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Athens Regional Live Blog: Georgia begins pursuit of Omaha

Jeremy Johnsonby: Jeremy Johnson06/01/25JeremyO_Johnson
Georgia
Georgia catcher Daniel Jackson (25) during Georgia’s game against Binghamton during the first round of the NCAA Athens Regional Tournament at Foley Field in Athens, Ga., on Friday, May 30, 2025. (Conor Dillon/UGAAA)

Athens, Ga – This weekend, Foley Field will be home to one of the 16 NCAA Tournament regionals around college baseball. The Bulldogs come in as the No. 7 overall seed in the tournament. Georgia finished the regular season 42-15, 18-12 in SEC play.

That has earned Georgia the right to host a Super Regional if they advance out of the four-team bracket in Athens this weekend.

The Bulldogs are joined by Duke, Oklahoma State and Binghamton in the Athens Regional. Georgia will open with Binghamton. Duke and Oklahoma State will face off following that game.

This will be a double-elimination style tournament for the weekend. We’ll have you covered from every angle all weekend.

We’ll have this live blog all weekend.

Friday

Noon – Game start time is ‘suspended’, weather is expected to hit the area in the early afternoon hours.

1 pm – No rain has fallen, storms are still off to the west. Nothing to report at the moment.

1:33 p.m. – We are officially in a lightning delay. It has gotten significantly cloudier and windy in the last 10 minutes.

1:45 p.m. The rain has begun.

2 p.m. – The first cackle of thunder can be heard at Foley Field.

2:19 p.m. – Every rain-related song known to man has played over the PA system here inside Foley Field. Rihanna’s ‘Umberella’ is blaring at the moment. It has rained steadily for the last 30 minutes or so. There is some sunshine starting to appear toward the east.

2:31 p.m. – ‘Purple Rain’ by Prince is now playing.

2:50 p.m. – Rain has slowed. Binghamton has just emerged from their buses. They’ve come out and started moving around in their bullpens and dugouts. Georgia’s players have stepped out as well. A few players are stretching in the outfield. Nothing official has been announced yet.

2:55 p.m. First pitch will be at 3:36 between Georgia and Binghamton.

2:57 p.m. Both teams are now out warming up. The sun has begun to pop out.

3:00 p.m. Line up is out for Georgia.

Georgia Line up

  1. Slate Alford
  2. Robbie Burnett
  3. Tre Phelps
  4. Ryland Zaborowski
  5. Ryan Black
  6. Kolby Branch
  7. Daniel Jackson
  8. Henry Hunter
  9. Nolan McCarthy

Pitcher: Leighton Finley

3:35 p.m. Finley finishing his warm up tosses and we’re close to getting the Athens Regional going.

First Inning

3:41 p.m. Finley looks fresh. That glove is popping as he gets the first two hitters. Finley has already touched 96. 

3:43 p.m. Impressive first frame from Finley. Gets two strike outs and is through one with only 10 pitches.

3:49 p.m. Georgia’s first hit of the NCAA Tournament is a Slate Alford double after a long at bat.

3:53 p.m. Tre Phelps’ fly ball carries out of the park for a two run home run. Georgia leads 2-0.

3:59 p.m. Zaborowski’s walk and Kolby Branch’s single has Georgia threatening with two outs.

4:00 p.m. Daniel Jackson makes the most of the opportunity as he drives a ball to right field that sneaks out just under the scoreboard for a three-run home run. Georgia leads 5-0.

Second Inning

4:09 p.m. Finley strikes out the side. He’s through two innings and has five strikeouts.

4:17 p.m. Alford hit on the fingers. He’s in a lot of pain.

4:23 p.m. A great play at third base gets Phelps after a well-struck ball. Heading to the third.

Third Inning

4:25 p.m. Harrell gets Binghamton’s first hit. Jackson had trouble finding the ball and it hit landed just behind him and bounced of the wall for a double. Binghamton has it’s first threat of the day.

4:34 p.m. Binghamton cashes in the opportunity. A single drives in Binghamton’s first run of the day. Georgia still leads 5-1.

4:36 p.m. Binghamton gets another single and scores another run, runner moved to second on play at plate during first run. Georgia’s lead down to 5-2. There are two outs.

4:38 p.m. Finley out of the inning after a ground ball to short.

4:42 p.m. Zaborowski walks to open the bottom of the third.

4:47 p.m. Jackson drives in another three runs on a second three-run home run. Georgia extends lead to 8-2.

4:48 p.m. Binghamton making a pitching change.

Fourth Inning

5:04 p.m. Finley works a quick three up and three down inning.

