Joey Volchko’s six strikeouts and Henry Allen’s three RBIs lifted No. 11 Georgia baseball over Queens 12-2 in eight innings in Friday’s opener of the four-game series. 

Just two days removed from Western Carolina’s upset of the Bulldogs in a 10-9 thriller, Georgia quickly refound its form as it began its final series before conference play begins. The potential for Queens to do damage was limited, as the Royals entered 1-0 against the SEC, upsetting South Carolina 9-8 on Feb. 25.

The game was delayed over two hours due to rain and lightning in the area, but Volchko wasted no time when he was finally cleared to throw the first pitch, striking out Queens’ leadoff hitter, Thomas Mathay, on three pitches. The junior right-hander retired the side, but ran into trouble in the second inning.

After a single and a walk put two runners on, Queens third baseman Justin Hudson hit a ground-rule double to left field for a 1-0 lead. Had the ball not hopped over the fence, a second runner likely would have scored for the Royals, but Volchko took advantage, limiting the damage with back-to-back strikeouts.

“I started warming up at 12:45 and didn’t start until 5-something. I think I handled the adversity well,” Volchko said. “It was crazy, but I think it was a good challenge and something I might have to deal with later on in the season.”

The Bulldogs finally got their bats going in the third. Royals pitcher Gibson Jones had held Georgia hitless through two innings, but second baseman Ryan Black’s single ended that run. Daniel Jackson then tied the game, doubling to right field to extend his hit streak to 12 games and increase his RBI total to 25, the team lead. 

But the onslaught was far from over. Michael O’Shaughnessy drove in the go-ahead run on a groundout, and with two outs, an Allen single and a Brennan Hudson two-run home run extended the lead to 5-1. Hudson finished the game having taken eight of his ten hits deep for home runs on the season. 

In the fifth inning, Mathay inched a bit closer by using his legs to generate a run. After singling with two outs, Mathay stole second and third base, then ran home and scored on a wild pitch. 

Phelps quickly answered with a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the fifth to pull Georgia back ahead by four runs. Two at-bats later, O’Shaughnessy’s double scored another run, and two subsequent walks loaded the bases. Freshman center fielder Cole Johnson singled, scoring two more runs before Queens escaped the frame down 9-2. 

In addition to his half-dozen strikeouts, Volchko allowed just two earned runs and four hits through six full innings, earning the win and improving his personal record on the mound to 4-0. Freshman Joe Nottingham entered in the seventh, making his third collegiate appearance. A failed diving catch attempt in the outfield resulted in Nottingham’s first career hit allowed, but he still managed to keep his career ERA at a perfect 0.00, retiring all three batters via strikeout. 

Graduate student Mason Kosowick entered in the eighth, also recording three strikeouts and blanking Queens. In the bottom of the inning, Allen hit a two-run home run that put Georgia up by 10 and ended the game 12-2 via run-rule. 

Georgia increased its home run total on the year to 46, by far the lead of any team in the nation thus far.

“It’s something we teach. It’s an approach, it’s plate discipline and working counts when you can get off those swings,” head coach Wes Johnson said. “It’s something we work a lot on, but hopefully it’s sustainable.”   

Georgia, now 12-3, and Queens will face off three more times over the weekend, with the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader set to start at 1 p.m.