OMAHA, Neb. – Joey Volchko tossed a complete game four-hitter with a career-high 15 strikeouts to lead third-seeded Georgia over sixth-ranked Texas 7-1 in its College World Series opener Saturday in front of a crowd of 25,002 at Charles Schwab Field.
FAST FACTS
Junior Joey Volchko improved to 11-2 with Georgia’s first nine-inning complete game of the season and the first at the College World Series since Mike Rebhan did it twice in 1990 when the Bulldogs won the national title. Volchko struck out the side in the first and fourth innings and his 15 strikeouts were the most by a Georgia pitcher in a College World Series game.
Sophomore centerfielder Rylan Lujo put the Bulldogs in front 2-0 with a two-run blast off the fair pole in left field. It was his 14th of the year as Tre Phelps was on base after a leadoff walk. The Bulldogs eventually built a 4-0 lead in the first thanks to a pair of errors, two wild pitches and two hit batsmen.
In the seventh, Lujo added an RBI-double and left fielder Kenny Ishikawa delivered a two-run single to extend the lead to 7-1.
With tonight’s win, Georgia (52-12) tied the school record for wins in a season. The 1990 national championship team went 52-19.
Tonight’s 7-1 win marked the 31st time this season that Georgia held its opponent to three runs or less.
KEY QUOTES
Ike Cousins Head Baseball Coach Wes Johnson
On the game…
“We got on the board early with Rylan’s home run and then they had a couple miscues in the first and you combine that with the way Joey (Volchko) was throwing tonight, and everybody could relax a bit. Then, Rylan gets another big hit and Kenny (Ishikawa) comes up with one and that really stretched it out. Obviously, the story tonight was Joey and the way he commanded pitches and hit spots. It was one of the most impressive complete game performances that I’ve been a part of.”
Joey Volchko | Jr. | RHP
On his complete game…
“I felt a lot of confidence and comfort with the gameplan we came in with tonight. We had a very clear plan and executed. We always talk about it as a team in terms of don’t panic, don’t get sped up. I had to attack the zone, and I did that with the first hitter even after I got behind in the count 3-1 and then came back with a strikeout. I’ve grown as a pitcher and credit goes to coach Wes Johnson.”
UP NEXT
Georgia (52-12) will face the Oklahoma (39-22) Monday at 7 p.m. ET here at the College World Series. The game will be televised by ESPN and available on the Georgia Bulldog Sports Network. The Sooners blanked Alabama 9-0 in their opener on Saturday.