ATHENS -- Erik Parker scampered home to end a 10-9 walk-off win over Florida Gulf Coast Friday night, extending Georgia baseball’s win streak to seven games.
The No. 6-ranked Bulldogs (10-1) loaded the bases with Parker on third and no outs in the bottom of the ninth. Senior Slate Alford whacked a hard ground ball at the first baseman, whose throw to get Parker at home was wide left.
Parker and a mob of black jerseys chased Alford out into deep center field. The Bulldogs jumped up and grabbed the center-field wall as Foley Field’s red LED lights blared.
Christian Adams put the winning run on base by taking a hit by pitch to start the inning. The speedy freshman Parker pinch ran for Adams and stole second base. Kolby Branch walked behind him on five pitches, bringing Ryan Black to the plate.
Then Parker and Branch moved to second and third base on a botched pickoff attempt, which rolled into center field. Black was intentionally walked to set up a force out at home, bringing Alford to the plate.
It was the first walk-off win for the Bulldogs this season, who overcame another early deficit. UGA trailed 5-0 after the first inning and regained the lead with eight runs between the fifth and sixth innings.
Starting pitching continued to be an issue for the Bulldogs in the win. Leighton Finley surrendered five earned runs in the first inning.
Georgia’s starters have allowed 27 of the team’s 37 earned runs this season.
“I’m tired of the broken record,” UGA coach Wes Johnson told 960 the Ref. “We didn’t get off to a good start. We played really, really sloppy baseball there in the first three innings actually, but good teams can find a way.”
Daniel Jackson sparked the Bulldogs offense with a pair of solo homers. The Wofford transfer homered in the third and fifth innings to start gnawing into the deficit.
Jackson’s second homer seemed to wake up the rest of Georgia’s offense. Tre Phelps followed Jackson with an RBI double before scoring himself on a wild pitch.
Jackson started UGA’s scoring again in the sixth inning, whacking a two-RBI double off the left-field wall. Black and Jackson scored on a Robbie Burnett single to tie the game 7-7.
“When you’ve been knocked down pretty hard, you need somebody to come up to the plate or come up to the mound and just settle everybody down, and I thought Daniel did that,” Johnson said.
Phelps delivered one more hit in the sixth inning to take Georgia’s first lead, splitting the infield with a two-RBI single.
Florida Gulf Coast tied the game at 9 in the top of the ninth inning, setting up the walk-off.
Georgia will look to win the series with a doubleheader sweep on Saturday. Game one will start at 2 p.m.
Friday’s contest started a 13-game homestand for Georgia. The Bulldogs, who traveled to Georgia State on Wednesday night, won’t leave Athens again until visiting Florida on March 21.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
