The Georgia Bulldogs started the Athens Regional with a bang. After a 3 1/2 hour weather delay, No. 7 Georgia (43-15) beat American East champion Binghamton (29-25) by a score of 20-4.
Georgia scored five runs in the first inning and never looked back. Binghamton scored two runs off of two singles in the top of the third, but the Bulldogs countered with fifteen unanswered runs in the next five innings. Binghamton scored two more runs on two doubles to reach the final score.
Georgia outhit Binghamton 15-6, with four doubles and five home runs. Sophomore first baseman Tre Phelps and sophomore catcher Daniel Jackson each had two home runs. The duo finished with 11 of the 20 RBIs Georgia scored. Junior shortstop Kolby Branch also went 4-4 with a double and two RBIs.
In the pitching staff, junior starter Leighton Finley pitched for 6 2/3 innings. He earned seven strikeouts, only allowing a walk, four hits, and two runs. Georgia baseball head coach Wes Johnson praised Finley’s start. “I thought Leighton (Finley) came out today and really set the tone in the first. He was attacking the strike zone. When guys can set the tone like that, it calms down everyone in the dugout,” said Johnson.
Sophomore Zach Brown finished the job, pitching 2 1/3 innings and giving up two runs on two hits and two walks.
On Saturday, Georgia faces the Duke Blue Devils (38-19), who won against Oklahoma State 12-5. The game will be televised on SEC Network at 6:00 p.m. ET.
Athens Regional results
- Game 1 (Friday): No. 1 Georgia 20, No. 4 Binghamton 4
- Game 2 (Friday): No. 2 Duke 12, No. 3 Oklahoma State 5
Athens Regional Saturday, May 31 schedule
- Game 3: Oklahoma State vs. Binghamton at Noon (All times are ET)
- Game 4: Georgia vs. Duke at 6 p.m.
Athens Regional Sunday, June 1 schedule
- Game 5: Loser Game 4 vs. Winner Game 3 at Noon
- Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 (time to be announced)
- TV is to be announced for both games
Athens Regional Monday, June 2 schedule
- Game 7: (If necessary) Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (time to be announced)
- TV is to be announced
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