Diamond Dawg weekly recap: Georgia bounces back, earns the series win over the #1 Razorbacks

Following a disappointing series in Austin against the Texas Longhorns, in which the Dawgs were swept through three games, Georgia immediately had to turn around and play another elite SEC program, the number-one ranked Arkansas Razorbacks. Prior to their series against the Razorbacks, the Dawgs picked up a dominant seven-inning 16-2 win against Presbyterian College. Kolby Branch led the way offensively with two homers, while Robbie Burnett, Ryland Zaborowski, and Devin Obee also added some of their own.

A few days later, the Dawgs would begin their series against the Razorbacks. Game one of this series was a tough one for Georgia, as the pitching staff had a tough time getting outs against the Arkansas lineup. The Razorbacks would explode for 13 total runs with the Dawgs’ lineup unable to keep up, only scoring three runs as Arkansas secured the 13-3 game one win.

Game two of this series would turn out to be a lot more competitive as things went down to the wire. Georgia held a 7-3 lead going into the eighth, largely due to two bombs off the bats of Robbie Burnett and Ryland Zaborowski.

In the top of the eighth inning, the Razorbacks would begin chipping away at the four-run deficit, adding two runs in the top half of the inning due to a two-run homer off the bat of Kuhio Aloy to put things at 7-5. Arkansas would add on one more run in the top of the ninth, but fortunately for the Dawgs, they would hold things at 7-6 to earn the game two win and end a four-game skid.

The series concluded yesterday in what was an electric game three. Both teams traded blows throughout the day offensively, as neither team was going down without a fight. Multiple guys swung the bat well for the Dawgs, as Kolby Branch and Slate Alford both had home runs early on.

Arkansas would manage to battle back offensively and eventually tie things up in the top of the ninth from a Wehiwa Aloy homer to send things into extra innings. A couple of innings later in the eleventh, the Razorbacks would take a 6-5 lead on a fielder’s choice, putting all of the pressure on the Dawgs’ offense. Fortunately, the Georgia bats would respond, as Tre Phelps scored Daniel Jackson on a double into Left Field to put the score at 6-6 going into the top of the 12th.

Georgia’s pitching staff would hold the Razorback bats at bay in the top half of the 12th, leaving an opportunity for the Dawgs to walk it off and win the series. Sure enough, like so many times this season, Georgia’s lineup would show their resiliency as Henry Hunter mashed a walk-off homer over the center field fence to give the Dawgs the series win in a 7-6 finale.

The Diamond Dawgs have now moved back into the top five in the national rankings and will now have a couple of days of rest before taking on the in-state rival Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Tuesday night at Truist Park. Following that one, Georgia will pack up and head to Nashville, Tenneesee, to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores for a three-game series scheduled to begin on Thursday.

That’s all for this edition of Diamond Dawg weekly recap. As always, Go Dawgs!!