ORLANDO, Fla. – The Thirteenth-ranked Georgia softball group defeated No. 18 UCF Thursday night, 4-2, on the UCF Softball Complicated to open the 2023 season.

4 Bulldogs mixed for 4 hits: Jaydyn Goodwin, Sara Mosley, Lyndi Rae Davis, and Jaiden Fields. It was Fields that supplied the two-run go-ahead hit within the sixth to place Georgia within the lead 3-2.

Dallis Goodnight and Sydney Chambley took benefit of free bases as every drew three walks. They every stole two bases. As a group, Georgia stole six bases in opposition to the Knights. It was essentially the most stolen baggage by Georgia since Feb. 24, 2018, when UGA (1-0) stole 9 in a recreation in opposition to Charlotte.

Graduate pitcher Shelby Walters labored 4 and a 3rd innings in her begin, permitting two runs (one earned) on six hits. She fanned three batters and didn’t permit a stroll within the no-decision. Junior Madison Kerpics (1-0) pitched two and two-thirds scoreless innings in aid, permitting only one hit with no walks and hanging out three.

“I am tremendous pleased with the battle,” head coach Tony Baldwin stated. “It was nice to get into a contest once more with adrenaline. You follow and follow and follow and it is simply not the identical when the lights are on. It was a fantastic crowd tonight with wonderful competitors.

“I assumed the important thing to the sport was Shelby [Walters] making the pitches to reduce harm. Sara Mosley was excellent at third base and made some actually clutch performs. She additionally acquired an enormous hit to get us on the board. After which Jaiden Fields, she’s has been clutch her entire profession, comes up in that second and switches the momentum for us. Madison [Kerpics] got here in and was actually sharp. It was a complete group effort and I stay up for getting again at it tomorrow.”

After one and a half scoreless innings, UCF (0-1) broke by way of within the second by loading the bases with no out and scoring the go-ahead run on an RBI fielder’s alternative. Walters wiggled out of the jam to restrict the Knight’s rally, 1-0.

Goodnight led off the highest of the third with a stroll, stole second, and superior to 3rd on a groundout. Mosley evened the rating with a double to the wall in heart, plating Goodnight, 1-1.

The Knights answered again with an RBI base hit off the bat of Chloe Evans within the house half of the third to hold a 2-1 lead into the fourth.

A pair of free bases to start the sixth inning sparked a three-run, go-ahead inning for Georgia. A leadoff stroll and successful batsman adopted by a bunt for successful from Davis loaded the bases with no one out. Fields discovered a gap in the correct facet of the infield to drive in Chambley and Sydney Kuma to go forward 3-2. Fields labored her means round to 3rd then scored on a two-out handed ball to widen the result in 4-2 in favor of Georgia.

Kerpics held the Knights within the sixth and seventh innings en path to the victory for the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs return to motion Friday with a pair of video games. Georgia and Ohio State will sq. off at 11 a.m. then will tackle Boise State at 1:30 p.m. on the UCF Softball Complicated in Orlando. Each video games will steam stay on ESPN+.