No. 4 Bulldogs Pick Up Pair of Top-25 Wins Friday Against No. 6/8 Oklahoma State, No. 19/20 UCLA

Friday, February 16

Clearwater, Fla.

10 a.m.

University of Georgia

7-0

Oklahoma State

5-1

Georgia

Oklahoma State

No. 4 Bulldogs Pick Up Pair of Top-25 Wins Friday Against No. 6/8 Oklahoma State, No. 19/20 UCLA

February 16, 2024 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The fourth-ranked Georgia softball team defeated No. 6/8 Oklahoma State, 7-4, and No. 19/20 UCLA, 7-6, Friday at Eddie C. Moore Field at day two of the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational.

The Bulldogs remain perfect on the season a 8-0. Junior Lyndi Rae Davis highlighted the day at the plate, hitting a three-run, game-tying home run against the Cowgirls then a go-ahead two-run home run against the Bruins in the nightcap.

No. 4 Georgia 7, No. 6/8 Oklahoma State 4
Down 4-0 going into the fifth inning, Georgia scored seven unanswered runs in the fifth and sixth innings to come back and defeated the Cowgirls (5-1), 7-4 in the first game of the day.

Jaiden Fields led the offense going 3-for-3 at the plate including two doubles and a pair of RBI. Lyndi Rae Davis provided the big hit, a three-run home run in the fifth inning to tie the game at 4-all.

Shelby Walters pitched three innings in her start, allowing four runs, one earned, on six hits. Madison Kerpics (3-0) earned the win in relief, working three scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. Lilli Backes earned her second save of the season, pitching the final inning and holding the Cowgirls.

Oklahoma State pushed a two-out run across in the bottom of the first to go ahead 1-0. A two-out error by Sydney Kuma extended the bottom of the second for OSU. Megan Bloodworth followed with two-run home run to widen the Cowgirl lead to 3-0. An RBI triple pushed another unearned run in in the inning to go ahead 4-0.

Fields' second hit of the game was a leadoff, stand-up double in the fifth. She advanced to third on a wild pitch as pinch hitter Marisa Miller reached on an error. A grounder back to the pitcher whose throw to the plate was off, allowing Fields to score, 4-1. Pinch hitter Lyndi Rae Davis followed with her first home run of the season, a three-run blast to right, to knot the game at 4-all going to the bottom of the fifth.

Kuma led off the sixth with a double then tagged on a flyout to take third. Fields' third hit, another double, drove in Kuma to put Georgia in front, 5-4. An RBI single poked into right by Emily Digby plated pinch runner Hayley Eaton, 6-4. Digby then touched home on a double off the bat of Dallis Goodnight to complete the three spot in the inning, 7-4.

Backed entered in the bottom of the seventh with a runner on first and no out. A double play turned by Kuma cut down the runner and a Backes strikeout complete the comeback for the Dogs.

No. 4 Georgia 7, No. 19/20 UCLA 2
A four spot in the third inning fueled by a pair of two-out, two-run home runs proved the difference maker in the nightcap against the Bruins (3-4).

Backes (2-0) pitched a complete game in the circle, allowing two runs on four hits while fanning three Bruin hitters. She finished the day with a win and a save.

Davis' go-ahead home run, her second home run of the day, put Georgia ahead in the contest, 3-2. Later in the game, she drew a bases-loaded walk to finish the game with three RBI. Jayda Kearney scattered two hits in the game with an RBI while Sydney Chambley also knocked a home run.

Goodnight led off the game legging out a swinging bunt, stole second, and took third on a flyout. She easily scored when Kearney doubled to the warning track in right center, putting the Bulldogs ahead 1-0 in the opening frame.

The Bruins used a pair of two-out RBI singles to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second.

A pair of two-out, two-run home runs off the bats of Davis and Chambley put Georgia back in front in the third, 5-2.

Davis drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk in the top of the fourth to widen the lead to 6-2.

A two-out error by the UCLA shortstop extended the top of the seventh inning and allowed a run to score, widening the lead to 7-2.

Backes held the Bruins in the bottom of the inning to finish the complete game in the circle, earning her second win of the season.

Georgia is back in action Saturday in Clearwater. The Dogs will face off against No. 7/5 Florida State at 10 a.m. on ESPN2. Georgia takes on Minnesota in the nightcap at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN+.