ATHENS – Georgia baseball’s chances of upsetting another top-25 SEC team suffered in a loss to No. 18 Tennessee on Friday night.
The Bulldogs (25-21, 8-14 SEC) earned plenty of scoring opportunities but rarely delivered in a 12-3 loss at Foley Field. UGA finished the night 1-of-10 hitting with runners in scoring position.
Georgia coach Scott Stricklin specifically mentioned the seventh inning. The Bulldogs delivered three straight two-out singles to stir Tennesee’s top reliever, Chase Burns, in the bullpen.
Parks Harber had the opportunity to continue UGA’s rally with two runners on base in the seventh, but a popout to the catcher sat Burns down for the night.
“We were a hit away from Chase Burns in the bullpen, which you want them to have to use him,” Stricklin said. “That’s how close the game was in the seventh inning, and then we just couldn’t keep them down after that.”
The Volunteers (32-14, 12-10) rode into Athens on an eight-game winning streak, which started with a sweep of No. 5 Vanderbilt.
“When you play in this league and you play like that, you’re not going to win,” Stricklin said. “Usually, you’re going to get your rear end kicked, and that’s what happened tonight.”
Georgia will look to replicate its last two home SEC series when it faces Tennessee at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
The Bulldogs spent their last two weekends in Athens upsetting top-10 competition. UGA won the last two games of its series against then-No. 10-ranked Kentucky and swept No. 6 Arkansas on a walk-off homer.
Reliever-turned-starter Charlie Goldstein will look to continue a stellar streak on the mound. The junior has the lowest ERA among Georgia starters (1.56) and is 3-0 in four starts.
Chase Dollander (5-4, 4.24 ERA) is slated to start for Tennessee. The righthander will try to bounce back from a four-run, three-inning outing against Mississippi State last weekend.
The Bulldogs remain on the postseason bubble after upsets of the Wildcats and Razorbacks somewhat atoned for a 1-10 start to SEC play.
Last weekend’s loss to a lowly Ole Miss team certainly hurt the Bulldogs’ postseason hopes. Georgia was listed as the very last team included in D1Baseball’s Field of 64 Projection this week.
Friday starter Kolten Smith struggled in a short outing, surrendering an earned run on two hits and three walks in 2.1 innings.
Georgia allowed gave up 14 hits, six walks and hit five batters with just five strikeouts in the loss.
Utility infielder Will David led the offense, hitting 2 for 3 with an RBI, a run, a homer and a walk.
David has been strong for the Bulldogs on both sides of the plate recently. The Atlanta native has five RBI and four hits on the week and will be Georgia’s catcher for the rest of the weekend.
David, who filled in for injured catcher Fernando Gonzalez, also caught on Tuesday after Stricklin gave Gonzalez a rare day off.
David has not allowed a passed ball, a stolen base, or any errors through two games.
UGA’s top two catchers, Corey Collins and Gonzalez, are both out indefinitely with injuries. Collins (hand) has not played since April 18. Gonzalez was the everyday catcher before pain in his throwing elbow sidelined him on Friday.
