Tuesday, February 7, 2012

With Alabama waiting, softball wants to avoid trap matchup

By on April 1, 2009

The No. 6 Georgia softball team (24-4, 7-2 SEC) will look to take care of business today when it faces Furman (12-17) at the UGA Softball Stadium.

Sitting at the sixth spot in the latest top 25 poll, Georgia has ascended to its highest ranking in five years – since being ranked No. 5 in 2004. The Bulldogs hope to keep a perfect home record (15-0) when they take on the Paladins.

The Bulldogs also look to continue their current nine-game winning streak. They are batting .312 as a team and have outscored their opponents by a combined score of 52-12.

Another mid-week, out of conference opponent could pose as a trap game for the Bulldogs as the team’s sights could be set on this upcoming weekend series against No. 4 Alabama.

“We have to pitch, hit and play defense,” senior pitcher Christie Hamilton said. “[We] come out and play the same no matter who the opponent is.”

Hamilton was named SEC Pitcher of the Week following her efforts against Mercer and Kentucky, in which she went 3-0 including two complete games and 16 strikeouts in just 17 innings of work.

Hamilton isn’t the only Bulldog hitting her stride as conference play heats up.

Sophomore third baseman Alisa Goler is four home runs and 15 RBIs shy of tying the single-season marks in both categories in Georgia softball history.

Goler will have the opportunity to inch closer to etching her name in the Georgia record books today and help the Bulldogs continue their winning ways. The first pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.