The Georgia softball team took a little while to get its bats going, but sophomore pitcher Sarah McCloud was able to shut down Ole Miss (17-21, 5-15 SEC) until the calvalry arrived.

No, 7 Georgia (27-7, 8-5 SEC) used late-inning scores to beat SEC opponent Ole Miss 8-0 in Game 1 of a three game series.

McCloud (11-2) earned the win by working a five-inning shutout – allowing four hits and twice pitched out of jams to keep the Bulldogs on top.

In the second inning, the Rebels put runners on second and third with two outs and were threatening to score first in the contest. McCloud induced a ground out to end the threat and preserve the tie ballgame. In the fifth inning, Ole Miss once again put runners in scoring position with two outs.

But with the bases load, McCloud struck out what would be the final batter she would face in the game.

Sophomores Alisa Goler and Brianna Hesson combined to go 3-for-5 with five RBIs for the Bulldogs.

Rebel’s pitcher Becky Nye (10-3) held the potent Georgia lineup in check for nearly four innings, until Goler and Hesson put Georgia ahead in the bottom of the fourth inning. After a double by Goler, Hesson hit a two run shot right inside the left field foul pole to give Georgia the 2-0 advantage.

In bottom of the fifth, the Georgia hitters would put up six more runs to end the game on a run rule. Goler got the inning started when she lined a hit off of the center field wall to plate two runs – the two RBIs give her 54 for the season, just 11 behind the single-season Georgia record.

Georgia would score their other runs on a Hesson sacrifice fly, a throwing error, and a bunt single by freshman Lisaira Daniels. Ole Miss walked home the game-winning run by issuing a free pass to shortstop Kristin Schnake.

Georgia put runners on base in 13 of their 22 at-bats in the game.

McCloud kept Ole Miss All-American shortstop Lauren Grill from doing any damage by issuing her a walk in every at-bat.

Game 2 of the series has been postponed, and a doubleheader is planned to start Saturday at 1 p.m.