It was close, but No. 7-ranked Georgia got the runs it needed early on Friday and held on to defeat No. 10 Tennessee 4-3 in Game 1 of the NCAA Super Regional at Jack Turner Stadium in Athens.

An early outburst from the Bulldogs offense in the first three innings gave Georgia an early 4-0 lead. The Volunteers would make a comeback, scoring 2 runs in the sixth inning and one in the seventh. But with the go-ahead run on the bases, relief pitcher Mary Wilson Avant fanned Tennessee’s Abby Lockman to preserve the Bulldogs’ eighth one-run win of the season.

The win gives Georgia a 1-0 lead in the NCAA Super Regional.

3 who mattered

Alysen Febrey – The sophomore had 2 RBI for the Bulldogs, including a solo home run in the third inning that put the lead at 4 runs.

Alyssa DiCarlo – The shortstop hit one over the fence right before Febrey in the third inning.

Mary Wilson Avant – Coming on in relief, Avant closed out the game for the Bulldogs, giving up a run in 1⅓ innings.

What’s next

The Bulldogs and Volunteers will meet again on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET in Game 2 of the NCAA Super Regional. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.