The Bulldogs went 1-1 on the first day of the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational on Thursday, Feb. 12, in Clearwater, Florida. With a 6-5 win over No. 8 Nebraska and a 5-6 loss to No. 23 Oklahoma State, Georgia’s record moves to 5-2 this season.

The Bulldogs were down by six going into the sixth inning against Oklahoma State until a two-run home run from senior Tyler Ellison put the Bulldogs on the board. Junior Emily Digby followed up with a double, adding a run. Doubles from junior Delani Sullivan and senior Sarah Gordon in the bottom of the seventh inning brought in two more runs for Georgia, closing their deficit to one run. The Bulldogs totaled 11 hits, while Oklahoma State earned eight.

“I’m proud of the way that we responded,” head coach Tony Baldwin said. “Disappointed with the way that we fought the first half of the Oklahoma State game. Take nothing away from Oklahoma State, I just didn’t think our energy was where it needed to be. We put it together at the back half of that game and started to really compete and fight.”

Gordon had three hits against Oklahoma State, leading the Bulldogs with two doubles. Ellison led the team in RBIs, earning two. Neither team committed an error, and Oklahoma State senior Amanda Hasler hit a three-run home run to lead the team in RBIs.

Sophomore Maddie Johnson made her debut pitching for the Bulldogs after transferring from Georgia Southern this year, allowing two hits and four walks. She earned two runs and three strikeouts over 1.1 innings. Junior Randi Roelling and freshman Ada Little finished the game, combining for six hits, three strikeouts and three earned runs. 

The Bulldogs came out aggressively against No. 8  Nebraska, taking an early 3-0 lead after two innings, after home runs by graduate student Keirstin Roose and Digby. They added three more runs in the third, never losing the lead. Senior Jaydyn Goodwin threw out the tying run at home to end the game in the seventh inning after fielding a ground ball in left field.

Sophomore pitcher Addisen Fisher earned her third win of the season against Nebraska. She earned three runs and three strikeouts, and allowed six hits over four innings. Freshman Presley Harrison came in in the fifth inning, earning two runs and three strikeouts for Georgia in her fourth outing this season. Little closed the game in the seventh. 

“I’m really proud of the way that we carried that into this game,” Baldwin said. “That Nebraska team is really good. They’re a veteran team, really talented. They’re going to be a handful and just feel very humbled to walk out of there with a win.”

Georgia has a quick turnaround, with its next game slated against NC State on Friday afternoon to start the second day of the tournament.