The way Nick Montgomery was going on the mound for Georgia it looked like the Marietta native had been starting for years.

In his first career start at Georgia, Montgomery threw five innings of two-hit ball as the seventh-ranked Bulldogs defeated Georgia Tech, 3-2 in the Spring Baseball Classic for Kids at Turner Field.

"I'll always remember it," said Montgomery, a former starter at Young Harris junior college in his third year at Georgia. "They're very good, aggressive hitters [and] you've got to get ahead of them or they'll make you pay for it. I felt good."

"Tonight Nick was phenomenal," Georgia coach David Perno said. "He might not throw 96 ... but he's 89, it's explosive, it's late and he's really good with command. He was such a valuable commodity down in the bullpen we just couldn't make that move [to starter]."

Two days after clinching the sixth Southeastern Conference title in school history, Georgia (34-17-1) collected 11 hits and avenged two earlier losses to Tech.

After Tech (36-16) got to Montgomery right away, grabbing a 1-0 first-inning lead on Derek Dietrich's RBI single, the 6-foot-2 senior settled in and retired 13 of the final 15 batters he faced.

Meanwhile, Georgia's offense went to work.

Ryan Peisel led off the bottom of the first by lofting his seventh home run over the left field wall to tie the score at 1-1. In the second, David Thoms ripped a single past Tech freshman starter Deck McGuire (six innings, three earned runs, six strikeouts) to give the Bulldogs their first lead at 2-1.

Montgomery took advantage of the early lead and allowed two baserunners in his final four innings. The right-hander got a double play to end the second; a leaping catch in left field by Lyle Allen to close the third and after Chris House reached on a two-out double in the fifth, Montgomery got a lineout to end that frame.

"I try to throw more strikes and let the defense play for you [and] I like to get ahead with fastballs ... and make them get themselves out," Montgomery said.

After Georgia added another run in the fifth on a fielder's choice groundout, the Bulldogs' setup relief of Alex McRee and Dean Weaver yielded an unearned run over the next three innings. Joshua Fields pitched a dominant ninth inning, striking out the final two batters for his NCAA-leading 16th save, setting a new school record.

"They pitched very good tonight; I give them credit," Tech coach Danny Hall said. "You know you're in trouble when you go in the ninth inning and you got to try and beat Fields. He's the best closer in the country."