The Georgia Bulldogs played like a College World Series team for four innings Saturday. Unfortunately for them, they looked like the Bad News Bears for the two that followed, and that will keep them from playing on college softball’s grandest stage.
Fourth-seeded Georgia committed four errors in its NCAA Super Regional matchup with Baylor on Saturday — including three in the sixth inning — and that helped the 13th-seeded Bears come from behind for a 6-3 win.
The Bulldogs (49-15) were looking to make their third appearance in the Women’s College World Series in the past six years. They made it to the semifinals the past two times (2009, 2010).
“Defense wins championships,” Georgia coach Lu Harris-Champer said. “We can play stronger defense, and we have throughout the season. Offensively, we came in and put runs on the board, and Chelsea (Wilkinson) did a fine job on the mound. But I loved our grit and our fight. That’s the best part of our team.”
Baylor’s game-winning hit came on a two-run home run by Linsey Hays in the bottom of the fifth inning. That gave the Bears their first lead of the game, 4-3. They added two more as the Bulldogs’ came unglued on defense in the sixth. Five of their six runs came in innings four through six.
Baylor left-hander Whitney Canion (31-10) had to work considerably harder for her second win in as many days. After throwing only 77 pitches Friday, the sixth-year senior unleashed 169 on Saturday. The Bulldogs scratched out eight hits and five walks, but left 12 runners on base.
Key to the Bears’ victory was the way they handled Georgia slugger Alex Hugo. Hugo hit a home run in the first to set the school’s single-season record (25) and give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. But she was intentionally walked the rest of the game. Geri Ann Glasco, Tina Iosefa and Tina Swafford, who hit behind Hugo, never could make the Bears pay. They were a combined 2-for-9 without an RBI.
Baylor will make its third WCWS appearance. The Bears (47-14) also beat UGA here in 2011 to advance to softball’s championship round. Ranked No. 17 coming in, they won by run-rule 9-1 on Friday.
“I don’t want to come back here,” said Baylor coach Glenn Moore, who is now 4-1 in Athens. “… It’s time for people to kind of get off the SEC kick because there (are) other conferences out there. … We just beat the tournament champions in the SEC. It’s time to give the Big 12 a little respect. I think we earned it today.”
Meanwhile, Georgia should be back in business next season. The Bulldogs’ entire lineup returns, and they lose only one senior who played in a reserve role.
“It’s heartbreaking,” junior shortstop Paige Wilson said. “Our team, we call each other sisters, and have this unity together. It just stinks that we have to end it short because we all want to go the World Series.”
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