The Red and Black

Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: NICK PASSERELLO Dean Weaver holds Kennesaw scoreless during the ninth inning of the game Tuesday at Foley Field. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: NICK PASSERELLO Third baseman Ryan Peisel bats during the sixth inning of Tuesday's game at Foley Field. Peisel went three for four with two RBI to lead the Bulldogs' offensive effort. [Click to enlarge]

For most of the evening, it looked as if the No. 5 Georgia baseball team was going to have yet another midweek non-conference contest go down to the wire.

But thanks to a big four-run seventh inning, the Diamond Dogs were in control during the late innings of a 6-2 victory over Kennesaw State (21-21) at Foley Field Tuesday.

"These midweek games are so easy to let down on, but we did a good job out here taking care of business," senior third baseman Ryan Peisel said. "The energy is just not there like it is in the SEC."

The score was deadlocked at 2-2 in the second through sixth innings, and Georgia (28-12-1, 14-3-1 SEC) seemed well on its way to needing the ninth-inning heroics it got against East Tennessee State and Georgia State in the middle of last week.

But the Diamond Dogs were able to push across four runs during a seventh frame, highlighted by a two-run double from designated hitter Bryce Massanari.

Peisel singled in Matt Cerione earlier in the inning to put Georgia ahead for good at 3-2. Then, second baseman Michael Demperio crossed the plate when the ball bounced off Kennesaw catcher Jace Whitmer's glove.

"When you've got the type of pitching we do, at four runs we're pretty comfortable," coach David Perno said. "It was, for the most part, a pretty pressure-free game, and it was something that we needed."

The win pushes the Diamond Dogs' winning streak to nine games, including Sunday's 10-10 tie at LSU.


The Owls scored both of their runs on a wild play in the top of the second inning. Georgia's Olson just missed a diving catch in right-center field, and center fielder Miles Starr kicked the ball all the way to the wall, allowing Curtis Van Wycke and the batter, Bucky Smith, to score.

Peisel went three for four with a pair of RBI to lead Georgia offensively, and four pitchers combined to hold Kennesaw to two runs on eight hits.

Junior right-hander Will Harvil got the start and pitched a career-high four innings for the Diamond Dogs.

Georgia returns to action at 6:30 p.m. Friday in Gainesville, Fla., against the Gators (25-15, 10-8 SEC).

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