Baseball Drops Series Opener to No. 9 Georgia

Friday, May 2

Columbia, Mo.

6 p.m.

University of Missouri

13-32, 0-22

Georgia

37-11, 13-9

Georgia

Missouri

5/2/2025 10:17:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Seven shutout innings by Brian Curley lifted No. 9 Georgia to a 9-2 decision over University of Missouri baseball Friday evening in the opening game of the two clubs' Southeastern Conference series at Taylor Stadium.

Curley (3-2) held the Tigers scoreless on four hits while striking out six, out-dueling Mizzou starter Brady Kehlenbrink, who matched a career high with six punchouts of his own over 4 1/3 innings of one-hit baseball.

Georgia (37-11, 13-9 SEC) relied on the long ball to establish an early lead, as Nolan McCarthy's one-out solo shot opened the scoring in the top of the third inning, followed by Kolby Branch's leadoff homer in the sixth that handed Curley and the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead.

Kehlenbrink (0-4) matched the Georgia hurler early in the contest, as the freshman left-hander struck out a pair of Bulldogs in a 1-2-3 first inning, then repeated that feat in the fourth to keep the Tigers within a run. He ran into trouble in the fifth with back-to-back hit batsmen before yielding to Josh McDevitt with two on and one out. McDevitt followed Kehlenbrink's lead, using a strikeout and a ground ball to first to get out of a bases-loaded jam unharmed.

The Bulldogs came up with a momentum-swinging three-run rally in the seventh, however, turning a two-run margin into a 5-0 cushion. Slate Alford's two-out RBI-single opened the scoring and Branch delivered his second clutch hit – a two-run triple – to complete the rally.

Mizzou (13-32, 0-22 SEC) broke into the scoring column on Pierre Seals' fifth home run of the season – a solo shot to left-center that pulled the Tigers to within 5-1.

But Georgia responded in the top of the ninth, cashing in with an Alford home run and a three-run triple by Christian Adams to put the game out of reach.

The Tigers scored in the home half of the ninth on a Jackson Lovich sacrifice fly but stranded their fifth baserunner of the night in scoring position to end the contest.

Seals led Mizzou's eight-hit performance with a 2-for-5 effort.

Branch paced Georgia's 10-hit attack with a 3-for-5 night that included three RBIs.

TIGER NOTEBOOK

Georgia extended its series edge of the Tigers to 18-16 all-time with the victory.
Mizzou played error-free baseball for the fourth time in its last five games (since April 24).
Lovich extended his reached base streak to 15 straight games, as well as his hit streak to five games with a 1-for-4 night.
Additionally, Lovich has a hit in each of his last seven SEC contests, dating back to April 17 vs. Oklahoma.
Seals' two-hit night gave him eight multi-hit performances this spring for Mizzou; his home run hiked his personal total to 15 Division I career homers, which ranks second only to Lovich among active Tigers.
Kehlenbrink's 4.1 innings marked a career best, in addition to matching his career high with six strikeouts (March 23 vs. Ole Miss).
McDevitt turned in season-best 1 1/3 innings of relief, matching his career high with three strikeouts (Feb. 23, 2023 at San Diego State).

UP NEXT
The Tigers and Bulldogs continue their three-game set Saturday with a 7 p.m. contest that will be televised on SEC Network.

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