University of Georgia Athletics
Lindemuth Finding Her Groove At UGA
March 26, 2026 | Softball, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Bailey Lindemuth went 1-for-2 at the plate Wednesday night in the 11th-ranked Georgia softball team's 18-1 throttling of Mercer at Jack Turner Stadium. It was the 100th career start for the sophomore third baseman, who drove in a run with a first-inning single.
At the plate, Lindemuth started slowly this season, with only four hits in her first 12 games, but her bat has been hot for the past month or so. On Feb. 18, her batting average was at .154; after Wednesday's game, it was up to .300, with a home run and 12 runs batted in.
"There are patches that need to be fixed, but having the right people around you and having the motivation are a really key part of that," she said of her surge.
At the end of a big first inning for the Bulldogs, Lindemuth, batting eighth in the lineup, got in on the fun. With runners on first and second and two away, she slapped a single to right field, just past the outstretched glove of the first baseman, to put Georgia ahead 4-0. Just before that, Emily Digby hit an RBI single up the middle to make it 3-0.
Digby, Georgia's shortstop, described playing with Lindemuth as "awesome."
"She keeps everything light on the field," said Digby, who also went 1-for-2 against the Bears. "She's such a joy to play next to."
After Mercer got on the scoreboard with a solo homer in the second, the Bulldogs pushed their lead to 6-1 with a two-run home run to right by Natalie Ray. A Marisa Miller single to left-center field made it 7-1.
When it was 8-1, Lindemuth was due up next, but she was called back to the dugout and replaced by pinch-hitter Tyah Charlton, who drew a walk to load the bases for Mollie Mitchell. The center fielder drove in three runs with a double to left-center, pushing the score to 11-1. It was a seven-run inning at that point, all with no Bulldogs getting out, and by the end of the frame, when Mitchell, batting for the second time, flied out to center, it was a 13-run inning and a 17-1 lead.
In the top of the third, Lindemuth was back at third base— softball players can re-enter the game, unlike baseball players — and in the bottom of the fourth, she was again at the plate, with the lead at 18-1. This time, she struck out, for just the ninth time all season. Despite the lopsided score, she was still giving it her all at the plate and while playing the field.
"The great thing about this team is, we stay competitive no matter the score, no matter the competition," she said.
Lindemuth, who has started every game at third base this season, started 66 at third last season at Texas Tech and was the starting pitcher in two games. She hit .305 for the Red Raiders, with eight doubles, five home runs, and 32 RBIs; in the circle, she made three appearances, allowing four runs on six hits in 11.0 innings.
So far at Georgia, Lindemuth has only played in the field on defense. When asked if her pitching days were done, she smiled and said pitching for the Bulldogs has been discussed.
"I do a couple of bullpens (throwing sessions) here and there, so who knows?" she said.
Being a pitcher, past or present, does help Lindemuth at the plate, she said.
"Just knowing, like whenever I get to a certain count, or maybe if the pitcher's trying to get ahead, you can really notice that from her body language," she said.
Digby said all batters "go through highs and lows," and seeing the way Lindemuth has worked to find her hitting groove has been fun to witness.
"It's really fun to see her getting back into what she normally does, and seeing her get back to her normal self," Digby said. "Watching her go through all that, the highs and the lows, it just makes me really proud to see her playing so well."
The Bulldogs (24-8) are 3-3 in SEC play heading into this weekend's series at Kentucky (21-12), which has started 1-8 in the conference.Â
Staff Writer
Bailey Lindemuth went 1-for-2 at the plate Wednesday night in the 11th-ranked Georgia softball team's 18-1 throttling of Mercer at Jack Turner Stadium. It was the 100th career start for the sophomore third baseman, who drove in a run with a first-inning single.
At the plate, Lindemuth started slowly this season, with only four hits in her first 12 games, but her bat has been hot for the past month or so. On Feb. 18, her batting average was at .154; after Wednesday's game, it was up to .300, with a home run and 12 runs batted in.
"There are patches that need to be fixed, but having the right people around you and having the motivation are a really key part of that," she said of her surge.
At the end of a big first inning for the Bulldogs, Lindemuth, batting eighth in the lineup, got in on the fun. With runners on first and second and two away, she slapped a single to right field, just past the outstretched glove of the first baseman, to put Georgia ahead 4-0. Just before that, Emily Digby hit an RBI single up the middle to make it 3-0.
Digby, Georgia's shortstop, described playing with Lindemuth as "awesome."
"She keeps everything light on the field," said Digby, who also went 1-for-2 against the Bears. "She's such a joy to play next to."
After Mercer got on the scoreboard with a solo homer in the second, the Bulldogs pushed their lead to 6-1 with a two-run home run to right by Natalie Ray. A Marisa Miller single to left-center field made it 7-1.
When it was 8-1, Lindemuth was due up next, but she was called back to the dugout and replaced by pinch-hitter Tyah Charlton, who drew a walk to load the bases for Mollie Mitchell. The center fielder drove in three runs with a double to left-center, pushing the score to 11-1. It was a seven-run inning at that point, all with no Bulldogs getting out, and by the end of the frame, when Mitchell, batting for the second time, flied out to center, it was a 13-run inning and a 17-1 lead.
In the top of the third, Lindemuth was back at third base— softball players can re-enter the game, unlike baseball players — and in the bottom of the fourth, she was again at the plate, with the lead at 18-1. This time, she struck out, for just the ninth time all season. Despite the lopsided score, she was still giving it her all at the plate and while playing the field.
"The great thing about this team is, we stay competitive no matter the score, no matter the competition," she said.
Lindemuth, who has started every game at third base this season, started 66 at third last season at Texas Tech and was the starting pitcher in two games. She hit .305 for the Red Raiders, with eight doubles, five home runs, and 32 RBIs; in the circle, she made three appearances, allowing four runs on six hits in 11.0 innings.
So far at Georgia, Lindemuth has only played in the field on defense. When asked if her pitching days were done, she smiled and said pitching for the Bulldogs has been discussed.
"I do a couple of bullpens (throwing sessions) here and there, so who knows?" she said.
Being a pitcher, past or present, does help Lindemuth at the plate, she said.
"Just knowing, like whenever I get to a certain count, or maybe if the pitcher's trying to get ahead, you can really notice that from her body language," she said.
Digby said all batters "go through highs and lows," and seeing the way Lindemuth has worked to find her hitting groove has been fun to witness.
"It's really fun to see her getting back into what she normally does, and seeing her get back to her normal self," Digby said. "Watching her go through all that, the highs and the lows, it just makes me really proud to see her playing so well."
The Bulldogs (24-8) are 3-3 in SEC play heading into this weekend's series at Kentucky (21-12), which has started 1-8 in the conference.Â
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files.
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