The Georgia Bulldogs are Omaha-bound again, grinding out an 11–9 extra-innings win on Sunday at Foley Field in Athens to finish off a super-regional sweep. It is the program’s first College World Series trip since 2008 and wrapped up a weekend that swung from disaster to delirium, including a seven-run comeback earlier in the series. Daniel Jackson’s two-run homer in the 10th and Justin Byrd’s calm work to close it out were the final blows in front of a sold-out home crowd.
Georgia advances
As Georgia Athletics notes, the Bulldogs finished off Mississippi State 11–9 in 10 innings to clinch the Athens Super Regional and secure their spot in the Men’s College World Series, which runs June 12–22 at Charles Schwab Field. The school’s recap highlighted Jackson’s go-ahead two-run blast in the 10th, his team-leading 31st home run of the year, and credited Byrd for coming out of the bullpen to shut the door.
How the weekend unfolded
The super regional never lacked drama. Georgia opened the series by erasing a 7–0 hole in Game 1, then in Game 2 watched Mississippi State slug its way in front late before things flipped again, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Mississippi State launched multiple homers to grab the lead, but Brennan Hudson’s ninth-inning single pulled Georgia even and set the stage for Jackson’s 10th-inning shot to decide it. Byrd struck out the side in the 10th to lock up the sweep. Across two games, the teams traded big swings in a barrage of offense that kept Foley Field buzzing well into the night.
Johnson on resilience
Coach Wes Johnson pointed to the mental makeup behind those comebacks. Speaking to Georgia Athletics, he said, "You just saw a bunch of resilient guys, and you saw the fruition of all that work come through." Johnson added that the program’s daily focus on hard physical and mental work helped the Bulldogs ride out the wild momentum swings of the weekend.
What’s next in Omaha
The bracket is set for Omaha, and Georgia will not have to wait long for a marquee matchup. The NCAA’s announced pairings place the Bulldogs against No. 6 Texas in their opener on Saturday, June 13 at 7 p.m. Central, 8 p.m. Eastern, according to NCAA.com. The Men’s College World Series features an eight-team, double-elimination format at Charles Schwab Field, with most games set to air on ESPN.
Why it matters in Athens
This Omaha ticket is the capstone to what has already been a landmark year in Athens. The Bulldogs captured their first SEC regular-season title since 2008 and, for the first time in program history, added an SEC Tournament championship, raising expectations that this group could make real noise in Nebraska, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Powered by a home-run heavy lineup that set program marks this season, Georgia has turned Foley Field into a launching pad and the city into a baseball town again as UGA heads back to Omaha.
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