June 12, 2006
Athens, Ga. – Georgia erupted for seven runs in the seventh inning and broke open a close game to go on to defeat South Carolina 11-6 in the final game of the NCAA Super Regional in Athens, Ga. The win ends Carolina’s season with the Gamecocks finishing 41-25 on the year while Georgia heads to the College World Series with a 47-21 record.
Carolina starting pitcher Wynn Pelzer battled all the way to the seventh inning before being lifted. He finished the game allowing seven runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and seven walks. He finishes with a 5-5 record. Georgia reliever Trevor Holder was credited with the win and is 5-3 this season. He did not allow a run in two innings of work.
Georgia would go ahead first in the game and took a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Matthew Dunn reached base on a leadoff walk and advanced to third on Jonathan Wyatt’s single to left field. Dunn would score the first Bulldog run on Joey Side’s RBI single to right field past a diving Justin Smoak at first base. Josh Morris would drive in the second Georgia run on a one-out RBI single up the middle to score Wyatt.
South Carolina stormed back in the bottom of the half though to grab a 3-2 lead as they began to hit Georgia starter Jason Leaver. Carolina shortstop Reese Havens got things started on the right foot with a solo homer to lead off the inning to right center, his fourth of the year and first since April 28 vs. Mississippi State. Chris Brown continued to get things going with a double to left field that was followed by a one-out double from Justin Smoak to score Brown and tie the game. USC would take a 3-2 lead then as Andrew Crisp reached base on an infield single with Justin Smoak scoring on a throwing error by UGA shortstop Gordon Beckham.
Georgia would answer with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to regain the lead against Carolina. With two outs in the fifth inning, Josh Morris was hit by a pitch and walks to Bobby Felmy and Jason Jacobs loaded the bases. The tying run would score then as a 0-2 pitch from Pelzer just got inside and hit Matt Olson to score Morris. Matthew Dunn would score the go ahead run then on a wild pitch in the sixth inning.
The seventh inning would open things up then for Georgia as they scored seven times to go ahead by eight runs. Felmy started it out with a solo homer to left center increasing the Georgia lead to 5-3. Jacobs would then reach base on a short dribbler that was credited as an infield single and he advanced on the throwing error by Pelzer to first base. Kyle Keen then pinch hit and reached on a sacrifice bunt that was misplayed by third baseman Neil Giesler. Carolina would call in reliever Chase Tucker and with the bases loaded and one out, Jonathan Wyatt laced a single up the middle to score two runs and give Georgia a 7-3 lead. That lead would jump to 9-3 then as a two-run triple for Joey Side cleared the bases. Felmy would add his second hit of the inning, an RBI triple that scored two runs to push Georgia ahead to 11-3.
Carolina wouldn’t let up though as they scored singles runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. Chris Brown contributed in a large way with a solo homer in the seventh off Georgia reliever Rip Warren as well as a triple off the Bulldog closer Joshua Fields in the ninth. Both teams finished with 11 hits. Wyatt went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI with Side 2-for-6 with three RBI and Felmy 2-for-4 with three RBI as well. Chris Brown had a 3-for-5 performance with three runs to lead the Gamecocks at the plate. Neil Giesler added two hits and a RBI.
