Sean Stevenson
Associate Sports Communications Director (Volleyball, Softball)
University of Georgia Athletic Association
The seventh-ranked Georgia softball team shut out the Georgia State Panthers on Wednesday at Jack Turner Stadium, 5-0.
Georgia climbs to 32-8 on the season.
Riley Orcutt pitched one scoreless inning in her start with a strikeout. Rachel Gibson worked one scoreless frame out of the pen with a pair of K’s. Lilli Backes picked up two scoreless, hitless innings of work with a strikeout. Madison Kerpics (10-1) was awarded the win, pitching the final three innings, allowing one hit and striking out three.
The staff combined for its seventh shutout of the season. Wednesday’s game was also the third time Georgia pitchers did not allow a walk in a game this season.
The offense scattered seven total hits, led by two hits from Jaiden Fields and two RBI from Ellie Armistead in the contest.
The Bulldogs manufactured a run in the bottom of the second. Lyndi Rae Davis led off with a walk, was bunted to second, and took third on a Fields infield single. Davis tagged and scored on a sac fly off the bat of Emily Digby to go ahead 1-0.
Following two quick outs to begin the home half of the fourth, Georgia put together a strong rally to widen the lead. The scoring began with a solo home run off the bat of Sydney Chambley. After a Fields single, her second of the game, and a Digby double, both runs scored on an Armistead triple to go ahead 4-0. Dallis Goodnight drove in Armistead with a single back up the middle to bring the lead to 5-0 after four innings.
Kerpics shut down the Panthers the remaining three innings en route to the win.
The Bulldogs are back on the road this weekend, traveling to Lexington, Kentucky for a three-game series with the. Kentucky Wildcats. The series begins Friday at 6:30 p.m. streaming live on SEC Network+.
Head Coach Tony Baldwin
On the team's performance...
"I thought it was a pretty efficient game. I thought the pitchers commanded the ball. Ellie [Armistead] was outstanding on defense and we got some timely hitting. We spent yesterday and today working on some situational hitting and we got a big sac fly, we got a ground ball up the middle to score some runs and then Ellie with a big hit. So, all in all, if you pitch well, you defend well, and you get timely hitting, that's usually a pretty good recipe for winning. I'm proud of the work that we put in yesterday and today, and now we just got to keep working to get momentum going and go get after Kentucky this weekend."
On the preparation for this weekend's series at Kentucky...
"We started that yesterday by just getting back to trying to be the best version of ourselves. At the end of the day, we have a good team. The season is a grind that gets through some waves. We've played some really good teams and sometimes you just have to be reminded that you can go do it. We had really good practice yesterday. I thought our early work today was really good. It didn't all translate to the game tonight, but the process was good by the players, and I think they're committed to go and play well this
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