Georgia, Florida softball teams to clash in NCAA Super Regional

Going in to the postseason, the Georgia Bulldogs softball team was slumping, losing seven in a row and nine of their last 10 games.

Last weekend, the Bulldogs took full advantage of hosting a regional. Their offense exploded for 22 runs on the weekend, rolling through the competition in the Athens Regional to punch a ticket to the Super Regional.

The 13th-seeded Bulldogs will face the fourth-seeded Florida Gators this weekend for a chance to go to Oklahoma City and the Women’s College World Series. Georgia will be a decided underdog against Florida after losing three to the Gators in the regular season. The Bulldogs should not deterred by adversity, as they confidently rose to the occasion against a heavily favored Duke team last weekend.

Florida poses a daunting challenge to the red-hot Bulldogs, particularly in the circle. The Gators lead the Southeastern Conference in runs allowed, only giving up 105 runs this season. The Florida hurlers are led by Elizabeth Hightower, who recently threw a no-hitter in a 8-0 win over South Florida in the Gainesville Regional final. Hightower has been dominant in the circle with a 1.51 ERA and a 17-5 record.

The Gators’ offense is led by second baseman and Mill Creek grad Hannah Adams at the top of the order, with 10 homers, 38 RBIs and a .368 average.

If the Bulldogs prevail, it would not be the first time they have been to a Gainesville Super Regional and made some noise. In 2016, the No. 16-seeded Bulldogs came into Gainesville to face the No. 1 seed Gators and Georgia advanced on the strength of pitcher Chelsea Wilkinson, who is currently an assistant at North Carolina State. The defining moment of that season came down to the final strike. The Bulldogs were saved from the jaws of defeat when pinch hitter Kaylee Pualiloa hit a two-run blast off Kelly Barnhill to get past the Gators 3-2.

The 2021 Georgia team hopes history repeats itself and the Bulldogs are able to pull off the upset to reach the Women’s College World Series. To succeed, the Georgia offense, as well as pitcher Mary Wilson Avant, will have to be firing on all cylinders. The action begins Friday at 5 p.m. on ESPNU.