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Georgia bats bounce back with 4 home runs to force winner-take-all Game 3 in Athens Super Regional

Barkley-Truaxby:Barkley Truax•06/09/24•

BarkleyTruax

Georgia Baseball
© Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

Georgia pulled no punches as it cruised to an 11-2 victory aided by 4 home runs over NC State in Game 2 of the Athens Super Regional to force a deciding game three on Monday.

The Bulldogs began the onslaught within the first 10 pitches of the game when Slate Alford took NC State LHP Dominic Fritton yard for a two-run home run in the first inning. Tre Phelps followed that up with a three-run bomb in the third inning to give the Bulldogs a quick 5-0 lead, setting the tone for what ended up being a field day for Georgia.

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After Phelps broke open the scoreboard in the third. However, Georgia’s batting attack followed that up with a more methodical fourth inning.

Kolby Branch batted in the first run of the game to not come from a home run with a double to left field. Corey Collins added to the scoring total by recording an RBI on a ground out with two runners in scoring position. The inning would eventually end, but not before NC State walked in a run after Phelps, who was back in the box for the second time in two innings, was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Despite allowing three runs in the fourth, NC State’s Ryan Marohn was able to keep the Georgia bats silent for an inning before Paul Toetz decided to join in on the fun with a solo home run of his own in the sixth. Georgia wouldn’t stop there as Fernando Gonzalez launched a solo home run of his own to push the lead to double-digits.

Pushing the lead to 10 runs, the threat of having the Bulldogs run-rule the Wolfpack was academic unless NC State could find their bats in the bottom of the seventh. They were able to push one run across home plate, also ending the day of Georgia starter Leighton Finley after a career-long 6.2-inning outing.

Georgia scored its 11th run of the game from a solo home run from Collins in the eighth, his 20th of the season. Collins’ home run was one for the Georgia record books, marking the first time that two UGA batters have logged at least 20 home runs in a single season. Charlie Condon has 36.

Despite NC State’s best attempts at a rally, the Bulldogs’ lead was too much for the Wolfpack to overcome in the end. The win forces a deciding Game 3 where the winner advances to Omaha to play in the Men’s College World Series, while the other’s season comes to an end in Athens. The opening pitch on Monday is TBD.