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Olivia Sayer
Georgia catcher Lyndi Rae Davis (11) prepares for the ball at the plate during a NCAA college softball game between Murray State and Georgia at Jack Turner Stadium in Athens, Georgia, on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. Georgia won 11-0. (Photo/Landen Todd @whats_landophoto)
With one down in extra innings, Lyndi Rae Davis stepped up to the plate. With bases loaded and a tie game, all she needed to do was put the ball in play. Davis swung on a full count, sending a pitch to the gap in left field for a bases-clearing double.
Georgia softball used six RBIs from Davis to sweep the Rebels in a doubleheader at the Ole Miss Softball Complex Saturday.
In game one, a one-hit shutout by Lilli Backes highlighted a 7-0 win.
Georgia’s offense was held quiet in the first four innings, as Ole Miss limited the group to just three hits. With two outs in the top of the fifth, a single by Jaiden Fields put the Bulldogs on the board.
One inning later, Georgia plated three more, using a single and a fielding error by the Rebels to take a 5-0 lead.
In the top of the seventh, the Bulldogs continued playing small ball to further bolster their lead. With the bases loaded, Davis fouled out to bring home Ellie Armistead. One batter later, Sara Mosley singled to score one more and give Georgia a 7-0 lead it would never relinquish.
The Bulldogs took game two of the twin bill in extra innings, plating three in the top of the eighth to secure a 10-7 victory.
In the top of the second, a bases-loaded walk and single up the middle put Georgia ahead by three. Ole Miss responded in the home half of the inning, with back-to-back solo shots off of Madison Kerpics.
Both teams exchanged zeroes in the third, with Shelby Walters going three up, three down, for the Bulldogs.
Trailing 7-2 with six outs remaining, Ole Miss’ offense came to life. The Rebels began the sixth with a double to left field and a single to right before Walters secured the first out of the inning. However, the next batter hit a single to center field, scoring the Rebels’ third run of the game.
By the end of the inning, Ole Miss had cut Georgia’s lead to two.
The Bulldogs had an opportunity to score in the top of the seventh but left runners stranded on first and third. Heading into the bottom half of the inning, Georgia led 7-5.
Needing one more out to secure the doubleheader sweep, Backes gave up a two-RBI double to send the game into extra innings.
Armistead began the top of the eighth with a single past a diving second baseman. After Sarah Gordon struck out, another infield single had runners at first and second with one away. The Rebels then hit Dallis Goodnight with a pitch to load the bases for the Bulldogs, with Davis coming up to bat.
Needing to throw a strike, Ole Miss’ Aynslie Furbush threw something over the heart of the plate, and Davis made her pay. A bases-clearing double gave Georgia a 10-7 lead.
Backes threw a relatively clean bottom of the eighth. She only surrendered one hit in the inning to clinch the victory for the Bulldogs.
Georgia will go for the three-game sweep of the Rebels on Sunday at 2 p.m.