5:11 p.m. A pair of doubles put runners on. Ryan Black flies out to drive in Georgia’s ninth run of the day. Georgia leads Binghamton 9-2.

5:12 p.m. Kolby Branch doubles in another run. Georgia now leads 10-2.

5:19 p.m. Nolan McCarth drives one to left field. That drives in two more runs. Georgia leads 12-2.

5:20 p.m. Binghamton is making a pitching change.

Fifth Inning

5:25 p.m. Jackson makes an amazing catch against the wall for the first out.

5:30 p.m. Finley is through five. Georgia leading 12-2.

5:38 p.m. An error at second base plates two more for Georgia. The Bulldogs get a single from Branch that drives in another run. Georgia leads Binghamton 15-2.

5:45 p.m. Henry grounds into a double play. Georgia gets another run out of that. The Bulldogs lead 16-2.

Sixth Inning

5:49 p.m. Finley still in for Georgia. Binghamton collects an infield single.

5:56 p.m. Finley closes the sixth inning of work with a strike out.

6 p.m. Alford walks to open the bottom half of the sixth inning.

6:01 p.m. Robbie Burnett hits into a double play. He’s 0-for-4 today.

6:02 p.m. Phelps hits a ball into the trees for a solo home run. Georgia now leads 17-2.

6:05 p.m. Zaborowski makes a loud out three in the bottom of the sixth.

Seventh Inning

6:09 p.m. Finley stays in to pitch. He walks the lead off hitter.

6:13 p.m. Finley is done for the day. 6.2 innings, four hits, two runs allowed, struck out seven.

6:22 p.m. Trey King walks.

Eighth Inning

6:30 p.m. Zach Brown has quickly gotten two outs. One strike from a third.

6:32 p.m. Brown is through eighth. Georgia leads 17-2.

6:36 p.m. Nolan McCarthy launches a ball into the parking lot for a solo home run. Georgia now leads 18-2.

6:37 p.m. Christian Adams singles in a pinch hit role. Devin Obee gets hit as a pinch hitter.

6:39 p.m. Phelps doubles and drives in two more run. Georgia leads 20-2.

6:45 p.m. King hits into a double play that concludes the eighth inning. Georgia heading to the ninth with a chance to wrap up win number one in this regional.

Ninth Inning

6:48 p.m. Brown still in. He gets a quick first out.

6:49 p.m. A groundout gives Georgia out number two.

6:51 p.m. Harris walks a batter. There are two outs.

6:52 p.m. Binghamton’s Haskell doubles to drive in a run. Georgia’s lead is still 20-3.

6:53 p.m. Another double drives in another Binghamton run. Lead is now 20-4.

6:55 p.m. And we have a final. Georgia wins game one of the Athens Regional 20-4. Georgia will face the winner of tonight’s Duke vs. Oklahoma State match up tomorrow night at 6 p.m. at Foley Field.

Post Game

7:45 p.m. Georgia head coach Wes Johnson let starting pitcher Finley throw 114 pitches and felt he could go more if he’d been asked to. Johnson took Finley out with two outs to give the fans a chance to show their appreciation.

8:01 p.m. A few quick hitter quotes from Johnson post game.

Finley set the ton: “I thought Leighton came out today and really set the tone in the first. He’s attacking the strike zone. I think that when guys can set the tone like that, it just kind of gives everybody in the dugout. I guess it calms everybody down is the way I would put it. And then it never hurts to put up five runs in the first. It starts with a couple good swings.”

Delay was strategic, Georgia navigated obsticale: “I think that’s just something that you get used to in our league, right? I mean, we played a lot of double headers. We’ve had some different start times. I think our guys are used to that. I don’t think, it helps that you got an older team when those situations come up. From the standpoint of, they understand and we can’t control it. The last thing we wanted to do was start the game, play for an hour.”

Daniel Jackson went to Surcheros prior to the game:

Saturday

Recap

Following Georgia’s win on Friday, Duke defeated Oklahoma State 12-5. That put the Blue Devils in the winner’s bracket to face Georgia on Saturday night.

Oklahoma State was forced to the other side of the bracket. The Cowboys defeated Binghamton 13-5 in an elimination game in the first game on Saturday at Foley Field.

Georgia faces Duke at 6 p.m. tonight.

Georgia lineup

  1. Slate Alford
  2. Tre Phelps
  3. Robbie Burnett
  4. Ryland Zaborowski
  5. Kolby Branch
  6. Christian Adams
  7. Daniel Jackson
  8. Nolan McCarthy
  9. Henry Hunter

Pitcher Brian Curley.

