Bulldogs Advance in CWS
Joey Volchko's Career-High 15 Strikeouts Propel Georgia to 7-1 CWS Victory.
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Joey Volchko struck out a career-high 15 batters and threw his first complete game as Georgia crushed Texas 7-1 in the opening round of the College World Series on Saturday night in Omaha. The performance was a program record for strikeouts in a CWS game, AP reported, and it wasn't even close.
Georgia improved to 6-0 in the NCAA Tournament and has now won 20 of its last 21 games since April 25. Texas, a team with 39 all-time CWS appearances, has now lost four straight games in Omaha across its last three trips.
Volchko Deals a 114-Pitch Masterpiece in Omaha
Volchko, a Stanford transfer, threw 114 pitches and allowed just four hits. He issued zero walks until the ninth inning. His 15 strikeouts set a Georgia record for a CWS game, according to 247 Sports. He finished the night by striking out Temo Becerra to end it.
Analysts credited Volchko's "outlier" arsenal for the dominance. He throws a 95-96 MPH cutter with 2,700-2,800 RPM spin rate. Georgia coaches leaned into that pitch heavily after he transferred from Stanford, according to Yahoo Sports. Draft evaluators who previously labeled him "too erratic" are now forced to rethink that grade.
Texas's First Inning Disaster Decided the Game Early
Texas ace Dylan Volantis, a Golden Spikes semifinalist and National Pitcher of the Year candidate, was a disaster in the first inning. He threw 41 pitches before recording the third out. Georgia plated four runs in that inning, doing most of its damage before Texas could settle in, AP reported.
Texas catcher Carson Tinney made two throwing errors that directly led to three unearned runs. Georgia center fielder Rylan Lujo delivered the knockout blow — a two-run home run off the left-field foul pole. Lujo finished the game with three RBIs, according to Winnipeg Free Press.
Georgia's Historic Turnaround Under Coach Wes Johnson
Georgia's last CWS appearance was in 2008 — an 18-year drought. This year, the Bulldogs earned the No. 3 national seed, the highest in program history, according to The Star. Georgia hit a school-record 174 home runs this season and finished the game 52-12 overall.
Head coach Wes Johnson, in his third season, rebuilt the roster aggressively through the transfer portal, bringing in 20 players from other programs. Before the game, Johnson told reporters, "These guys are made for this... it's business as usual." His contract runs through 2031, per Yakima Herald.
What Comes Next for Georgia and a Desperate Texas
Georgia faces Oklahoma on Monday, June 15 at 7:00 PM ET in the winner's bracket. One more win puts the Bulldogs one step from the National Championship Series. Texas drops to the elimination bracket and must beat Alabama on Monday at 1:00 PM ET or go home, according to KTVB.
Texas DH Ethan Mendoza left the game in the eighth inning with a shoulder injury. His status for the Alabama game is uncertain. On the bright side for Longhorns fans, only four teams in the current CWS format have lost their opener and come back to win the title, per Stamford Advocate.
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