Vandy completes sweep of No. 5 Georgia

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Georgia’s offense struggled to find traction Saturday as No. 5-ranked Georgia fell 5-2 to No. 19 Vanderbilt, completing a weekend sweep for the Commodores at Hawkins Field.

The Bulldogs (33-9, 10-8 SEC) managed just two runs on seven hits and couldn’t capitalize on key opportunities, despite solid pitching and defensive play.

Georgia grabbed a brief 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when Robbie Burnett launched his team-leading 17th home run of the season — the Bulldogs’ first hit of the game. But Vanderbilt responded in the fifth, taking a 3-1 lead on a two-out, two-run homer by Riley Nelson.

Senior Slate Alford cut the deficit to 3-2 in the sixth with a solo blast — his 12th of the year — while also extending his on-base streak to 25 games. However, Georgia couldn’t close the gap.

“It’s really hard to win when we put their guy in the stretch three times total today,” said Ike Cousins Head Baseball Coach Wes Johnson. “We didn’t get on base.”

Johnson credited the Commodores’ pitching and lamented his team’s missed chances in tight counts.

“I thought we threw the ball fine for the most part,” he said. “They had three or four infield hits and made the most of it. It’s kind of crazy — as you’ve heard me talk about 0-2, 1-2 counts — and they got three big hits in those counts. Against good teams in tight ball games, that’s going to be the difference, and it was today.”

Vanderbilt starter Connor Fennell (4-0) struck out 11 batters over 5.2 innings and allowed just two runs to earn the win. Georgia’s Leighton Finley (2-1) went five innings, giving up three runs on five hits while striking out eight.

The Bulldog pitching staff combined for 12 strikeouts, and catcher Henry Hunter threw out two Commodore baserunners attempting to steal — including Rustan Rigdon, who entered the game a perfect 12-for-12 on the season.

Georgia’s leading hitter, Ryland Zaborowski, missed his second straight game due to injury.

“At the plate, we weren’t very competitive with two strikes, and we have to work on that,” Johnson added. “That’s the good news — we’re going to roll up our sleeves and go to work and get better. We’ve been here before. It’s the nature of the game. It’s who is next? Nobody is going to feel sorry for you in this league. We’ll get after it and get ready for Clemson and then Oklahoma.”

Up Next:
Georgia travels to No. 3 Clemson on Tuesday for a nationally televised showdown. First pitch is set for 8:02 p.m. EDT on ESPNU.