the single season home runs top 10 list, tying Mosley's 17 last year.
Georgia will return to the field on Wednesday, April 19 when they play host to USC Upstate. The first pitch will be thrown at 6:30 p.m. at the Turner Softball Stadium. The game will be live on SEC Network +.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kerpics, Madison (13-5)
L: Hightower (14-6)
S: Walters, Shelby (4)
Batting:
2B: Fields, Jaiden 1 ; Armistead, Ellie 1
HR: Mosley, Sara 1 ; Kearney, Jayda 2
RBI: Mosley, Sara 1 ; Kearney, Jayda 3 ; Miller, Marisa 2 ; Armistead, Ellie 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Mosley, Sara 2 ; Kearney, Jayda 2 ; Eaton, Hayley 1 ; Goodwin, Jaydyn 1 ; Kuma, Sydney 1 ; Chambley, Sydney 1
SB: Kuma, Sydney 1
Batting:
2B: Walsh 1
RBI: Walsh 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Wallace 1 ; Longley 1
SB: Wallace 2
