06/13/26 11:32:00
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06/13 23:30 CDT Volchko's 15-strikeout complete game, Volantis' struggle lead
to Georgia's 7-1 CWS win over Texas
Volchko's 15-strikeout complete game, Volantis' struggle lead to Georgia's 7-1
CWS win over Texas
By ERIC OLSON
AP Sports Writer
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) --- Joey Volchko struck out a career-high 15 in his first
complete game and Georgia capitalized on Texas ace Dylan Volantis' horrific
first inning to win 7-1 in a showdown of the Southeastern Conference's top two
teams at the College World Series on Saturday night.
The Bulldogs' first appearance in Omaha since 2008 will continue Monday night
when they play Oklahoma for control of all-SEC Bracket 2. The Longhorns meet
Alabama in a Monday elimination game.
Volchko (11-2) fanned nine of the first 13 batters he faced, allowed just four
singles and didn't issue a walk until the ninth inning of his 114-pitch
masterpiece.
"One of the most impressive complete game performances I've been a part of,"
Georgia coach Wes Johnson said.
When Volchko struck out Temo Becerra to end the game, he spun around, spread
his arms and let out a scream before embracing catcher Daniel Jackson.
"We knew who we were going to attack with what, how we were going to flip in
between times through the order," said Volchko, who mixed a curveball and
sweeper with his fastball and hit his spots all night. "There was a lot of
preparation. There was a lot of comfort in that. I felt like when I got out
there, things slowed down a little bit, as opposed to speed up."
Georgia (52-12) improved to 6-0 in the NCAA Tournament and has won 20 of its
last 21 games since April 25. Texas (45-14) has lost four straight in the CWS
over three appearances since 2021.
Volantis (10-2) had a frustrating night. He allowed only four hits and struck
out nine in 6 1/3 innings, but had two wild pitches and hit four batters after
having plunked a total of seven entering the game.
The sophomore left-hander threw 41 pitches in the first inning as almost
anything that could go wrong for the Longhorns did.
Georgia's scoring started with Rylan Lujo's two-run homer off the left-field
foul pole, only the third allowed by Volantis in 89 innings this season.
The bases were loaded with two outs after Volantis hit two batters around the
first of catcher Carson Tinney's two botched throws to first after dropped
third strikes. It was 4-0 after Kolby Branch swung and missed on a wild pitch
in the dirt. The ball bounced off Tinney, who picked it up and threw wide to
first, allowing two runners to come home.
"I mean that stuff happens. He's been phenomenal all year-round," Volantis said
of Tinney. "For me, that was the first time that's happened. I mean that
happens. I already told him no worries, man, but we're going to get that
cleaned up."
Texas capitalized on Volchko's bad pickoff attempt in the fifth to score its
only run, but the Bulldogs broke open the game in the seventh with three runs
on two hits, the Longhorns' third error and a wild pitch.
"From a defensive standpoint, that's the worst game we've played the whole
season, which is super disappointing," Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle said. "On
our end, that's a very bad taste in our mouth. I don't know if it would have
mattered considering Volchko was so awesome but, yeah, that was not good on the
part of the Longhorns."
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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
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