The No. 7 ranked Georgia softball team fell to Kentucky 6-2 in the series finale at John Cropp Stadium on April 14. The Bulldogs have now lost three consecutive series against SEC teams, dating back to their series against Arkansas back in late March.
Georgia’s bats totaled nine hits throughout the game, but could not bring anyone home with runners on. The Bulldogs stranded 12 runners throughout the game.
The Bulldogs opened the top of the first inning with some soft contact, securing two infield hits. With runners on the corners, Jaydyn Goodwin and Sara Mosley both struck out swinging to end the top of the first.
The Wildcats, on the other hand, put the Bulldogs’ Madison Kerpics under pressure early. Following a lead-off single and a hit-by-pitch, Taylor Ebbs singled up the middle to give Kentucky the 1-0 lead. A couple of batters later, a sac fly and a walk led to an early exit for Kerpics, who was relieved by Shelby Walters. Kerpics was charged with her second loss of the year.
The story was the same for Georgia in the top of the second. Having two runners on, the Bulldogs could not capitalize. For Kentucky, things were great. A two-run home run by Ebbs extended the Wildcats lead to 4-0.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, a lead-off home run off the bat of Lauryn Borzilleri, followed by a single and double led Tony Baldwin to make a pitching change, with Lilli Backes entering the game with Georgia down 5-0. Backes with runners on second and third with no outs got UGA out of the jam with no further damage.
Backes pitched three innings of two-hit ball and gave up only one run, which the Wildcats scored in the bottom of the fifth.
Georgia’s first run came in the top of the sixth inning from Lyndi Rae Davis on a foul out. The second run came in the following inning this time off the bat of Jayda Kearney who struck a ball deep to left-center. This was Kearney’s 15th home run of the year.
Georgia softball will return home to the Jack Turner Stadium after a long weekend on the road, as they will face off against USC Upstate on Wednesday, April 17th at 6 p.m.
