Georgia baseball got off to a hot start in the double elimination round of the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, defeating SEC foe Texas 7-1.
The Longhorns had no response to Joey Volchko early, as Georgia’s ace struck out the side to start the game, recording nine total strikeouts by just the fourth inning. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs’ bats jumped out to an early lead, starting with Rylan Lujo’s first-inning two-run homer that clanked off the left field foul pole.
Later in the first frame, it appeared as if Georgia would squander an opportunity to add to the lead with the bases loaded on a Kolby Branch strikeout. However, the third strike was not fielded cleanly allowing a Georgia run to score, and a wide throw by Texas’ catcher brought in another on the chaotic play.
Volchko continued to overpower the Longhorns with the lead in hand. Texas’ first and only run came in the fifth inning, unearned, after Adrian Rodriguez advanced from first to third off a botched pick-off attempt and an Ethan Mendoza single brought him home. Georgia’s defense responded by rallying around Volchko, forcing the Longhorns’ next batter to ground into a double play and helping retire the next seven batters.
The second spark of offense for Georgia came in the seventh inning, as a Lujo double and Kenny Ishikawa single scored three more runs to assure the Bulldogs would stay ahead. Texas managed just one hit and one walk across the next two innings, as Volchko capped off his nine-inning, 114-pitch near-masterpiece.
The win puts Georgia into the winners’ bracket of its side of the tournament, creating a matchup against Oklahoma on Monday. A victory over the Sooners would put the Bulldogs just one more positive result away from clinching a spot in the final three-game series.