First Inning

6:00 p.m. The anthem has concluded. Managers are exchanging lineup cards. We’ll be playing ball very shortly. First pitch is set for 6:06 p.m.

Kudzu Hill is alive and kicking today.

6:06 p.m. Game is underway.

6:09 p.m. Curley challenged Duke leadoff man Wallace Clark with that fastball and he met him with 107 back at him for a double.

6:13 p.m. Curley responds with two quick outs. One of the outs was a strikeout.

6:16 p.m. Curley walks Hyde after a close ball three.

6:18 p.m. Curley strikes out Rounds to complete his first inning of work. Alford will lead off for Georgia.

6:23 p.m. Alford is the first out of the day for Georgia.

6:24 p.m. Phelps is quickly down on strikes.

6:25 p.m. Burnett down on strikes. That’s the end of the first.

Second Inning

6:29 p.m. Curley pauses at the top of his leg kick and almost hits Albright on a 0-2 count. He grins and looks into the dugout and pats his chest. Gets strike three on the next pitch.

6:33 p.m. Winslow doubles. Duke is in business again with two outs.

6:35 p.m. Curley gets Berger on a breaking ball to close the second inning. Duke is getting off some good swings, but Curley has been able to control the strike zone when he needs to. Still tied 0-0.

6:39 p.m. Zaborowski flicks his wrist, and the ball carries into the trees for a solo. Georgia leads 1-0.

6:43 p.m. Jackson is down on strikes to close out the second inning.

Third Inning

6:46 p.m. Adams makes a good play at second, but there was a mix between Phelps trying to get back and Adams throws behind Curley, who coming to cover. It’s a hit.

6:49 p.m. Gracia singles. Clark reaches third on the hit. Duke has two on and no out here in the top of the third.

6:50 p.m. Duke takes the lead on a three-run blast that clears the batter’s eye.

6:55 p.m. Curley responds with a strikeout.

6:58 p.m. Out two is a strikeout for Curley.

7:00 p.m. Curley strikes out the side.

7:02 p.m. McCarthy is hit by a pitch and immediately gives Georgia a base runner.

7:10 p.m. Phelps is out three with a long fly ball.

Fourth Inning

7:13 p.m. Curley gets out one on a long fly ball from Sam Harris. Duke leads 3-1.

7:17 p.m. Winslow singles. Curley has one down so far in the fourth inning.

7:18 p.m. Branch catches a ball on a line and throws to first for the double play.

7:19 p.m. Duke is challenging the play. It was close.

7:23 p.m. After a 5-minute review, the play stands. It’ll be a double play.

7:25 p.m. Burnett leading off for Georgia. Sitting on 0-for-6 so far in the regional.

7:25 p.m. Burnett flies out to left field.

7:27 p.m. Zaborowski down on strikes. Georgia is still sitting on one hit, which was the Zaborowski home run in the second inning.

7:28 p.m. Georgia down one, two, three in the fourth inning. Duke leads 3-1.

Fifth Inning

7:31 p.m. Clark leads off with a Duke home run. The Blue Devils now lead 4-1.

7:36 p.m. Ben Miller singles. Curley has one out in the fourth.

7:37 p.m. That’s it for Curley. Wes Johnson is bringing in Kolten Smith.

7:42 p.m. Smith gets the first batter he faces in five pitches.

7:44 p.m. Rounds doubles, and the ball bounces into the trees.

7:45 p.m. Smith gets out of the inning with a strikeout. Duke leads 4-1.

7:54 p.m. Georgia is down in order. McCarthy goes down by strikeout, Kyle Johnson comes off the mound fist pumping for Duke.

Sixth Inning

7:57 p.m. Smith walks a batter and then hits the next batter.

7:59 p.m. Johnson out to talk with Smith.

8:05 p.m. Smith settles in and gets Duke out of the sixth inning. Duke still leads 4-1.

8:08 p.m. Hunter crushes a home run into the trees. The Duke lead is cut to 4-2.

8:11 p.m. Alford singles. Phelps is coming to bat.

8:12 p.m. That’s going to do it for Johnson. Mark Hindy is coming in for Duke.

8:17 p.m. Phelps singles and gets Alford to third. There are no outs.

8:20 p.m. Burnett lines to the first baseman, who then steps on first for the double play.

8:22 p.m. Zaborowski takes strike three. Georgia cuts Duke’s lead to 4-2.

Seventh Inning

8:25 p.m. Miller flies out to center. Smith is still in the game for Georgia.

8:26 p.m. Hyde flies out as well.

8:28 p.m. An infield pop-up gets Georgia out of the top of the seventh.

8:32 p.m. Branch doubles to get things going in the seventh inning for Georgia. Duke still leads 4-2.

