When Georgia needed a spark, Rylan Lujo delivers on the big stage

It was supposed to be Georgia’s toughest challenge this season, but outfielder Rylan Lujo and the Bulldogs made it just another day at the office.

The talk leading up to Georgia’s College World Series opening-round game against Texas was how the Bulldogs would do against Longhorns starting pitcher Dylan Volantis.

Volantis was arguably the best pitcher left in the tournament and entered this game with a 2.03 ERA and a 126-to-27 strikeout-to-walk ratio and had only given up two home runs all year.

Georgia came into the matchup leading the SEC in just about every major offensive category, including batting average, RBIs, runs scored, on-base percentage, slugging and, most importantly, home runs (174).

In the SEC power matchup, Rylan Lujo seized the opportunity early.

As Georgia fans across Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska, chanted in unison, “Lu-Lu-Lu-LUJO,” the transfer from Dayton stepped into the box for his first at-bat.

With a runner on and one out, Volantis missed with a 1-0 off-speed pitch right in Lujo’s wheelhouse, and the sophomore outfielder lined a missile straight to the left-field foul pole for a two-run homer. Originally, it was ruled a triple, but an umpire’s review overturned the call in favor of Georgia.

“I did think it was a home run because of how far it bounced. But I’m not a guy with a ton of power, so I always hustle out of the box,” Lujo said postgame. “… I was trying to get to third because of how far it bounced.”

On a night when Volantis started to settle in for his remaining 5⅓ innings on the mound, the plan never changed for Georgia.

Lujo has been one of Georgia’s biggest unsung heroes at the plate this season. While his numbers are outstanding — .375 batting average (second in the SEC), 78 hits, 16 doubles, 14 homers and 48 RBIs — he tends to get lost in the shuffle behind guys like Tre Phelps and Daniel Jackson, who the Coconut Creek, Florida, native has primarily hit behind all season.

Phelps called the trio a “three-headed snake at the top of the lineup,” since you do not know who is going to beat you on any given game.

UGA coach Wes Johnson discussed postgame why he believes the offense runs so much smoother with Lujo hitting third in the order.

“We really like him behind Jackson and Phelps because he can move the ball. Then, with both of those guys’ speed, it just kind allows you to do some different things on the basepath,” Johnson said postgame.

“You can steal, if you need to steal. You can hit and run and even move the ball. I mean, you feel comfortable moving some guys with Lu back there because he’s really, really tough to strike out.”

In a game where Phelps and Jackson went a combined 0-for-9, Lujo stepped up.

Leading 4-1 in the seventh and Volantis still on the mound, Georgia finally broke the game open with Lujo at the forefront again.

With runners at the corners and nobody out, Lujo belted a ball down the left-field line that looked as if it was going to leave the park but went off the wall for an RBI double.