Good Thursday afternoon, Dawg fans! The Georgia Diamond Dawgs began conference play last week and have turned in a decent performance overall in this opening stretch.
Georgia opened SEC play against the Tennessee Vols in a highly anticipated series. In game one, the Dawgs fell 7-4, with all four of their runs coming in the fifth inning. It ultimately wasn’t enough, as Tennessee chipped away throughout the game to secure the win.
Georgia quickly turned the page in game two, showing a more consistent offensive approach paired with improved pitching, taking down the Vols 4-2 to even the series.
Game three proved to be the most exciting of the weekend, with the outcome coming down to the very end. Tennessee appeared to be in control for much of the game, holding a 6-3 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. That was until Georgia’s lineup erupted for five runs in the inning, highlighted by Bryce Calloway’s three-run blast over the right field fence, giving the Dawgs an 8-6 lead.
By the ninth inning, Georgia still held that lead, but Tennessee refused to go quietly. Blake Grimmer launched a solo home run to cut it to 8-7, and tension quickly built inside Foley Field. With the game on the line, Cole Johnson delivered a highlight-reel moment, robbing the Vols of a go-ahead two-run homer to seal the win and the series for Georgia. A play like that is always special, but doing it against Tennessee makes it even sweeter.
With the series win secured, Georgia returned home for a midweek matchup against The Citadel as they prepared for a road trip to face Texas A&M. The Dawgs came out sluggish, clearly still riding the high from the Tennessee series, and found themselves trailing 5-0 heading into the seventh inning.
That’s when things flipped. Georgia began to wake up offensively, scoring two runs in the seventh, three in the eighth, and three more in the ninth. The comeback was capped by Kolby Branch’s dramatic three-run walk-off home run, sealing an impressive and resilient victory.
Georgia then traveled to College Station to take on the Texas A&M Aggies. In game one, the Dawgs delivered a steady performance, putting up nine runs offensively while the pitching staff held strong against a talented Aggies lineup in a 9-4 win.
Game two saw an even sharper performance, particularly on the mound. Georgia limited Texas A&M to just two earned runs while continuing their consistency at the plate, scoring eight runs to secure both the game and the series with an 8-2 victory.
However, game three told a much different story. Georgia struggled significantly on the mound as the Aggies’ offense erupted for 18 runs through seven innings, handing the Dawgs a tough 18-5 loss.
Following their return to Athens, Georgia faced Kennesaw State in a midweek matchup. It was another uneven performance, as the Dawgs struggled offensively for much of the game before breaking through late. Georgia scored four runs in the seventh and added three more in the eighth to reach seven total runs. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, as continued pitching struggles allowed Kennesaw State to put up ten runs and secure the win.
Georgia now sits at 20-6 overall with a 4-2 record in conference play. The Dawgs will now turn their attention to hosting the South Carolina Gamecocks, who are currently struggling, particularly in SEC play. South Carolina is also in the midst of a coaching search, as head coach Paul Mainieri recently stepped down and announced his retirement.
Game one of the series is set for tomorrow night at 6 p.m. ET in Athens.
Hope all of you have a great rest of your week and weekend. As always, GO DAWGS!!!
