A game that stayed competitive through four innings quickly turned into a runaway Friday afternoon as No. 11 Georgia erupted for eight runs in the fifth inning to defeat Oakland 16-6 at Foley Field.
Powered by a dominant home run and a six-RBI performance from catcher Daniel Jackson, the Bulldogs overwhelmed Oakland with a 17-hit offensive outburst that created separation midway through the game.
Georgia led 5-2 entering the fifth before the offense broke through. Jackson sparked the inning with a solo home run, Brennan Hudson followed with a three-run blast and Kolby Branch added another homer before Jackson capped the rally with a three-run shot, his second time going yard in the frame, to right field. The surge pushed Georgia’s lead to 13-3 and eliminated any momentum Oakland had built.
The Bulldogs established an early offensive rhythm when Ryan Black opened the scoring with a solo home run in the first inning. Oakland briefly answered in the third, taking a short-lived lead behind RBI singles from Sam Patton and Aidan Schuck.
Georgia responded immediately. Jackson tied the game with an RBI fielder’s choice, and the Bulldogs regained control in the fourth inning with RBI singles from Branch and Jordy Oriach. A sacrifice fly from Black extended the lead and set the stage for the momentum-swinging fifth inning.
Oakland attempted to chip away, scoring once in the fifth and adding two runs in the sixth on a bases-loaded walk and a hit-by-pitch. The Golden Grizzlies added another run in the seventh, but Georgia continued to answer offensively.
Insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh pushed the lead back to double digits and sealed the victory.
Jackson finished 3-for-4 with two home runs and six RBIs to lead the Bulldogs, while Branch and Hudson each recorded multi-hit performances with home runs of their own. Black also contributed a homer and a sacrifice fly and Tre Phelps added three singles as Georgia went 7-for-14 with runners in scoring position.
On the mound, Joey Volchko earned the win after allowing three earned runs across five innings while striking out five. Oakland starter Jordan Dahlof took the loss after surrendering five earned runs in three innings. Since transferring to Georgia from Stanford, Volchko has started three games, recording a win in all three.
Georgia will look to carry the offensive momentum into the remainder of the series as the Bulldogs continue nonconference play with three more matchups with Oakland at Foley Field.