UCLA’s Maya Brady, right, celebrates after hitting a home run during the first inning of Game 1 of their NCAA Super Regional against Georgia on Thursday night at Easton Stadium. Brady homered twice and scored three runs in a 8-0 victory that was shortened to six innings. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
UCLA starting pitcher Kaitlyn Terry throws to the plate during the first inning of Game 1 of their NCAA Super Regional against Georgia on Thursday night at Easton Stadium. UCLA won, 8-0, in a game that was shortened to six innings. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
UCLA shortstop Maya Brady, left, forces out Georgia’s Sydney Chambley at second base during the first inning of Game 1 of their NCAA Super Regional on Thursday night at Easton Stadium. UCLA won, 8-0, in a game that was shortened to six innings. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
UCLA’s Maya Brady, left, crosses home plate during the third inning of Game 1 of their NCAA Super Regional against Georgia on Thursday night at Easton Stadium. UCLA won, 8-0, in a game that was shortened to six innings. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
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UCLA outfielder Jadelyn Allchin catches a fly ball hit by Georgia’s Sara Mosley during the second inning of Game 1 of their NCAA Super Regional on Thursday night at Easton Stadium. UCLA won, 8-0, in a game that was shortened to six innings. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
UCLA infielder Seneca Curo, right, points to first base after forcing out Georgia’s Lyndi Rae Davis at second base during the second inning of Game 1 of their NCAA Super Regional on Thursday night at Easton Stadium. UCLA won, 8-0, in a game that was shortened to six innings. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Georgia infielder Sydney Kuma, left, drops a fly ball during Game 1 of their NCAA Super Regional against UCLA on Thursday night at Easton Stadium. UCLA won, 8-0, in a game that was shortened to six innings. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
Georgia outfielder Dallis Goodnight, left, is forced out at second base by UCLA infielder Seneca Curo during Game 1 of their NCAA Super Regional series on Thursday night at Easton Stadium. UCLA won, 8-0, in a game that was shortened to six innings. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
UCLA’s Taylor Stephens scores during the sixth inning of Game 1 of their NCAA Super Regional against Georgia on Thursday night at Easton Stadium. UCLA won, 8-0, in a game that was shortened to six innings. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
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UCLA’s Savannah Pola dives back safely when Georgia infielder Sydney Kuma can’t make the tag during Game 1 of their NCAA Super Regional on Thursday night at Easton Stadium. UCLA won, 8-0, in a game that was shortened to six innings. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
UCLA shortstop Maya Brady, left, congratulates pitcher Kaitlyn Terry during Game 1 of their NCAA Super Regional against Georgia on Thursday night at Easton Stadium. UCLA won, 8-0, in a game that was shortened to six innings. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
UCLA players celebrate after they defeated Georgia, 8-0, in Game 1 of their NCAA Super Regional series on Thursday night at Easton Stadium. The game was shortened to six innings. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
UCLA players celebrate after they defeated Georgia, 8-0, in Game 1 of their NCAA Super Regional series on Thursday night at Easton Stadium. The game was shortened to six innings. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
LOS ANGELES — Maya Brady homered twice and scored three runs to lead the UCLA softball team to an 8-0 victory over Georgia in six innings on Thursday night in the Los Angeles Super Regional at Easton Stadium.
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The sixth-seeded Bruins will continue the best-of-three series with Game 2 against the 11th-seeded Bulldogs on Friday at 7 p.m. Game 3, if necessary, would be Saturday.
“I’ll just say this: Game 1 is always the biggest one,” UCLA coach Kelly Inouye-Perez told reporters after the game. “We’ve got to be able to appreciate tonight, get some rest and come back because I guarantee it’ll be a dogfight tomorrow.”
UCLA freshman lefty Kaitlyn Terry pitched a complete six innings and gave up four hits, with three walks and five strikeouts.
Terry said that taking “debbies,” or deep, exaggerated breaths, before each pitch has helped her stay focused through the pressure of postseason.
“It makes me reset everything,” Terry said, “and just makes me like pitch loose because when I pitch tight, it’s just not good. So honestly, I think taking ‘debbies’ is my biggest thing.”
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Brady cracked a solo home run over the right field wall in the bottom of the first inning to get UCLA’s offense started early after the defense held the Bulldogs hitless in the top of the frame.
She went deep a second time when she attacked the second pitch she saw in the bottom of the fifth inning for another leadoff solo home run and her 17th overall this season.
