ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia's bats were on fire Tuesday at Foley Field, as they pounded out 19 hits and 15 runs to run-rule Kennesaw State, 15-5.
Kolby Branch’s bases-loaded run-scoring single ended the contest as he was one of five Bulldogs to collect three hits on the night. Branch (3-for-4, 3 RBI), Charlie Condon (3-for-4, 2 RBI), Tre Phelps (3-for-6, 2 RBI) Slate Alford (3-for-5) and Clayton Chadwick (3-for-5, 1 RBI) led the Bulldogs at the plate.
Georgia (25-8) employed eight pitchers as part of a staff night, with sophomore Zach Harris picking up his third win. KSU reliever Bryaden Eidson dropped to 0-1. The Owls fell to 17-14.
Georgia scored in six of the eighth innings, including a five-run first and a four-run fifth to build a big lead. Condon hit his NCAA-leading 21st home run in the fourth inning, while Branch added a two-run blast in the seventh for his 10th this year.
“I told our guys today that we have to be careful because this could be a trap game,” Georgia baseball coach Wes Johnson said. “We got in late Sunday, or I guess that was technically Monday, after a hard SEC weekend, so I went ahead and gave them Monday off, which we normally don’t do. We were able to come out tonight and put up 20 hits and walk 10 times, and for the most part, the pitchers attacked the strike zone. I think coming out doing that with some energy is tough, and they did it.”
Georgia freshman right-hander Luke Wiltrakis struck out the side in the sixth for an impressive frame. He came on with two on and nobody out and struck out the first batter he faced. Then, after allowing a single, he came back to strike out Issac Bouton and Spencer Hanson, the No. 2 and 3 hitters in the Owls' lineup. KSU tied the game in the third, and then Georgia outscored the Owls 10-0 the rest of the night. Georgia's Max DeJong provided two scoreless frames to close out the game.
Georgia returns to SEC action here Thursday against Missouri. First pitch will be at 7:02 p.m.
