No. 10 Georgia extends winning streak to 23 games

ATHENS, Ga. – The 10th-ranked Georgia softball team swept its doubleheader with Bucknell (7-12) Wednesday afternoon at Jack Turner Stadium.

Georgia was victorious in the opening game, shutting the Bison out in six innings, 8-0. The nighcap featured Georgia clinching a 4-2 win and the sweep of the twin bill. The sweep extends Georgia's win streak to 23 games and brings the Bulldogs to 24-1 on the season.

Left fielder Cortni Emanuel finished the day with four hits and three RBI while also recording a pair of stolen bases.

"The girls are really playing for each other," Georgia associate head coach Tony Baldwin said. "They're playing in the moment, and they're showing up every day ready to work, and that's what this team has done all year. Particularly feel great about what they've done since the start of the year in January. They had a great month of practice, and that's just carried over. It's become a very close team, and they really play for each other, and it really shows on the field."

Georgia 8, Bucknell 0 (6 inn.)

Georgia outhit Bucknell in the opening game, 8-3. Six of the eight hits went for extra bases including four doubles and two home runs. Alyssa DiCarlo and Mahlena O’Neal recorded two hits and drove in three runs each.

Bulldog starter Lauren Mathis improved to 3-0 in the circle. She worked five shutout innings and struck out five. Both marks were a season high for the freshman. Mary Wilson Avant pitched an inning in relief, fanning two of the three batters she faced.

Walks to Justice Milz and Alysen Febrey led to an early lead for Georgia as O’Neal knocked her fourth home run of the season over the wall in right, putting the Bulldogs ahead 3-0 in the opening stanza.

With Ciara Bryan on second and two out in the fourth, Jessica Morgan lined a double to the wall in center, plating the Bulldogs’ fourth run of the game.

The second home run of the game, this time a two-run shot by DiCarlo, lengthened the Georgia lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the fifth.

The bottom of the sixth started with a double off the bat of Kendall Burton into left center. She then advanced to third on a groundout. Emanuel got a single to fall down the right field line, scoring Burton. Following a stolen base by Emanuel, DiCarlo drove a double to right center to plate the winning, run-rule run.

Georgia 4, Bucknell 2

Emanuel paced the offense, scattering three hits and driving in two runs in the second tilt of the day.

Amanda Ablan (1-1) earned her first win of the season in the circle. She pitched a career-long five shutout innings, allowing only one hit, and tying a career-best five strikeouts.

"It was outstanding,” Baldwin added about Ablan. “It was great to watch her go out and do her thing. We see that in practice all the time, and sometimes you just have to be out there and get past that little threshold in the game. It was great to see her do that today. Her stuff is really, really good, and when she gets into her groove, it's fun to watch her do her thing."

Kylie Bass earned her first save, pitching the seventh inning.

After a quiet two and a half innings, the scoreless tie was broken in the bottom of the third when Emanuel hit her second career home run, a two-run shot, to right center, putting the Bulldogs in front, 2-0.

A leadoff walk, stolen base, and a passed ball put Burton on third in the in the fifth. Tiffany Railey drove Burton in with her first career hit and RBI, widening the lead to 3-0.

A leadoff error by Febrey followed by a triple off the bat of Lauren Hadley to dead center, plated the first Bison run. Hadley immediately scored on a single by pinch hitter Jazmyn Stokes, slicing the Georgia lead to one, 3-2. The Bulldogs used a fielder’s choice and two Avant strikeouts to preserve the lead.

Febrey led off the bottom of the inning with a double to right then advanced on a flyout. Bryan fouled out down the right field line, deep enough for Febrey to tag up and score an insurance run, 4-2.

Bass entered in the seventh inning to record her first save of the season in the circle. She fanned two of the four batters she faced.

Georgia continues Southeastern Conference play this weekend when #2/3 Florida comes to Jack Turner Stadium for a three-game series beginning Friday under the lights at 6 p.m.