Georgia defeats Georgia Tech in extra innings, advances to first Super Regional since 2008

It looked like Georgia Tech may force a winner-take-all Regional Final game on Monday as they entered the fifth inning with a 5-2 lead over rival Georgia on Sunday. But the No. 7 national-seeded Bulldogs came from behind, forced extra innings, and prevailed in Athens. Defeating the Yellow Jackets 8-6 in a 10-inning matchup to advance to the Supers for the first time in 16 years.

It was a team effort from the Bulldogs on Sunday night in a game that lasted four hours and seven minutes. Chipping away with three unanswered runs to tie the game at 5-5 in the ninth inning before a three-run 10th inning gave the Bulldogs their largest lead of the game and the lead they needed to secure the win.

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It’s been a long time coming for Georgia to return to postseason glory, which senior Corey Collins reflected on after the win with his emotions clearly moved.

“It’s been so long, it’s been a long road. I mean I can count on my hand how many times I’ve cried, but this is what it’s all about,” Collins said amid a ruckus atmosphere at Foley Field. “These guys, this atmosphere, this university, I mean everybody. This is the goal, to take it back to the Super and we did it. I was fortunate to be a part of it.”

Kolby Branch tied the ballgame at the top of the ninth with a solo home run that sent Athens into a frenzy. Which was followed by an outstanding defensive play from Georgia pitcher Chandler Marsh, who slid into first base to record the final out of the ninth inning with the bases loaded following a 3-2 pitch.

In extras, the Bulldogs took a one-run lead following a wild throw to first base after a bunt from Fernando Gonzalez at the top of the 10th inning. And in the next at-bat, Collins put an exclamation point on the game with a 2 RBI double that helped seal the deal.

“I was a little upset, I mean I got jammed the at-bat before,” Collins said. “But Chandler Marsh came out there and made a great play and he got the ground ball. I just went up there and I was doing this for the team. It’s for us, it’s for these people. I mean y’all can still hear it, that’s what I did it for. I pounded that G and I gave it to my last all.”

The Bulldogs now host NC State in the Super Regionals starting next weekend, a program they notably beat in the 2008 Supers following a win over Georgia Tech to advance to the College World Series.