During the press conference following Georgia softball’s first berth into the Women’s College World Series, sophomore center fielder Taylor Schlopy sat at the media table with a grin stretched from ear-to-ear.

Her team, a team of only two upperclassmen period (seniors pitcher Christie Hamilton and shortstop Kristin Schnake) was heading to its first WCWS ever and Schlopy just sat there grinning and taking it all in.

“I don’t know,” she said, when asked if she knew when their accomplishment would sink in.

For the naysayers who believed the Georgia team was too young, the Bulldogs kept proving them wrong. They came back from trailing in the fifth inning or later in both games of the Super Regional against Ohio State and won them both.

In game 1 of the WCWS, Georgia battled Washington (the eventual champs) tooth and nail before falling 3-1 and headed to the dreaded loser’s bracket, where only two teams have ever advanced to the Championship Series.

But Georgia, perhaps because of their youth or because of their unbridled joy and boundless energy, maintained a positive outlook.

After eliminating Missouri two days later, Georgia as a team wished Alabama well, hugging them all before the Crimson Tide’s elimination game against Arizona.

Can you imagine the gymnastics or football teams doing that?

Nothing fazed them, even as they trailed Michigan, just four years removed from a national title in game 2 of “Elimination Saturday.” All Georgia did was hit a WCWS record four home runs en route to a 7-5 comeback victory. And their prize?

A potential double date with Player of the Year Danielle Lawrie and her Washington Huskies. A team they would need to beat twice to advance to the finals.

Their response was only, “it’s more fun that way.”

Hamilton, their ace and workhorse was exhausted, she admitted to ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe that her arm was “really tired.” And for the usually tight-lipped Hamilton this was something.

She had thrown over 400 pitches a day earlier and had been called for six illegal pitches.

She relieved starter Sarah McCloud, in the first game against Washington, but was largely ineffective and was removed after a little more than an inning.

Schlopy, who has not pitched since April, pitched 2.1 innings in two different appearances.

Georgia led 8-4 late in the game before Niki Williams hit her third home run of the tournament against Georgia, after hitting only two during the entire season. Instead of folding, Georgia battled Lawrie into extra innings before winning on a walk-off walk to Brianna Hesson.

They had come so far, but still had a Mt. Everest-like mountain ahead of them to climb.

In the last game with Washington, the biggest game of their careers, seldom-used Erin Arevalo got the start, her first career start. She pitched 1.2 innings before giving way to her ace to finish things off.

Even after the game had ended with the Huskies advancing to play No. 1 Florida in the finals, the softball team was full of emphatic enthusiasm.

Their wild ride had ended, but the journey had just begun. They had arrived.

All but two of Georgia’s athletes would return. And while Hamilton and Schnake will leave large holes to fill, Georgia returns two first team All-Americans (Schlopy and third baseman Alisa Goler) and the memories of a dream season.

And that, is something to smile about.

- Michael Fitzpatrick is the editor-in-chief of The Red & Black.