ATHENS, Ga. — Don’t count out Georgia baseball when the team is down. That’s the message the No. 3 Bulldogs sent in Game 1 of the Athens Super Regional.
Trailing seven runs in the fourth, UGA powered back to win a slugfest over No. 14 Mississippi State, 13-12, on Saturday afternoon at Foley Field.
“I thought that’ll go down probably, what do they call it on ESPN, an instant classic. Fun ballgame to be a part of,” UGA head coach Wes Johnson said postgame.
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The two Bulldogs teams combined for 11 home runs in Game 1. Georgia hitters Rylan Lujo and Michael O’Shaughnessy each finished with a pair of home runs.
Junior Justin Byrd, who grew up near UGA in Bogart, picked up the save to complete the win.
“I’ve always wanted to come here, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to play here,” Byrd said postgame.
“And I think ‘Shaggy’ (Michael O’Shaugnessy) touched on it also; we believe in ourselves. And I think that I’ve really started to believe in myself personally, and I think that’s helped a lot,” he added.
UGA baseball is now one win away from the program’s first trip to the College World Series since 2008.
First pitch for Game 2 of the Super Regional is set for 12 p.m. Sunday.