ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Freshman Tre Phelps drove in four runs, Leighton Finley took a shutout into the seventh inning and Georgia got even with N.C. State, defeating the Wolfpack 11-2 at the Athens Super Regional on Sunday.
After N.C. State’s stunning 18-1 victory on Saturday, the Bulldogs (43-16) bounced back and tied the best-of-three series at a game apiece. Game 3 will take place Monday, with the winner advancing to the College World Series.
In Game 2, Slate Alford hit a two-run home run in the first inning and Phelps went deep over the batter’s eye in center field for three runs in the third. Phelps picked up another RBI when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded during Georgia’s three-run fourth inning. Earlier in the fourth, Kolby Branch doubled for one run and Corey Collins had an RBI-groundout.
Paul Toetz homered in the sixth, Fernando Gonzalez added an RBI-single in the seventh and Collins belted a solo home run in the eighth for the Bulldogs.
Finley scattered five hits through the first six innings but got into trouble in the seventh when he allowed two singles, an RBI groundout and another single. Brian Zendin entered with two outs and two men on base but induced a popup to get out of the jam.
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Finley (6-1) went 6 2/3 innings on the mound, allowing one run and eight hits. Zendin finished, allowing only Jacob Cozart’s eighth inning home run.
Dominic Fritton (3-6) took the loss after giving up seven runs and seven hits in three-plus innings for the Wolfpack (37-21).