Dawgs wreck Tech 7-5

From UGA Sports Communications

ATLANTA-----Georgia cruised to a 7-5 win over Georgia Tech Tuesday to clinch the season series in front of a Russ Chandler Stadium crowd of 2,373.

Georgia (17-25) used a two-out rally in the fourth to score four runs on three hits to break open a scoreless contest. With two on and two outs, sophomore designated LJ Talley got the scoring started with an RBI-single. After a walk to freshman second baseman Will Proctor, freshman centerfielder Tucker Maxwell delivered a two-run single. Freshman right fielder Tucker Bradley capped the scoring with an infield single that marked his first career RBI and a 4-0 advantage. Tech responded with single runs in the fourth and fifth frames to make it 4-2. In the seventh, sophomore catcher Michael Curry blasted a two-out, two-run shot for a 6-2 lead. It was his ninth of the year and gave him 41 RBI, both team-highs. Tech centerfielder Ryan Peurifoy closed the gap to 6-3 with a leadoff home run in the seventh. Curry added an RBI-single in the ninth. The Bulldogs scored all seven of their runs with two outs, going 5-for-14.

Sophomore Kevin Smith (2-4) started for the Bulldogs on a staff night and provided four solid innings for the win, allowing one run on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts. In the fifth, Georgia turned to freshman Zac Kristofak and he went four innings, scattering four runs on six hits before leaving with the bases loaded and nobody out in the ninth. Redshirt junior Drew Moody picked up his first save of the year and fourth of his career to preserve the victory. Tech fell to 20-20 and right-hander Ben Schniederjans dropped to 2-4, surrendering four runs on two hits in 3.2 innings.

Earlier this month in Athens, Georgia defeated Tech 5-1. The teams will meet one more time in Atlanta at SunTrust Park on May 9th in a game to benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA). It will be the 15th time they have played for CHOA with the previous 14 games held at Turner Field, the former home of the Atlanta Braves. Georgia went 9-5 in those contests.

Georgia returns to Foley Field Friday for the start of an SEC series with No. 8 Florida (27-13, 10-8 SEC). First pitch will be at 7:02 p.m. EDT and be available on SEC Network+ and the Bulldog Sports Network from IMG.

Dawg Tracks  

*Sophomore DH LJ Talley got the four-run outburst in the fourth started with a two-out RBI single as Keegan McGovern scored on a play at the plate.

*Freshman RF Tucker Bradley notched his first career RBI, and it came in his 89th at bat of the year, a two-out, RBI-single in the fourth to make it 4-0. He had his first career four-hit game too. He became the sixth different Bulldog with a four-hit game this year.

*Sophomore Michael Curry hit his team-leading ninth home run in the seventh, a two-run blast. He finished 2-for-5 with three RBI for a team-best 42 RBI this year.

*Redshirt junior Drew Moody notched his first save of the season and fourth of his career, inheriting a bases-loaded, nobody out jam in the ninth with a 7-3 lead.

Coach's Corner: Ike Cousins Head Baseball Coach Scott Stricklin

“We won the series against our biggest rival, and that’s a big deal. I thought we played really clean, our pitchers did a great job and we got some clutch two-out hits to score all our runs. Tucker Bradley had four hits and his first RBI and LJ Talley got the big inning going for us with a two-out RBI. Kevin Smith gave us a solid start and then Zac Kristofak pitched really well, and when you’re pitching with a lead, it’s okay to give up a solo home run. Zac was throwing strikes, and that’s the key and why we stuck with him. We had Drew Moody ready, and it was tough to bring him in with the bases loaded in the ninth, and he got the job done.”