Georgia baseball has plenty of work to do now to keep its season alive beyond the NCAA Athens Regional.

Duke upset the nation’s No. 7 overall seed 6-3 on Saturday, May 31, behind a strong outing from lefty starter Kyle Johnson. He and two lefty relievers combined to strike out the Bulldogs 13 times.

The loss sent the Bulldogs (43-16) to the losers bracket, where it needs to win three straight games to reach the Super Regional round.

Georgia plays No. 3 seed Oklahoma State (29-24) Sunday at noon with Duke (39-19) awaiting the winner at 6 p.m. needing just one win to clinch the region title. Oklahoma State hit seven home runs in a 13-5 elimination game over Binghamton earlier Friday.

Georgia’s struggles against left-handed pitchers cropped up again Saturday.

Johnson (4-3) entered with a 6.75 ERA and allowing more than a hit per inning, but gave up just one hit in the first five innings.

Georgia got to him in the top of the sixth when Henry Hunter blasted his 11th home run of the season. Ryland Zaborowski’s home run in the second put Georgia up 1-0. The Bulldogs got a run in the ninth but no more.

Duke got a three-run home run off Ben Miller and two solo shots from Wallace Clark.

Brian Curley (4-4) took the loss for Georgia, giving up 4 runs and 8 hits in 4â…“ innings.

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Georgia baseball highlights vs. Duke

The Athens Banner-Herald brought you live updates, scores and highlights from the game. Check it out.

Georgia baseball score: Follow along

Wallace Clark blasted a one-out home run to right center field to give Duke a 5-2 lead. He hit his seventh and eighth homers of the season tonight. A hard one-out shot past Kolby Branch off the bat of Jale Hyde drove in another run for a 6-2 lead. Georgia reliever Justin Byrd entered with runners on first and third and struck out both batters he faced.

Georgia put runners on first and third with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, but Kolby Branch struck out swinging against James Tallon. Duke leads 4-2 heading to the ninth. Zach Harris is coming into the game to pitch the ninth for Georiga.

After a leadoff walk by Kolten Smith, Wes Johnson has summoned Nate Taylor. The righty has a 1.23 ERA in eight appearances this season with two walks and 16 strikeouts. Duke leads 4-2. Taylor induced a double play and then got Macon Winslow to strike out on a 95 mile per hour fastball.

With Georgia with runners on first and second and one out in the seventh, Duke is going to the bullpen for junior lefty James Tallon. Kolby Branch doubled, Christian Adams walked before Daniel Jackson struck out. Nolan McCarthy is coming to the plate. Tallon is 1-2 with a 3.98 ERA. He got McCarthy to ground into a fielder’s choice and Henry Hunter to strike out.

After a 1-2-3 top of the seventh by Kolten Smith, the former starter has now thrown 2 2/3 innings of one-hit, shutout ball. Georgia brings Kolby Branch, Christian Adams and Daniel Jackson to bat in the bottom of the inning.

Georgia got what seemed like a fortunate check swing call on Tre Phelps that kept his bat alive. He singled to center for first and third and nobody out, but Robbie Burnett lined out to first and Phelps was doubled up. Ryland Zaborowski then struck out. Georgia trails 4-2 heading to the seventh.

Kyle Johnson is being lifted with no runs in the sixth inning after giving up a second straight hit, this one a single to Slate Alford. He allowed just three hits with six strikeouts and no walks.

Senior lefty Mark Hindy is in the game. The William & Mary transfer is 1-0 with a 3.33 ERA.

Henry Hunter got the Foley Field crowd going with a lead-off, first pitch home run to left into the trees to cut the Duke lead to 4-2 in the sixth. It’s just the second hit off Kyle Johnson on the night. That’s home run No. 11 for Hunter this season.

Kolten Smith issued a lead-off walk and then put another runner on with a hit by pitch. The junior righty then dug deep and induced three straight fly outs to Jake Berger, Wallace Clark and AJ Gracia. Bulldogs bat down 4-1 in bottom of the sixth.

