Ben Anderson has big night for Georgia Baseball in 7-1 win over Wofford

Georgia’s Ben Anderson stole the show in the Bulldogs’ first mid-week game of the season, a 7-1 win over Wofford. The graduate student center fielder went 4-for-4 with a double, a home run and two RBIs while reaching base five times, scoring on four of them. It’s Anderson’s fourth four-hit game of his career, however the first during his time at Georgia. The previous three came as a freshman at Furman.

Meanwhile, on the mound, relief pitchers Luke Wagner and Jaden Woods set career highs for themselves with five and seven strikeouts respectively as Wagner earned the win.

The Bulldogs got on the board early, scoring in the first inning for the third time in four games this season. Anderson led the inning off with a walk, advanced to second on a passed ball before scoring on a single from Cole Tate down the third base line and off the glove of a Wofford third baseman Ryan Galanie. Anderson would score again in the third after leading off the inning, this time with a double that took a tough hop on the Wofford second baseman Cameron Gill, advancing to third on a wild pitch and crossing home on a double by Cory Acton to make it 2-0 UGA.

Meanwhile, on the mound, the Bulldogs got lights out pitching (yes, I had to use the pun after a 22-minute light delay ensued early in the game) from those that toed the rubber. Garrett Brown started the night by making his return from an elbow injury that kept him out all of 2021. He threw 1.2 innings before handing the ball over to Wagner after the delay, who would go 2.1 innings with a career-high five strikeouts.

Georgia got into a little bit of trouble in the top of the fourth as Wofford had the bases loaded before Wagner hit a Terrier batter with two strikes and two outs, appearing to bring in a run. However, after it was reviewed and determined that Zeb Roos had leaned into the pitch, the call was overturned to an automatic strike, and as a result a strikeout, that got the Bulldogs out of the inning.

Then, taking over in the fifth, Woods helped get Georgia out of another jam in the top of the seventh to keep Wofford scoreless. Still leading 2-0, the Bulldogs faced a runner, Trey Yunger who pinch-ran for the Terriers and reached third base by stealing both second and third, with just one out. However, Woods would strikeout the next two Wofford batters to end the inning without damage done.

In the bottom half of the inning, Georgia struck once again with a two-out, two-run home run from Corey Collins, his first of the season. Collins scored himself as well as Anderson, who reached base for the fourth time to leadoff the inning, on the 3-2 pitch after fouling off one before. That made it 4-0 UGA.

Woods would allow one run in the eighth, walking Jack Renwick before he stole second and scored on a single from Brennen Dorighi before handing the ball over to Will Pearson to end the inning.

Dwight Allen reached base with a single to lead off the bottom half of the eighth, later scoring on a single to right by Chaney Rogers. However, it was Anderson that once again took the crown jewel for the highlight of the inning, continuing his career-night with a two-run home run to put Georgia ahead 7-1. That was all the Dawgs needed as Jack Gowen closed things out in the ninth.

Georgia is back in action at Foley Field this weekend as the Bulldogs take on Akron in a four-game series that features a Saturday doubleheader. Start times are set for 5:00 p.m. ET Friday, 2:00 p.m. ET Saturday and 1:00 p.m. ET Sunday. Then, these two teams will play once again next Tuesday at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C., home of the Boston Red Sox’s affiliate the Greenville Drive.

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