The Diamond Dogs opened the Corvallis Regional with a game against the Bluejays in which Georgia’s Michael Palazzone and Creighton’s Jonas Dufek put on a pitching clinic for the first half-dozen innings. The Bulldog starter conceded a one-out single in the first frame, a one-out single in the third canto, and a one-out single in the sixth stanza, while the Bluejay hurler surrendered a one-out single in the first, a two-out single in the second, and a leadoff single in the fourth.

The deadlock was broken in the top of the seventh inning, when designated hitter Chase Davidson carded a first-pitch single with one out away and first baseman Jonathan Hester followed it up with an RBI double. The Jays evened the hits at five per side with back-to-back singles to start the bottom of the canto, then tied the runs at one apiece with a one-out base hit down the right field line.

The fourth single of the frame gave Creighton a 2-1 lead before the side at long last was retired, but all the Bulldogs could manage in reply was to go three up and three down to open the eighth stanza. The Bluejays likewise went in order in the bottom of the inning, bringing the Red and Black up to the plate for their final chance at redemption.

This chance, like so many before it, was squandered, as the first two Georgia batters struck out in succession before the last batter flied out to left field to bring down the curtain on a disappointing outing. Michael Palazzone threw a fine game, lasting eight innings in which he struck out five, walked none, and gave up two earned runs on seven hits. Unfortunately, his teammates failed to pull their weight at the plate, as the first five hitters in the Georgia order had three hits and no RBI between them.

Go ‘Dawgs!