By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Georgia softball advances in tourney
Placeholder Image

OKLAHOMA CITY — Taylor Schlopy hit two of Georgia's four home runs during a record-setting day for SEC offenses at the Women's College World Series.

Schlopy became only the fourth player in World Series history to homer twice in one game, and the sixth-seeded Bulldogs set a Series record with four home runs in a game while overcoming a three-run deficit to beat Michigan 7-5 Saturday.

Schlopy's three-run blast into the left-field stands off Nikki Nemitz (28-7) put Georgia on top 5-3 in the second inning, and Ashley Pauly and Brianna Hesson also homered.

"Taylor's just a clutch player," Bulldogs coach Lu Harris-Champer said. "Oh, God. She's extremely dynamic."

Christie Hamilton (26-9) came on in relief and picked up her second win of the day despite having a series of illegal pitches called against her.

Roya St. Clair homered and drove in three runs to lead the Michigan (47-12) offense.

The Bulldogs (46-11) will take on third-seeded Washington in the semifinals Sunday, needing to beat the Huskies twice to reach the best-of-three championship series. Washington beat Georgia 3-1 on Thursday.

Alabama beat eight-time national champion Arizona 14-0 Saturday, setting records for the most runs and biggest margin of victory in a World Series game, but needed to win another elimination game against defending champion Arizona State to reach Sunday's semifinals.

Georgia was hardly intimidated by the 3-0 first-inning deficit, having come from at least four runs down in both of its super regional wins.

"I think it basically just lit our fire and got us going," Harris-Champer said. "It kind of got the energy up and got the game to be exciting. The girls just came back and kept hitting the ball."

Hamilton was called for five illegal pitches after her delivery came into question in a 5-2 win against Missouri earlier in the day. She was called once in that game for stepping out of the pitching lane defined by chalk lines in the pitcher's circle, but Tigers coach Ehren Earleywine questioned whether other calls might have been missed.

The lanes were instituted this year as part of an NCAA crackdown on the rule.

"I didn't really change anything," Hamilton said. "It was a challenge, and our team loves challenges. It was fun."

Georgia 5, Missouri 2

Kristyn Sandberg hit a two-run home run and Kristin Schnake added a two-run double as Georgia claimed its first victory at the World Series.

Sandberg gave the sixth-seeded Bulldogs a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning when she hit her eighth home run of the season with a line drive to center field. Schnake made it 5-0 an inning later as Georgia took advantage after Chelsea Thomas (16-7) issued a walk, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch.

Marla Schweisberger had a two-run single for Missouri (50-12) after a disputed call kept a rally going in the sixth inning.

Friends to Follow social media