Georgia baseball super regionals bound after win vs. Liberty
With one play, Tre Phelps turned a quiet Athens Regional final on its head.
After more than five innings of the Bulldogs trailing Liberty by one, struggling to get anything going, the Georgia third baseman crushed a two-run home run to left field. He broke open the eventual 6-1 win, breathing life into the Bulldogs’ offense and volume into Foley Field.
The Bulldogs advance to the super regionals and will host the winner of the Starkville Regional in a Super Regional next weekend.
After rounding the base, Phelps was ejected for taunting, and Georgia coach Wes Johnson was ejected after arguing on behalf of Phelps. With both the crowd and the Bulldogs fired up, though, Georgia didn’t look back, scoring four runs off Liberty’s bullpen to polish off the win.
“We want to back up our guys, especially after he got ejected, and it just makes you want to win more,” catcher Daniel Jackson said.
Said Johnson: “It’s really hard to apologize (for being) passionate for your players, that are passionate for you and this university and what we do every day. We’re with these guys as much as you’re with your family and you learn to love them and I’m going to stand up for them. I just wanted some explanation, and I didn’t like what I heard and yeah, I understand the rules… the umpire’s going to do what he’s gotta do, but I’m going to always, you know, if I think something’s wrong, I’m going to stand up for our players."
Outside of Phelps’ home run, Liberty pitcher Cooper Harrington held the Bulldogs to two hits, with zero walks, striking out six in 6 1/3 innings pitched.
In the eighth inning, Georgia cushioned the lead with four more runs courtesy of a Michael O’Shaughnessy solo shot and RBI double from center fielder Rylan Lujo, with a single from second baseman Ryan Wynn scoring two.
Georgia starter Caden Aoki tallied a career-high 11 strikeouts, giving up one run on six hits in six innings pitched.
“You have to go out there every inning,” Aoki said. “It’s like a new game every inning, every pitch. You have to stay locked in. You’re at your best pitching when you’re not looking at the score. So, I knew the job I had to do, and I wanted to go out there and execute.”
About the Author
Sarah Spencer, a Georgia native and UGA alum, serves as a general assignment and features writer for sports. She previously covered the Hawks from 2019-22.