Kyle Johnson is making Georgia struggle to get anything going. He’s allowed just one hit and struck out six through five innings and Duke leads 4-1. He struck out Daniel Jackson and Nolan McCarthy to end the fifth.

Wes Johnson has called Kolten Smith to relieve Brian Curley with one out in the fifth after Ben Miller’s single to left for Duke’s eighth hit of the day. It’s Curley’s shortest start at Georgia. He threw 90 pitches and had seven strikeout and one walk. Smith gave up a ground-rule double, but got out of the inning with a strikeout.

Wallace Clark rocked an off-speed pitch off the scoreboard in right field to put Duke up 4-1 to open the fifth inning. Brian Curley has surrendered two home runs after giving up just five all season.

The Bulldogs 3-4-5 hitters went quietly against Kyle Johnson in the fourth. Robbie Burnett fouled out down the left field line, Ryland Zaborwski struck out swinging and Kolby Branch grounded to third.

Brian Curley gave up a one-out single to left to Macon Winslow in the top of the fourth, but a rocket off the bat of Jake Berger was snagged by shortstop Kolby Branch who threw to first to double up Winslow. Duke challenged the call and the call was upheld under replay review.

Nolan McCarthy was hit by a Kyle Johnson pitch to start off the bottom of the third, but Henry Hunter, Slate Alford and Tre Phelps followed with fly outs. Georgia has one hit so far off Johnson.

Ben Miller crushed a 95-mile pitch over the batter’s eye in center field for a no-out, three-run home run to put Duke up 3-1 in the third. Duke has five hits off Brian Curley already. Miller hit his 20th home run of the season. Curley struck out the next three batters to get out of the inning.

Ryland Zaborwski drove a ball over the fence in right-center field into the trees for a 1-0 Georgia lead in the second. It’s his 17th homer of the season and first since he was sidelined with an elbow injury. His last home run came in mid-April against Arkansas.

Duke has two starters who are Harvard transfers including second baseman Jake Berger. He came to bat after a two-out double from Macon Winslow but struck out on a 78 mile per hour pitch from Brian Curley.

Lefty Kyle Johnson had his way with Georgia’s first three batters. Slate Alford grounded out to short, Tre Phelps struck out on a high outside pitch and Robbie Burnett also whiffed for strike three.

Brian Curley gave up a leadoff double to Wallace Clark and a two-out walk to Jake Hyde, but struck out two including Ben Rounds swinging for the third out to get out of the jam. We go to the bottom of the first.

Here’s the starting lineup for tonight for Georgia: 3B Slate Alford, 1B Tre Phelps, RF Robbie Burnett, DH Ryland Zaborowski, SS Kolby Branch, 2B Christian Adams, LF Daniel Jackson, CF Nolan McCarthy, C Henry Hunter.

Notable that Duke transfer Devin Obee is not in the lineup.

What time does Georgia baseball vs. Duke start?  Date: Saturday, May 31Time: 6 p.m.Where: Foley FieldWhat TV channel is Georgia baseball vs. Duke on today?  TV: SEC NetworkStreaming: ESPN+  How to watch online: Watch ESPN (ESPN+)Georgia baseball starting pitcher

Georgia is expected to start junior right-hander Brian Curley. He is 4-3 with a 3.21 ERA with 26 walks and 76 strikeouts.

Duke will counter with sophomore lefty Kyle Johnson (3-3, 6.75).

Slate Alford injury update

Georgia third baseman Slate Alford was hit by a pitch on his right hand on Friday. He stayed in the game but was replaced in the lopsided game after four times at the plate.

Alford is in the lineup.

“We just took him out precautionary and go ahead start a little treatment,” coach Wes Johnson said. “I’m sure he’ll be a little sore (Saturday), but he should be fine. He’ll clear. He’s tough. He’s going to play.”

NCAA baseball schedule

Here is the NCAA Tournament bracket.