Tre Phelps had two hits and an RBI and Justin Byrd tossed five innings of shutout relief to help No. 3 Georgia remain alive at the Men’s College World Series with a 2-0 victory over No. 6 Texas on Tuesday in an elimination game in Omaha, Neb.
Rylan Lujo also drove in a run for the Bulldogs (53-13), who will face Oklahoma on Wednesday. The Sooners (40-22) are unbeaten in MCWS play, so Georgia would have to beat Oklahoma twice over two days to advance to the best-of-three championship series.
Texas (46-15) lost twice to Georgia in the MCWS and was eliminated.
The right-handed Byrd (6-2) allowed two hits and one walk while striking out four. He worked a perfect ninth inning, fanned Ashton Larson swinging to end the contest as the Bulldogs set a school record for victories in a season. The 1990 national championship team won 52 games.
Both teams were dominated by the opposing pitcher over the first four innings.
Texas left-hander Luke Harrison (6-4) recorded 10 of his first 12 outs via strikeout and finished with a career-best 11 K’s in 5 2/3 innings. He gave up one run, two hits and four walks.
Georgia right-hander Dylan Vigue struck out eight before departing after walking Larson to start the fifth. Vigue allowed two hits and two walks over four-plus scoreless innings.
The Bulldogs struck for a run off Harrison in the top of the fifth. Brennan Hudson walked, was sacrificed to second by Kolby Branch, moved to third on an infield out by Ryan Black and scored on Phelps’ double to left.
In the seventh, Georgia received a break when Black hit a leadoff liner to center that Dariyan Pendergrass dove to catch. However, after Pendergrass rolled, the ball popped out of his glove. The play was reviewed, and Black was awarded a single.
Phelps followed with a slow roller that got through the right side to put runners at the corners. Texas right-hander Sam Cozart struck out Daniel Jackson before Lujo came to the plate and hit a high pop fly into shallow left field.
As Texas shortstop Adrian Rodriguez caught the ball, left fielder Anthony Pack Jr. crashed into him. Black took off and Rodriguez, with his hat falling into his face, needed a split second before getting off a stellar throw to the plate. Black narrowly beat the tag of catcher Carson Tinney to make it 2-0.
The Longhorns threatened in the eighth as Aiden Robbins singled with one out and Pack drew a two-out walk before Rodriguez grounded out to first to end the frame.
Cozart gave up one run and three hits in 3 1/3 innings of relief. He struck out six and walked one.
–Field Level Media
