Sports

FINAL UGA 8 CSU 1: Hawkins goes 6 strong and gets his first win on the season. Williams picks up the loss for CSU. Verdin led the Dawgs at the plate, going 3-3. Chase Davidson also hit his 3rd homer on the year. Thanks for reading and be sure to check back tomorrow as UGA host CSU for the final game of this two game set.

Top of the 9th: UGA 8 CSU 0: Earl Daniels comes and takes over from Herman. Burkett leads off for CSU and strikes out swinging for the first out. Derek Smith walks to bring up Quattlebaum. Quattlebaum singles to right center on a hit and run and Smith scores from first to end the shutout. Quattlebaum steals second without a throw as the count to Sustar moves to 1-2. Sustar singles to right and the Bucs have runners on the corners. Still watches three straight strikes for the second out. Sustar takes second without a throw. Buckley lines to center to end the inning and the game.

Bottom of the 8th: UGA 7 CSU 0: K. Ward is now on the mound for the Buccaneers. Christmas stays in and plays second. Buckley takes over behind the plate. Austin Wheeler gets his first at-bat of the day and grounds out to the second baseman for the first out. Connor Welton comes to bat and draws the walk. Back to the top as Hyams steps in and rips a single up the middle. Runners on first and second, 1 out. Ward’s day is done after 1/3 of an inning. Shaefer takes over for Ward and inherits two base runners. His first batter is Curt Powell and Powell watches the third strike go by for the second out. Farmer hits a Texas leaguer for a single and Welton scores. However, Hyams is tagged out at third moments after Welton crosses the plate. Dogs up 8-0.

Top of the 8th: UGA 7 CSU 0: Georgia makes a slew of changes. Connor Welton takes over in left,  Lance Martin takes over in center, Austin Wheeler is in right and Ruiz moves to first. John Herman takes over on the mound for Tanner. B. Christmas pinch hits for McKinney and strikes out looking for the first out. The SS Tomasovich steps up and flies out to the new right fielder, Wheeler, for the second out. Meier grounds out to short to end the inning.

Bottom of the 7th: UGA 6 CSU 0: Zach Cone leads off for the Dogs and flies out to deep center for the first out. HOME RUN. Davidson clears the center field fence with room to spare for his first hit of the day and the Dogs first run. Deloach flies the next pitch to right field for the second out. Ruiz grounds out to deep short for the third out. Dogs add one run on Davidson’s homerun.

Top of the 7th: UGA 6 CSU 0: Hawkins’ day is over after 6 strong innings. He gives up 0 runs on 3 hits while throwing only 60 pitches. Cecil Tanner takes over for him. The 1B Quattlebaum leads off for CSU and grounds out to Hyams for the first out. Sustar singles up the middle on the first pitch of his at-bat. The left fielder, Still, strikes out a check swing as Sustar steals second. Sustar advances to third as Tanner balks. Woodall is at the plate. Woodall strikes out and ends the inning. Tanner strikes out two.

Bottom of the 6th: UGA 6 CSU 0: the LF Peter Verdin leads off the inning with his third it in as many at bats with a single up the middle. Levi Hyams comes up and lines to a sliding RF for the first out and Verdin scampers back to first. Verdin steals second on the first pitch of 3B Curt Powell’s at-bat. Powell advances Verdin to third with a groundout to the SS for the second out. SS Kyle Farmer ends the inning with a fly out to center. The center fielder and right fielder collide but the CF is able to hang out and walk off by himself. The bulldogs are held scoreless for the third straight inning.

Top of the 6th UGA 6 CSU 0: The SS Tomasovich leads off and singles to left for the Bucs’ second hit. CF and leadoff man Meier comes up and grounds into a 5-4-3 double play for the first two outs. RF Burkett doubles down the left field line for the third hit of the game, and second of the inning, for CSU. DH Smith grounds into a fielder’s choice as Burkett runs into the third baseman for out number 3.

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Wilkins driving in with the ball in a game against the Magic.

It’s safe to say Damien Wilkins’ NCAA tournament bracket was busted since day one.

“I had [Georgia] winning it actually,” said the former Georgia player. “People thought I was crazy.  I had to, I couldn’t go with anyone else.”

Wilkins’ loyalty didn’t do him any favors.  Georgia lost it’s opening round match up against the Washington Huskies.

Despite their shortcomings in the postseason, Wilkins was impressed with this year’s Bulldog team.

Comparatively speaking, of course.

Wilkins, now with the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA, was a member of the 2002-2003 Georgia team, the last Bulldogs team to qualify for the NCAA tournament.

“I would always say our team was the best team that was there,” said Wilkins. “Their inside presence actually now is much better than what it was we was there.  We had all perimeter guys.”

As talented as they were, the university decided to forfeit any postseason appearances due to NCAA infractions involving former head coach Jim Harrick and his son and assistant coach Jim Harrick, Jr.

Now in his seventh NBA season, Wilkins sees a bright future for his alma mater.

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UGA Sports Communications

ATHENS —– University of Georgia junior Trey Thompkins will enter the 2011 NBA Draft and also plans to hire an agent, effectively ending his career as an amateur, head coach Mark Fox announced Tuesday.

Additionally, UGA teammate Travis Leslie, also a junior, will add his name to the list of underclassmen in the NBA Draft but will not hire an agent, thus preserving his collegiate eligibility.

Thompkins, a 6-10 forward from Lithonia, Ga., earned first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors the past two years.  He has led the Bulldogs in scoring and rebounding each of his those years and will finish his UGA career with 1,396 points and 693 rebounds.  Those figures rank 13th and 10th, respectively, on the school’s career charts.

“I have spoken with my family and coaches about my situation, and I feel that it’s best for me to forgo my senior season and enter the NBA Draft,” Thompkins said.  “I would just like to thank everyone who has supported me in this decision.”

“We certainly appreciate Trey’s contributions to the program and we wish him well in the pursuit of his dreams,” Fox said.

Leslie, a 6-4 guard from Decatur, was a second-team All-SEC pick by the league’s head coaches this past season.  He averaged 14.4 points and 7.2 rebounds in 2011, second on the team behind Thompkins in both categories, and he also handed out 97 assists.  Like Thompkins, he surpassed the 1,000-point mark in 2011 and finished the season with 1,099 points, which ranks 30th on the UGA career scoring chart.

“Travis has exercised his right to ‘test the waters’ as a junior,” Fox said.  “We will help him manage that process in a timely manner.”

The deadline for collegiate underclassmen to withdraw their names from the draft and preserve eligibility is May 8.  The NBA Draft will take place June 23 in Newark, N.J.