Spring Break
Diamond Dogs avoid sweep, edge Crimson Tide in final game
RYNE DENNIS
Issue date: 3/16/09 Section: Sports
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Georgia took its No. 1 ranking and undefeated status into Alabama during the weekend to face the Crimson Tide in both teams' first conference match-up of the season. Alabama would end the Bulldogs 14-game winning streak by taking the first two games in the series.
Friday night's game was rained out, which set up a doubleheader for Saturday with Alabama sweeping the two games, winning 9-5 and 11-5, respectively.
The Bulldogs got back on track Sunday by beating Alabama 10-8. Georgia (14-2, 1-2 SEC) got out to a huge lead early, scoring seven runs in the second inning to take a commanding lead over Alabama (11-4, 2-2 SEC).
But the Crimson Tide countered the same inning, scoring five runs and pulling within reach of the Bulldogs.
It took only two more innings for Alabama to take the lead on a three-run home-run by the nation's home-run leader, Kent Mathes, his 13th, to take an 8-7 lead, seemingly putting Alabama on its way to sweeping the series.
But the nation's top squad wouldn't go away that easy. In the fifth, the Bulldogs home-run leader Rich Poythress tied the game at 8-8 with his eighth long-ball of the year.
Then, in the visiting half of the sixth inning, Georgia used poor play by the Alabama pitcher and catcher to score the games final two runs on a wild pitch and passed ball, respectively.
"Our character was tested today and we answered," Georgia coach David Perno said in a news release. "You don't want to go home 0-3. One is so much better than none. If you come out of here with nothing it's tough to overcome."
Senior Will Harvil pitched three scoreless innings in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, to earn the victory and junior Dean Weaver finished the last two scoreless to close the deal for the Bulldogs.
"The bullpen was great," Perno said. "We've been waiting for someone to do what we're capable of doing and we got it today,"
For the series, Poythress continued to stay hot, going 6-for-12. Freshman Levi Hyams had four hits in nine attempts with four RBIs.
The Diamond Dogs will be back on the field Wednesday in Atlanta against the Panthers of Georgia State.
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