8:36 p.m. Adams walks. There are now two on and no outs for Georgia with Jackson coming to the plate.

8:38 p.m. Jackson goes down looking at strike three.

8:44 p.m. A McCarthy grounder pulls the shortstop to make a tough play at third base. There are now two outs.

8:45 p.m. Hunter goes down swinging in the seventh. Duke holds on to the 4-2 lead.

Eighth Inning

8:49 p.m. Smith walks the leadoff man in the eighth inning.

8:50 p.m. Johnson walks to the mound to make a pitching change. It will be Nate Taylor.

8:55 p.m. Taylor gets Harris to ground into a double play.

8:57 p.m. Taylor blows a fastball by the Duke hitter.

9:00 p.m. Alford hits a ball down the third base line, and it’s scooped and thrown in time across the diamond.

9:02 p.m. Phelps is down on strikes.

9:03 p.m. Burnett singles.

9:05 p.m. Zaborowski singles. Burnett advances to third. Zaborowski did that with two strikes. Branch is coming to the plate. Been a big late-game hitter for Georgia this spring.

9:07 p.m. Branch down on strikes. Heading to the ninth.

Ninth Inning

9:07 p.m. Georgia is going with Zach Harris for the ninth inning.

9:12 p.m. Berger hits a long home run to add to Duke’s lead. Duke leads 5-2 in the ninth.

9:16 p.m. Miller is hit by a pitch. He’s in a lot of pain.

9:17 p.m. Georgia will challenge if Miller was hit.

9:21 p.m. Hyde hits a single and another Duke run scores. Duke now leads 6-2.

9:22 p.m. Johnson is bringing in Justin Byrd to replace Harris.

9:28 p.m. Byrd gets Georgia to the bottom of the ninth with two strikes out.

9:31 p.m. Adams leads off with a triple.

9:33 p.m. Devin Obee pinch hits and goes down swinging.

9:36 p.m. McCarthy singles and drives in Adams. Duke’s lead is down to 6-3.

9:38 p.m. Hunter down on strikes.

9:40 p.m. Alford flies out. That’s the game. Duke wins 6-2.

Post Game

10:10 p.m. The main takeaway post game was that Georgia will not have long to sit around on their loss. Johnson has been a part of a team that lost the first game of the regional and made the final. He believes in Georgia’s ability to climb back into the Athens Regional.

Sunday

Georgia comes into Sunday needing to win out to advance. Game one is on tap at noon. Georgia will face Oklahoma State. The winner will face Duke tonight.

Georgia lineup

1. Slate Alford
2. Ryland Zaborowski
3. Robbie Burnett
4. Tre Phelps
5. Christian Adams
6. Kolby Branch
7. Ryan Black
8. Nolan McCarthy
9. Henry Hunter

Pitcher: JT Quinn 1-1 ERA 2.25

First pitch is set for 12:06 p.m.

Georgia will be the road team in this game. They’ll be up to bat first.

First Inning

12:07 p.m. Alford opens the game with a walk.

12:09 p.m. Zaborowski takes strike three from Bodendorf.

12:12 p.m. Phelps flies out to end the top of the first for Georgia. Oklahoma State’s Harrison Bodendorf comes into the game 10-1 with a 2.77 ERA. He works a quick first inning.

12:16 p.m. The first Oklahoma State out is a flyout to center.

12:18 p.m. Avery Ortiz hits a little dribbler back to Quinn and that’s out two.

12:19 p.m. Nolan Schubart goes opposite field for a solo home run. Oklahoma State jumps on Georgia 1-0.

12:22 p.m. Quinn walks Kollin Richie after a tight ball four call.

12:24 p.m. Quinn gets the Cowboys in the first with a strikeout. Oklahoma State leads 1-0.

Second Inning

12:28 p.m. Georgia has a baserunner in the second inning after Branch is hit by a pitch.

12:29 p.m. Black is hit on the bill of his helmet. Georgia has a second runner.

12:37 p.m. Georgia attempts to steal home and gets tagged out at the plate.

12:42 p.m. Alex Conover hits a ball over the scoreboard. Oklahoma State leads 2-0.

12:49 p.m. Quinn gets Garrett Shull on strikes, but Brock Thompson steals second base. There are two outs.

12:50 p.m. Brayden Smith singles to drive in Thompson. Oklahoma State now leads 3-0.

12:51 p.m. Hunter makes a good play to get the runner at first.

Third Inning

12:54 p.m. Hunter is hit by a pitch. That’s Bodendorf’s third hit batter so far today.

12:55 p.m. Alford cashes in and puts Georgia on the board. Oklahoma State’s lead has been cut to 3-2.

