DEL.ICIO.USBulldogs rout Wolfpack for third trip to Omaha in five years
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/08/08
Athens — With two on, one out and his team down by two runs, the season came down to Gordon Beckham.
Typically, there is no one Georgia would rather have with the season on his shoulders. But this was 2006.
 Curtis Compton /AJC | ||
| Georgia shortstop Gordon Beckham rounds the bases after striking a two-run homer -- his second of the game. It was the 51st in his career, which tied Josh Morris for the school record. | ||
 Curtis Compton/AJC | ||
| Georgia players celebrate with fans on the right field wall of Foley Field after downing the Wolfpack 17-8. | ||
Beckham had slid to the eight hole in the lineup by the time Georgia had reached the College World Series. His swing had a hole in it. His team had little hope.
Beckham ended Georgia's season with a double play ball. The words that kick-started his career came next:
"You're going to bring us back here," coach David Perno said to Beckham.
Beckham and his teammates did just that Sunday. Georgia, for the third time in five years, is headed to the College World Series. The Bulldogs beat N.C. State 17-8 in front of 3,512 fans at Foley Field to earn their trip to Omaha, Neb. Georgia will now face No. 1 seed Miami, who advanced to its 23rd College World Series with a win Sunday over Arizona.
"We weren't going to be denied, and I think that is pretty special," Beckham said. "It shows a lot of character about this team."
Beckham was right there in the middle of it all. And understood how to command the stage. In what many thought would be the All-American's last at-bat at Foley Field, the crowd rose to its feet. Beckham rose to the occasion with a two-run homer. It was his second in as many at-bats. It was the 51st in his career, which tied Josh Morris for the school record.
"I was just like, 'Don't strike out and embarrass yourself,'" Beckham said. "That was a great honor, and it meant a lot and I am glad I came through."
All the words and smiles were flowing free and easy after the game. But this team did little free and easy.
Georgia fought its ways through five elimination games. That streak didn't mean much to N.C. State coach Elliott Avent when he was made aware of it Saturday. He said it again Sunday.
"It's got nothing to do with it," Avent said. "Nothing to do with it."
He might have reconsidered in the first inning as Georgia scored nine runs.
It was a video of what Omaha was like in 2006 that provided some motivation. The Georgia coaching staff put together a video of the 2006 win over South Carolina in the Super Regional and showed it to the team before the game.
"They were locked in," Perno said. "I knew we played well. I just didn't expect it to be that comfortable that early."
Nine runs were about all Nick Montgomery would need. The senior allowed one hit through the first five innings. In doing that, he ran his postseason scoreless streak to 14 innings.
N.C. State finally touched Montgomery in the top of the sixth to make it 9-3. It was still a ho-hum affair, at least scoreboard-wise, until the bottom of that inning.
With Georgia ahead 10-3, Joey Lewis hit a pinch-hit, two-run home run off N.C. State's Drew Taylor, the second time on the weekend Lewis had taken Taylor deep.
Taylor threw the next pitch between the shoulder blades of Lyle Allen. The Georgia bench was angry.
"After he did that, we just wanted to pour it on them and show them they had no shot," Bryce Massanari said.
"Embarrass them," Beckham said.
They did just that, scoring five more runs.
"They [ticked] us off," Perno said. "We were just counting outs until that."
Now they are counting the days until they step on the field at Rosenblatt Stadium.
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