“It’s just literally trying to put my team in the best position to get us a dub at the end of the day or at least a little room against a swinging team like (Georgia),” Brady said. “Everything I do is for my teammates.”
Brady came up with big defensive plays at shortstop throughout the game as well. She made a catch along the third base line to force Georgia’s Jaydyn Goodwin to foul out to end the top of the second inning and turned a quick double play at second base in the fourth.
Inouye-Perez compared Brady’s ability to make plays in the infield to Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson.
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“She’s smooth like that,” Inouye-Perez said. “I wanted her at shortstop this year – I wanted her with the young pitching staff to be on the field so that she could communicate and keep the team together. And she has done a phenomenal job.”
Jadelyn Allchin stretched out for a diving catch in left field at the top of the second inning to prevent Sara Mosley from getting on base. UCLA’s outfield played deep all evening against a Georgia offense that features two players who each have 20 home runs this season – No. 4 hitter Mosley and No. 3 hitter Jayda Kearny.
Kearny recorded one hit and Mosley had none on Friday night.
“Momentum is a big deal. We had it at a point in the season and we’ve been battling to get it back for a long time,” Georgia coach Tony Baldwin told reporters. “I like our team, I like our people, I love going to work with them, I love competing with them. We just haven’t been consistent enough to get the ball rolling with momentum on our side.”
Thessa Malau’ulu and Janelle Meoño both grounded out in the bottom of the third inning to bring the top of the batting order back out and also give Brady a chance to get her second big hit of the game.
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Brady doubled, then Allchin laced a single down the first base line to score the Pac-12 Player of the Year. The Bruins were able to load the bases when Sharlize Palacios and Megan Grant were both walked, but Jordan Woolery struck out swinging to leave all three runners stranded.
UCLA’s third home run of the evening came in the bottom of the evening and gave the Bruins a 6-0 advantage. Allchin singled and Palacios reached first on an HBP. Gabriela Jaquez, who also plays on UCLA’s women’s basketball team, came in to pinch run for Palacios.
Megan Grant grounded out to move the runners over and Woolery homered to bring them both in.
Savannah Pola ended the game when she singled to right field to push pinch runner Taylor Stephens and Allchin across home plate in the sixth inning.
“We know what Maya Brady can do and she continues to do it and it’s so impressive to watch,” Inouye-Perez said, “but we’re at our best when the bottom half is taking care of it.”
GLENNVILLE, Ga. — An inmate used a gun to kill a kitchen worker at a Georgia prison early Sunday before fatally shooting himself, state officials said.
The Georgia Department of Corrections in a statement said it’s investigating the deaths at Smith State Prison in rural southeast Georgia. The agency provided few immediate details, including how the inmate obtained a firearm.
The agency’s statement said inmate Jaydrekus Hart fatally shot a food service worker in the prison’s kitchen at about 4:30 a.m. Sunday, then used the gun to kill himself.
“The weapon is in GDC custody at this time, and a complete and thorough investigation of what led up to this tragic incident will be carried out,” the statement said.
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Agency spokeswoman Lori Benoit provided no further information when reached by phone. She said further details would be released when they become available.
The name of the slain kitchen worker, an employee of the food service company Aramark, was not immediately released.
“We are heartbroken over the loss of our colleague and our hearts and prayers go out to her family,” Aramark spokesperson Debbie Albert said in an emailed statement. “This is a tragedy for all of us.”
Albert said the company was assisting Georgia prison officials in their investigation.
It’s the second killing of a staff member at Smith State Prison in less than a year. Correctional officer Robert Clark, 42, died last October after an inmate he was escorting attacked him from behind with a homemade weapon.
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A state investigation into a sprawling contraband scheme inside the prison resulted in the arrest and firing of the prison’s warden, Brian Adams, in February 2023. He was charged with racketeering, bribery, making or writing false statements and violating his oath as a public officer.
Hart had been imprisoned since 2015 after being convicted in Carroll County of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated battery, according to online prison records. His earliest potential release date would have been in 2043.
Smith State Prison, which has capacity for 1,500 inmates, is a close-security prison that houses offenders considered violent or an escape risk.
Georgia Tech had a great weekend recruiting last weekend and they have got the ball rolling again tonight with the commitment of Carrington Coombs, a three-star edge who plays at Hebron Christian Academy in Georgia. Coombs is now the 13th commitment in the 2025 class for Georgia Tech.
