UGA Softball: Bulldogs Toss First No-Hitter of 2020, Run Rule Western Carolina, 8-0
| Team | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| 8 | 9 | 0 |
ATHENS, Ga. – The 14th-ranked Georgia softball team recorded its first no-hitter of the 2020 season in a five-inning, run-rule victory over Western Carolina Sunday afternoon at Jack Turner Stadium, 8-0.
Senior Mary Wilson Avant (9-3) started in the circle, making it her fourth start for the Bulldogs in seven games this week. Avant tossed four scoreless innings giving up no hits with seven strikeouts. Fellow senior Amanda Ablan pitched a three-up, three down fifth inning to secure Georgia’s first no-hitter of the season.
At the plate, the Bulldogs scattered nine hits, led by two-hit days from sophomore Lacey Fincher and senior Jordan Dogget. Fincher also contributed a pair of RBI thanks to a two-run home run in the fourth.
Georgia wasted no time getting on the board with singles in the top of the first from Sydney Kuma and Fincher. An RBI single from Sara Mosley gave the Bulldogs the first lead of the day at 1-0. Jordan Doggett added to the efforts with an RBI single, extending the lead to 2-0 in the opening frame.
Mosley led another offensive run for the Bulldogs after reaching on an error in the bottom of the third. With two on, an infield single by CJ Landrum and a throwing error on the same play plated a pair of runs. A double off the bat of Mahlena O’Neal drove in Landrum and widened Georgia’s lead to 5-0 in the third.
Fincher drove a two-run homerun over the centerfield wall in the Bulldog’s half of the fourth frame to extend Georgia’s lead to seven runs. Mosley followed up drawing a walk and advancing around the base path to score on a fielding error by the Western Carolina shortstop, widening the Georgia lead to 8-0.
Ablan entered and retired the Catamounts in order in the fifth to secure the victory and no-hitter.
Georgia finishes the 11th-Annual Bulldog Classic 5-0 stepping into an overall record of 20-4. The Bulldogs also remain perfect at Jack Turner Stadium through 17 games.
Associate Head Coach Tony Baldwin
On the no hitter…
“It was great to watch Mary go out there and do her stuff, she has been throwing the ball really well. We had a little setback during the week, but I thought she really responded with some great outings over the past couple days. It was fun to see Amanda (Ablan) go in and command the ball the way she did. I thought the defense was really sharp. Overall, I thought they connected really well. The pitchers were working with the pitchers and the defense was working with the pitchers. That’s a big part of playing good softball.”
Freshman Sara Mosley
On the buildup to today’s games…
“We’re just playing for each other and doing it for each other. We play for our team, not for ourselves. Today we had to do a lot of situational hitting. Mackenzie (Puckett) had two big sac bunts, and that’ll be really big in bigger games.”
On overall pitching today…
“The pitching was outstanding. We have such great pitchers. The seniors out there are such great leaders. Our connection in the field is crazy, and they did such a great job. We’re so proud of them.”