UGA Women’s Softball: Kuma, Fincher Lift Georgia to Series Win over No. 12 Tennessee, 12-4
| Team | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 5 | 0 | |
| 12 | 13 | 1 |
W: Kerpics, Madison (14-3) L: Ashley Rogers (5-5)
ATHENS, Ga. – Junior Sydney Kuma and senior Lacey Fincher each hit two home runs and combined for seven RBI in No. 15 Georgia’s 12-4 run-rule victory over No. 12 Tennessee Sunday at Jack Turner Stadium.
A crowd of 1,997 was on hand for the victory. The official attendance goes down as the fifth-largest crowd in Jack Turner Stadium.
With the win, Georgia clinches the series over Tennessee, improving to 33-8 on the season and 7-5 in SEC play. This is Georgia’s third series victory after four weeks of conference play.
Kuma concluded the day going 3-for-3 with three RBI and a walk with four runs scored. It was her first two-home run game of the season and third of her career. The two-home run game was the seventh of Fincher’s career. She concluded the day with four RBI, three runs, and two walks.
Freshman Lyndi Rae Davis went 3-for-3 with an RBI. Redshirt-junior Jaiden Fields recorded two hits with three RBI including delivering the game-winning single in the bottom of the fifth to secure the run-rule victory.
Sophomore Madison Kerpics (14-3) pitched the five-inning complete game in the circle, allowing four runs on four hits. Kerpics earned two wins over the Lady Vols (26-12, 8-6) on the weekend.
Tennessee’s Kiki Milloy put the Lady Vols in front quickly with a leadoff home run to left to begin the game, 1-0.
The Bulldogs answered back in a big way in the bottom of the inning. Savana Sikes led off the frame drawing a four-pitch walk. Kuma stepped in and hit a two-run home to left, giving Georgia a 2-1 lead. Fincher followed with a solo shot over the video board in left to widen the lead to 3-1.
A trio of two-out runs came around to score for Tennessee in the top of the inning to put the Lady Vols back in front, 4-3.
After two quick outs in the bottom of the second, Georgia didn’t go quietly. Kuma blasted her second home run of the day to tie the game at 4-all. A walk to Fincher and a base hit from Jayda Kearney put two on. Fields drove in both runs with a double to left, putting Georgia in front 6-4. Fields immediately scored on a base hit off the bat of Davis, extending the lead to 7-4 after two innings.
Pinch runner CJ Landrum scored in the bottom of the third on a wild pitch to double the lead to 8-4. Later in the inning, Fincher blasted her second home run of the game, a three-run shot to right, lengthening the lead to 11-4 after three innings.
Kerpics held the Lady Vols scoreless in the third, fourth, and fifth innings to put the Bulldogs in a position to win it in five.
Kuma’s third hit of the game led off the bottom of the fifth then Fincher drew her second walk. A fielder’s choice cut Fincher down at second, but Kuma took third on the play. Fields then delivered a single to right center to plate Kuma and secure the 12-4 win in five innings and the series over the Lady Vols.
The Bulldogs are back in action at Missouri next week for a three-game series. The series opens Thursday evening at 6 p.m., ET, at the Mizzou Softball Stadium in Columbia.
Georgia Head Coach Tony Baldwin
On today’s performance…
“Just super proud of the way our team competed. I thought we had a good mindset. I thought we were in a really good place and just playing Georgia softball. I don’t know if you ever go into a game against an All-American-caliber pitcher and think that it’s going to go that way but really proud of the way we were calm in the box. I thought we were seeing the ball well and got our swing off. I thought [Sydney] Kuma got us off to a great start and Lacey [Fincher] right back. For both to hit two home runs in a game was pretty exciting. I thought Madison [Kerpics] was really gritty. I didn’t think she had her best stuff today, but I thought she kept us in the game and just kept fighting and got us to the end. I’m just really proud of the team.”
On the crowd today….
“It was awesome. We could totally feel their presence. When we can get Bulldog Nation here and they’re into the game it just creates a home field advantage and a great atmosphere. It was a great day for college softball on national TV. Great crowd, two good teams going at it, and very thankful for such a great day.”