Georgia Tech’s class now ranks 22nd in the country and 4th in the ACC, behind only Clemson, Syracuse and Stanford. The Yellow Jackets average recruit rank is an 87.44, higher than either Syracuse and Stanford and only trails Clemson, Florida State, Miami, North Carolina, and SMU.
According to the 247Sports Composite, Coombs is a three-star player, the No. 625 player in the country, the No. 68 linebacker in the country, and the No. 69 player in the state of Georgia.
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Other offers that Coombs held were Boston College, Kansas State, Liberty, Virginia, Oklahoma State, USF, and App State, among others. Here are some other news and noteworthy stats about Coombs courtesy of 247Sports:
Also plays basketball.
2023: Two-way snaps for Dacula (Ga.) Hebron Christian Academy, helping lead the Lions to a 6-5 record and first round berth in the GHSA 3A playoffs. Totaled 41 tackles, four sacks, and a forced fumble as a junior along with two catches for 23 yards on offense.
Georgia Tech is off to a really good start to the month and they should only be getting better. Brent Key has done a great job of getting guys on campus and being able to land them.
There are new additions to Reef JY off St. Catherines Island, Reef SAV near Tybee Island, and Reef HLHA east of Little Cumberland Island. These aim to enhance marine habitats and support local biodiversity.
The Coastal Resources Division (CRD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources recently completed three significant additions to Georgia’s offshore artificial reefs.
CRD’s Habitat Enhancement and Restoration Unit conducted these deployments to enhance marine habitats and support local biodiversity. All materials were thoroughly cleaned and inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard prior to deployment.
The 62-foot tug Sarah Katlin was deployed to Reef JY on May 31, situated 17 nautical miles east of St. Catherines Island. This deployment aims to create new habitats for marine life and support the local fishing community. The vessel sank in 68 feet of water at 31.60667°N, 80.79922°W (31°36.400’N, 80°47.953’W).
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Following this, on June 5, approximately 63 tons of concrete blocks previously used by the U.S. Coast Guard to anchor aids to navigation were added to Reef SAV about 6 nautical miles east of Tybee Island. These materials provide essential structure for various marine species, promoting ecological diversity and sustainability. The blocks were placed by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Willow (WLB-202), a seagoing buoy tender, in 41 feet of water at 31.92138°N, 80.78621°W (31°55.283’N, 80°47.173’W).
The final deployment occurred June 6, when the 50-foot tug G.A. Franklin was added to Reef HLHA, 23 miles east of Little Cumberland Island. This addition further expands the available habitats for fish and other marine organisms, contributing to the overall health of Georgia’s coastal ecosystems. The Franklin went down in 76 feet of water at 30.98958°N, 80.95315°W (30°59.375’N, 80°57.189’W).
The Savannah ABC affiliate WJCL-TV joined CRD for the deployment of the G.A. Franklin. The station aired an informative story highlighting the meticulous process of cleaning and preparing reef materials for deployment, ensuring environmental safety and effectiveness.
“We are very happy with the success of these reef deployments,” said Paul Medders, CRD’s Habitat Enhancement and Restoration Unit lead. “Artificial reefs play a crucial role in enhancing marine habitats, supporting fish populations, and boosting recreational fishing opportunities. These additions will provide long-term benefits for our coastal environment and community. While the reef materials are man-made, the organisms that will find a home here are totally natural.”
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The Coastal Conservation Association Georgia, a CRD partner, provided financial support to make the reef deployments possible. Members of the public can also show their support for artificial reef creation by purchasing the “Support Fish Habitat” license plate (Code “NR”) at their local tag office. This eye-catching tag features the state saltwater fish, the red drum, and costs just $25 more annually than a standard tag.
The CRD remains committed to conserving and enhancing Georgia’s coastal resources for present and future generations. For more information about the artificial reef program and other conservation initiatives, please visit CoastalGaDNR.org/HERU.
About the Coastal Resources Division
The mission of the Coastal Resources Division is to balance coastal development and protection of the coast’s natural assets, socio-cultural heritage and recreational resources for the benefit of present and future generations.
The Coastal Conservation Association Georgia, a CRD partner, provided financial support to make the reef deployments possible. Members of the public can also show their support for artificial reef creation by purchasing the “Support Fish Habitat” license plate (Code “NR”) at their local tag office. This eye-catching tag features the state saltwater fish, the red drum, and costs just $25 more annually than a standard tag.
