Regionals Are Next For Diamond Dawgs

Next up, regionals.

Seventh-ranked Georgia’s run’s in the SEC Baseball Tournament came to an end on Saturday, losing 5-3 to the 22nd-ranked Ole Miss Rebel Black Bear Land Shark express.

Despite the loss, it was Georgia’s first appearance in the tournament semis since 2011. When a program is strong, it’s usually playing on Semifinal Saturday in Hoover. Like most things the past two seasons with the Diamond Dawgs, the hope is that what has occurred becomes the standard and not an exception.

Georgia now waits to find out its actual postseason scenario. Regional hosts will be announced Sunday night at 8:30 pm with the full tournament field, including the coveted national seeds, being announced at Noon on Monday.

Saturday’s loss to Ole Miss, the defending tournament champs, snapped a six-game winning streak by Georgia, which now has the boost of having played well down the stretch going into the next step on the road to Omaha.

Georgia led 2-0 in the second on a Mason Meadows homer before Ole Miss took a 3-2 lead in the fourth off of starter Emerson Hancock, who as planned split pitching with Tony Locey and Justin Glover. Hancock, battling a cold, probably did not have his best stuff, and a small cut on his finger forced him to leave the game (the injury should not affect him going forward). Locey, originally slated to split time on the mound, replaced him.

Aaron Schunk tied it for Georgia an inning later on a single before Grae Kessinger’s two-run homer proved to be the go-ahead run.

Locey battled, show the grit he has proved all year- pitching out of multiple jams to give the Bulldogs a chance in the late innings. Locey, who gave up two runs on four hits in 2.2 innings, pitched out of a bases-loaded, no out situation in the fifth to minimize damage.

Georgia nearly cashed in, putting two aboard in the ninth with no out but were unable to capitalize.

Go Dawgs!