ATHENS — “No,” Georgia veteran Kolby Branch said, “we didn’t see that happening today” after Arkansas scored a 13-3 win over the Bulldogs on Friday night.

“That” was a squandered opportunity for No. 6-ranked UGA, as it jumped out to a 3-0 lead and missed out on key scoring opportunities.

The score was tied 3-3 in the fifth inning when Georgia had its best hitters up with runners on second and third and one out, and both Ryland Zaborowski and Robbie Burnett struck out.

It was still was 3-3 in the sixth inning when the Bulldogs had the bases loaded with their hottest hitter, Kolby Branch, stepped into the batters box. Branch, who had homered in his previous three at-bats, flied out to center.

Then Arkansas showed why it was the No. 1 team in the nation, scoring 10 runs in the last three innings as fans streamed out.

The Bulldogs (30-6, 8-5 SEC) will be back at it at 4:02 p.m. on Saturday at Foley Field against the No. 1-ranked Razorbacks (32-3, 12-1) in Game Two of the three-game series.

“We’re going to get up tomorrow (Saturday), play the same game we always do,” said Branch, whose two-run homer staked the Bulldogs out to a 3-0 lead on Friday.

“Take a look in the mirror, get up and play the same game with energy …”

The 10-run margin represented Georgia’s biggest loss of the season, but Branch made it clear the team is not in a panic.

After all, last year’s UGA team bounced back from humiliating defeats to Michigan State (19-6), Kentucky (12-2), North Carolina State (18-1) to find itself one win away from a trip to the College World Series.

“We have a veteran group of guys who come out to the ball field every day and play their tail off,” Branch said. “We’re a good ball club, and we know that, we won’t let one game, one series, take us down, we’ll be fine.”

Georgia coach Wes Johnson had the same tone with reporters questioning how this team might gather itself.

“Guys, guys, guys, we have twenty or however many left… you better bounce back,” Johnson said. “This is every weekend, and we’ll bounce back.

“We just need to get ready to play (Saturday).”