Box Score ATHENS, Ga. — Oakland (1-10, 0-0 HL) battled well, but fell to No. 9/11 Georgia (10-2, 0-0 SEC) in a closely contested 4-3 game on Sunday at Foley Field. The Golden Grizzlies took an early 2-0 lead with runs in the first two innings, but the Bulldogs responded with three runs in the third inning and added another in the seventh. Despite a late run in the ninth inning, Oakland's rally fell short, sealing its defeat. The Golden Grizzlies' pitching staff recorded seven strikeouts, but Georgia's long balls proved decisive in the matchup.

Sophomore Aidan Schuck recorded two hits and drove in a run, contributing with a stolen base as well as redshirt-sophomore Lucas Day added a hit and an RBI with a sacrifice fly. Junior Ben Clark finished with two hits and reached base three times, scoring a run. Impressive on the mound, freshman Ben Green pitched five innings, striking out four, and only allowing three earned runs.

Oakland took an early lead in the top of the first inning when Schuck singled and later scored on Day's sacrifice fly into shallow center field.

In the second frame, redshirt-senior Jack Lux singled and advanced on redshirt-sophomore Tony Konopiots' single. Lux then scored on redshirt-junior Sam Griffith's fielder's choice up the middle, extending the Golden Grizzlies' lead to two runs through two innings.

The third inning saw the Bulldogs respond with three runs. After a single, a two-run homer, followed by another solo home run, gave Georgia a one-run lead.

The game remained scoreless through the next three frames before Georgia added another run on an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh.

The Golden Grizzlies managed to cut the deficit in the ninth inning when Clark was hit by a pitch and later scored on Schuck's infield single, yet not before the final out in the top of the frame.

Green had an incredible outing in his first career start, pitching five innings, three earned runs off of six hits while picking up four strikeouts at the plate. Junior Owen Thomson relieved Green, throwing 2/3 innings without conceding a hit or run and picked up a strikeout before sophomore Andrew Landis followed, also recording 2/3 innings of work with a run off of two hits. Senior Jaxson Easterlin and redshirt-sophomore Luke Riggs combined to close the game with 1.2 innings of scoreless pitching, with Easterlin striking out one and Riggs allowing no hits.

The Golden Grizzlies will stay in SEC territory as they head up to Knoxville to face No. 19/20 Tennessee for their first midweek matchup of the season on Wednesday, March 4. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET on SEC Network+.


How to Follow Oakland Baseball: For complete information on Oakland Baseball, follow the team on X at @OaklandBSB and head coach Brian Nelson at @CoachNelly11. The team is also on Instagram.