NCAA Softball Tournament Action Begins Friday in Athens
The No. 11 national seed Georgia softball team will host the 2024 NCAA Athens Regional this weekend at Jack Turner Stadium. The four-team, double-elimination tournament will feature Georgia, Charlotte, Liberty, and UNCW.
Georgia will play UNCW Friday at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The tournament will kick off Friday between Charlotte and Liberty at 3 p.m. on ESPN+.
Follow the Bulldogs
- All games of the Athens Regional will air or stream live on the networks of ESPN and ESPN+. Jenn Hildreth (play-by-play) and Leah Amico (analysis) will be on the call.
- Live stat for each game can be found on the interactive bracket on the NCAA website.
- Live Twitter updates will be available on the official Twitter page of Georgia softball, @UGAsoftball.
Fan Information and Upcoming Promotions at Jack Turner Stadium (https://gado.gs/bjt)
- For the 2024 season, parking is available in the lot closest to S. Milledge Ave. The back lot is closed due to construction.
- The UGA Clear Bag Policy is in effect.
BULLDOGS BULLETIN
NCAA Tournament Tidbits
- 2024 will be Georgia's 22nd-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance
- Georgia's stellar track record in the postseason puts it as one of eight teams in the nation to appear in a regional for 22 or more straight years (Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, UCLA, Washington). Within that realm, Georgia is one of three Southeastern Conference teams to produce such success.
- Georgia's all-time record in postseason play is 80-45 including 61-21 in regional play
- As a team, Georgia has advanced to 12 Super Regionals and five Women's College World Series, most recently 2021
- Athens and Jack Turner Stadium will host its 13th NCAA Regional in 2024 (2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024)
- This is the first back-to-back regional host for Georgia since the Bulldogs hosted three straight regionals from 2014-2016.
- The Bulldogs are 46-11 all-time in NCAA Tournament games in Athens
- When Athens has hosted the Regional round, Georgia has advanced to the Supers 10 of 12 times (2004, 2006 being the only times Georgia did not advance out of Athens)
- Georgia recently faced Liberty in the 2022 Durham Regional. The Flames won the first game, 2-0, knocking Georgia into the consolation bracket. The Bulldogs defeated Liberty 7-2 the next day to advance to the regional final.
- Georgia has never matched up with Charlotte or UNCW in the NCAA Tournament
- This will be the 11th time Georgia has been a national seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs have never been the 11 seed. Georgia's record as a national seed is 48-23.
Series Histories
Charlotte
- Georgia leads the all-time series 9-2
- The Bulldogs are 7-2 against the 49ers in Athens
- Charlotte defeated Georgia a season ago at Jack Turner Stadium, 6-5
- Prior to last season's loss, Georgia has won eight-straight meetings dating back to 1999
Liberty
- The all-time series is tied 1-1
- The Bulldogs and Flames lone meeting game in the 2022 Durham Regional. The Flames won the first game, 2-0, knocking Georgia into the consolation bracket. The Bulldogs defeated Liberty 7-2 the next day to advance to the regional final.
UNCW
- Georgia leads the all-time series 7-0
- Six of the seven meetings have been in Athens, most recently playing twice in 2020
- The series dates back to Georgia's inaugural season in 1997 when the Bulldogs and Seahawks met in Rock Hill, South Carolina
Georgia in the Polls
Georgia in the Poll: Week 14
- USA Today/NFCA: 14
- ESPN/USA Softball: 13
- D1Softball: 13
- Softball America: 14
- RPI: 9
Recapping Action
Georgia went 1-1 in the SEC Tournament in Auburn last week. The Bulldogs and Auburn set an SEC Tournament record for the longest game played in tournament history, going 14 innings and 4 hours and 21 minutes. After Auburn used a three-run home run to go up 5-2 in the top of the 14th. Jayda Kearney blasted a three-run jack in the bottom of the inning to tie the game, then Sarah Gordon knocked a two-out solo shot to walk off the Tigers, 6-5. The Dogs drew Florida in the semis. Georgia hit three home runs, but ultimately fell to the Gators 9-4 in the slugfest. The win against Auburn was Tony Baldwin's first SEC Tournament win as a head coach and Georgia's first since 2019.
A Look at What's Ahead
The winner of the Athens Regional will advance to the NCAA Super Regional round against the winner of the Los Angeles Regional featuring No. 6 UCLA, Virginia Tech, San Diego State, and Grand Canyon.
Bulldog Trio Garner All-SEC Honors
Seniors Jayda Kearney and Sara Mosley were named First Team All-SEC, and junior Dallis Goodnight was named Second Team. This is the third First Team All-SEC appointment for both Mosley and Kearney (2022, 2023, 2024). Kearney was named to the All-Freshman Team in 2021. This is Goodnight's first all-conference honor of her career.
Walters Named to SEC Softball Community Service Team
Shelby Walters was named to the 2024 SEC Softball Community Service Team. This is the second straight appointment to the Community Service Team for the Cohutta, Georgia native. Walters just completed her Master's in Kinesiology—Exercise Physiology from UGA. Since 2015, Walters has been an active member of Save a Lab, which is a dog fostering service for mothers and puppies. In recent years, Walters has volunteered with the Miracle League and has devoted time to the Special Olympics at UGA as well as Watkinsville Extra Special People (ESP).
Coaching Connection
Charlotte assistant coach Katie Rietkovich Browder played for the Bulldogs in 2010 and 2011. She was part of Georgia's WCWS Final Four appearance in 2010.
Feeling Good
Dallis Goodnight has had the best season of her college career in 2024. Goodnight led Georgia on the season with a .352 batting average and put together a .440 on-base clip with 12 stolen bases. She also led Georgia in batting in SEC play (.379), against Top 25 opponents (.355), and against top 75 RPI teams (.345). In conference play, her .379 average was the fourth-best in the league while she finished eighth with a .446 on-base percentage and seventh with 16 runs scored. She started the final 15 games of the regular season in the leadoff spot in Georgia's lineup.
Congratulations, Grads!
A total of nine Georgia softball student-athletes have completed their degrees from the University of Georgia this May including Ellie Armistead, Sydney Chambley, Lyndi Rae Davis, Hayley Eaton, Jadya Kearney, Madison Kerpics, Sara Mosley, Riley Orcutt, and Shelby Walters (Masters). The nine newest graduates join Jaiden Fields and Sydney Kuma who have already completed their degrees from UGA.
Senior Bats Come Alive for Senior Weekend
The senior class had a big offensive series against Florida in the final home series of the season. Four seniors combined to hit eight of Georgia's nine home runs on the weekend, led by three from Sara Mosley and two each from Jaiden Fields and Sydney Kuma. Of Georgia's 19 RBI on the weekend, seniors were responsible for all but one. Seven seniors combined to hit .347 on the weekend, scattering 17 hits.
Backes Out of the Bullpen
Lilli Backes currently has six saves on the season, the second-most in the SEC. Her six saves is third-most in a single season at Georgia and is already top 10 in career saves. She has finished the second-most games of anyone in the SEC, completing 20 games. She also has appeared in relief the third most; 23 of her 40 appearances have been in relief. She led the conference in appearances.
Sara Mosley: The RBI Machine
Sara Mosley currently ranks second in the SEC with 59 total RBI this season, which ranks 16th in the country. Her 1.07 RBI per game is third in the conference and 25th. She has recorded 12 multi-RBI games this season, four of which she drove in five or more runs. Her 222 career RBI rank fifth all-time at Georgia, and she is currently sixth among active Division I players. Her 62 home runs is six shy of tying Alyssa DiCarlo's record of 69 set in 2019.
