No. 10 Georgia Edges East Carolina, 3-1, In Opening Weekend Finale

Sunday, February 12

Athens, Ga.

1:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

1-4

No. 10/12 Georgia

5-0

East Carolina

Georgia

No. 10 Georgia Edges East Carolina, 3-1, In Opening Weekend Finale

February 12, 2017 | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

ATHENS, Ga. – No. 10 Georgia scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to erase a 1-0 deficit on the way to a 3-1 victory over East Carolina in the finale of the Red and Black Showcase Sunday afternoon at Turner Softball Stadium.

In a stark contrast from the teams' meeting Saturday in which the Bulldogs (5-0) downed the Pirates (1-4) 9-1, Sunday's contest was a pitching duel from the start as the only runs of the contest occurred in the fifth frame.

Senior infielder Megan Quick collected two of the Pirates' three hits while also driving in ECU's lone run. Redshirt freshman infielder Tate McClellan picked up the other base knock and finished the opening weekend with five hits, six RBI, five walks drawn, a home run and a .455 batting average. Cortni Emmanuel paced Georgia with two RBI to complement two-hit performances by teammates Justice Milz and Ciara Bryan.

Senior RHP Lydia Ritchie (1-2) limited the Bulldogs to their lowest run output of the weekend in the loss. She recorded her second complete game of the tournament, allowing three runs on seven hits with a walk. Brittany Gray (3-0) was the winning Bulldog pitcher in a complete-game effort, scattering three hits and surrendering the lone run. It is the only run she has given up in 16 innings pitched this season.

The Decisive Inning: After Quick afforded East Carolina a 1-0 lead with a RBI single in the top of the fifth inning, Milz and Bryan singled consecutively to lead off the home half. Kendall Burton followed with a bunt single of her own to load the bases with no outs before Emmanuel doubled through the left side the score a pair. Alyssa DiCarlo capped the rally with a sacrifice fly to provide what would be the final margin.

Down by two in the top of the seventh, East Carolina received a one-out double from Quick and senior outfielder Kacie Oshiro drew a walk with two outs to put the tying run on the base paths. Junior infielder Meredith Burroughs battled Gray in what would be the final at bat of the day, fouling off a couple of offerings before eventually grounding out to second to end the contest.

Statistic of the Game: The winning runs may have occurred thanks to a double, but small ball was the name of the game for Georgia as - of the Bulldogs' six singles - four were of the bunt variety.

Up Next: East Carolina opens its home schedule next weekend, welcoming Bryant, Cleveland State, Fordham and St. Francis (Pa.) to the ECU Softball Stadium for the Pirate Clash.