Photo By Ken Ward
ATHENS – The “Legend of Sour Power” chomps on in the NCAA baseball tournament. That it took a little drama for the Georgia Bulldogs to keep it rolling made it only sweeter.
The No. 3-ranked Bulldogs (49-12) – known for celebrating dingers by chowing down on the taffy-like chews sold at Buc-ee’s — downed Liberty 6-1 Sunday night at Foley Field to secure the NCAA Athens Regional championship. Star third baseman Tre Phelps ignited the comeback when he “fed the trees” in left field to break up a shutout and give Georgia a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Phelps was controversially ejected for allegedly taunting Liberty during the protracted, celebratory trot after his 19th home run of the season. Coach Wes Johnson followed his star out of the game after a fiery protest of the umpire Javerro January’s call. The explosive moment heated up Georgia’s previously chilled bats, which produced four more runs in the eighth and gave the Bulldogs their record 31st victory of the season by five or more runs. They’ve now won 17 of the last 18 games and sixth in a row since securing the SEC Tournament and regular-season championships.
Caden Aoki started on the bump for Georgia and improved to 9-1 after recording a career-high 11 strikeouts in six innings. Zach Brown threw three scoreless innings to make it all stand up.
“Man, one to remember,” said Johnson, the SEC’s coach of the year.
Hard to forget since Phelps’ ejection means he will have to sit out the next game, per NCAA rules. The 61-game starter and leadoff hitter for the Bulldogs carries a .490 on-base percentage into the super regionals.
“I told Tre I love him and to keep working and get ready for that second game (of the supers),” said Johnson, who faces no further repercussions.
Senior Michael O’Shaugnessy came in for Phelps and homered in the Bulldogs’ four-run eighth inning. It was O’Shaugnessy’s 13th appearance at third base this season and 18th homer. With 14 more round-trippers in the Athens Regional, Georgia continues to lead the nation in home runs with 163, adding to its “sour power” distinction. An RBI double by sophomore Rylan Lujo and a two-run single by junior Ryan Wynn completed the scoring Sunday
Photo By Ken Ward
Now all that stands between the Bulldogs and a seventh trip to the College World Series is a best-of-three super regional against Mississippi State back at Foley Field this weekend. The “Maroon Dogs” (43-17) advanced by rolling through the Starkville Regional. They outscored Cincinnati, Lipscomb and Louisiana by an aggregate 39-11, including a clinching 19-5 win over Louisiana just before midnight Sunday.
It would seem a favorable matchup for Georgia. It already has beaten State four times this season. The Bulldogs swept the regular-season series with three close battles in Starkville, then ousted the Maroons 5-3 in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals on May 21. Georgia is 15-3 at home against SEC teams this season and has not lost a Saturday game all year.
For a long while it looked like the Bulldogs might have to wait until Monday to punch their ticket to the next round. That’s because they ran into a white-hot pitcher for Liberty. Sophomore right-hander Cooper Harrington normally closes games for the Flames (43-21), but he was called on to make just his third start of the season. Harrington carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning and a shutout into the sixth. In the end he gave up just three hits, no walks and struck out 6.
Photo By Ken Ward
“We knew he wouldn’t be scared of the environment or scared of the team,” coach Brantley LeCroy said. “He wanted the ball and we gave it to him.”
Liberty leapt to a 1-0 lead in the first when Jaxon Sorenson’s two-out single drove in Riley DeCandido, who reached third on a double and a wild pitch. Georgia went down in order until Daniel Jackson’s single to center broke up the no-hitter in the fourth.
Jackson, the All-America catcher, was one of eight Bulldogs named to the all-regional team. First baseman Brennan Hudson was named the regional’s most outstanding player.
Afterward, the Bulldogs were unapologetic for the midgame melee.
“We want to back up our guys, for sure,” Jackson said. “Tre getting ejected just made us want to win more.”
Cover Photo By: Brett Fowler
