Spring Break
Softball completes sweep of Ole Miss
ZACH DILLARD
Issue date: 4/10/09 Section: Sports
National player of the year candidate Alisa Goler delivered what turned out to be the game-winning home run against Ole Miss in Game 3 of the pivotal SEC series.
No. 7 Georgia (29-7, 10-5) went on to beat Ole Miss (17-23, 5-17 SEC) 4-2 in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader to complete the three-game sweep of the Rebels.
Goler, a sophomore third baseman, stepped up with the score tied 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning and sent a line drive out of the park for a two-run home run. She now has 13 home runs and 58 RBIs on the season, both well within reach of the single-season school records of 16 home runs and 65 RBIs.
"It's really great to be able to be [going after the record]," Goler said. "I don't really think about it when I am at the plate, though, but it feels great to be there."
The other two Georgia runs came from a leadoff home run by sophomore Taylor Schlopy in the first at-bat of the game, her eighth home run of the year, to put Georgia up 1-0. Goler also delivered a game-tying double in the bottom of the third inning to make the score 2-2.
Senior Christie Hamilton (15-5) earned both wins in the double header - starting Game 2 and relieving Sarah McCloud in Game 3. Hamilton pitched over ten innings without allowing a single run, dropping her down to a lowly 1.39 ERA on the season. McCloud pitched into the fourth inning, allowing two runs on two hits, before being relieved.
In the first game of the day, a 6-0 Georgia victory, Hamilton kept the Rebel lineup at bay - working a five-hit shutout while avoiding potential danger in the first, fifth, and seventh innings.
Ole Miss put runners on second and third three times in the contest, once with no outs, but was unable to figure out Hamilton in the clutch situations. Each time, Hamilton was able to produce ground outs or shallow pop ups to keep zeros on the board.
Five of the six Georgia runs came in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by first baseman Brianna Hesson's two RBI single and freshman Tori Moody's two-run home run. Moody's homer was her second of the season in just 12 starts.
Georgia's other runs came from an RBI single by catcher Kristyn Sandberg and a sacrifice fly by third baseman Alisa Goler to produce the final score of 6-0.
"It was nice to be able to bounce back [from the Alabama series], said Goler. "We have our priorities set and one of those was to be able to come in trying to sweep every opponent, and we were able to do that."
The two wins came in front of a crowd of 1,434 fans, the seventh-highest attendance in school history.
Georgia remains undefeated at home this season, going 20-0 at the Georgia Softball Complex.
Georgia now leads the all-time series 26-7, including a 16 game winning streak.
No. 7 Georgia (29-7, 10-5) went on to beat Ole Miss (17-23, 5-17 SEC) 4-2 in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader to complete the three-game sweep of the Rebels.
Goler, a sophomore third baseman, stepped up with the score tied 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning and sent a line drive out of the park for a two-run home run. She now has 13 home runs and 58 RBIs on the season, both well within reach of the single-season school records of 16 home runs and 65 RBIs.
"It's really great to be able to be [going after the record]," Goler said. "I don't really think about it when I am at the plate, though, but it feels great to be there."
The other two Georgia runs came from a leadoff home run by sophomore Taylor Schlopy in the first at-bat of the game, her eighth home run of the year, to put Georgia up 1-0. Goler also delivered a game-tying double in the bottom of the third inning to make the score 2-2.
Senior Christie Hamilton (15-5) earned both wins in the double header - starting Game 2 and relieving Sarah McCloud in Game 3. Hamilton pitched over ten innings without allowing a single run, dropping her down to a lowly 1.39 ERA on the season. McCloud pitched into the fourth inning, allowing two runs on two hits, before being relieved.
In the first game of the day, a 6-0 Georgia victory, Hamilton kept the Rebel lineup at bay - working a five-hit shutout while avoiding potential danger in the first, fifth, and seventh innings.
Ole Miss put runners on second and third three times in the contest, once with no outs, but was unable to figure out Hamilton in the clutch situations. Each time, Hamilton was able to produce ground outs or shallow pop ups to keep zeros on the board.
Five of the six Georgia runs came in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by first baseman Brianna Hesson's two RBI single and freshman Tori Moody's two-run home run. Moody's homer was her second of the season in just 12 starts.
Georgia's other runs came from an RBI single by catcher Kristyn Sandberg and a sacrifice fly by third baseman Alisa Goler to produce the final score of 6-0.
"It was nice to be able to bounce back [from the Alabama series], said Goler. "We have our priorities set and one of those was to be able to come in trying to sweep every opponent, and we were able to do that."
The two wins came in front of a crowd of 1,434 fans, the seventh-highest attendance in school history.
Georgia remains undefeated at home this season, going 20-0 at the Georgia Softball Complex.
Georgia now leads the all-time series 26-7, including a 16 game winning streak.
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