1:00 p.m. Burnett singles the other way.

1:05 p.m. The game is tied. Phelps goes the opposite way for a double. Phelps advances to third after the ball is kicked away from the outfielder. There’s still one out.

1:06 p.m. Adams launches a home run to center field to give Georgia a 5-3 lead.

1:18 p.m. Quinn has two quick outs in the bottom of the third.

1:19 p.m. Quinn is through three innings.

Fourth Inning

1:28 p.m. Alford hits another ball into the parking lot. Georgia now leads 6-3.

1:33 p.m. Quinn is still in the game for Georgia. Gets out one on a strikeout.

1:36 p.m. Quinn gets out two on a called strike three.

1:39 p.m. Quinn strikes out the side to get through four innings.

Fifth Inning

1:41 p.m. Burnett is the first out of the fifth inning.

1:44 p.m. Phelps is out on a close play at first base.

1:46 p.m. Adams hammers his second home run of the game. This one flies over the scoreboard. Georgia now leads 7-3.

1:50 p.m. Georgia is done in the fifth inning.

1:53 p.m. Matthew Hoskins is in to pitch for Georgia. Quinn gave Georgia four innings.

1:54 p.m. Shull singles to open the inning.

1:56 p.m. Oklahoma State has something cooking with a Smith single.

1:56 p.m. Johnson out of the dugout.

1:58 p.m. Ortiz is hit by the Hoskins pitch. The Cowboys have the bases loaded with no outs.

2:00 p.m. Hoskins walks Schubart, and that scores a run. Georgia leads 7-4.

2:03 p.m. Brian Zeldin is in to pitch for Georgia.

2:05 p.m. Cowboys get another run on a fielder’s choice. Georgia’s lead down to 7-5.

2:07 p.m. Cowboys add another on an infield single.

2:08 p.m. A sacrifice fly ties the game for Oklahoma State.

2:11 p.m. The fifth inning comes to a close with a strikeout.

Sixth Inning

2:20 p.m. Georgia down in order in the top of the sixth inning.

2:30 p.m. Zeldin is done for the day. DJ Radtke will be coming in the game. Oklahoma State has two runners on base.

2:37 p.m. Black makes a throw to home after making a play in the shift and gets out three in the sixth inning. Game tied 7-7.

Seventh Inning

2:41 p.m. Alford singles. That’s his third hit of the day.

2:44 p.m. Zaborowski goes down on strikes.

2:47 p.m. Burnett down on strikes after a check-swing.

2:51 p.m. Phelps walks. Adams is coming back up in a big spot.

2:55 p.m. Adams delivers another RBI. He singles over shortstop to bring in Alford. Georgia once again leads 8-7.

2:58 p.m. The top of the seventh ends with a Branch strikeout.

3:01 p.m. Radtke gets out one with a strikeout of Schubart.

3:05 p.m. Radtke issues a walk but gets the next batter. There are two outs.

3:10 p.m. Radtke gets Georgia out of the seventh inning. Georgia is leading 8-7.

Eighth Inning

3:13 p.m. Daniel Jackson has been inserted into the game as a pinch hitter for Black.

3:15 p.m. Jackson earns a full-count walk. He steals second base on the first pitch.

3:17 p.m. McCarthy singles and drives Jackson in. Georgia extends lead to 9-7.

3:22 p.m. Hunter gets hit by a pitch and is on base once again.

3:28 p.m. Alford grounds into a double play.

3:29 p.m. Zaborowski was intentionally walked.

3:31 p.m. Burnett strikes out. Georgia is coming to the bottom of the eighth with a 9-7 lead.

3:37 p.m. Radtke strikes out Shull on a called third strike. That was out one.

3:39 p.m. Branch makes a good play to get Smith at first. There are two outs.

3:41 p.m. Radtke strikes out Ortiz for the third out. He pumps his fists and lets out a roar. Heading to the ninth, Georgia leads 9-7.

Ninth Inning

3:44 p.m. Phelps singles.

3:47 p.m. Georgia threatens again. Adams adds another hit to his total. Phelps is at third.

3:57 p.m. Georgia is unable to capitalize. The Bulldogs suffer two straight strikeouts. The Bulldogs lead 9-7 going to the bottom of the ninth. Tyler McLoughlin will attempt to close this out.

4:01 p.m. McLoughlin walks the leadoff man on four pitches.

4:05 p.m. Richie hits a two-run home run to tie the game.

4:11 p.m. The winning run is on with a Colin Bruggemann single.

4:15 p.m. Thompson hits a walk-off two-run home run. Georgia’s season is done.

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