SEC recaps: Georgia walks off Clemson; Greenhill back in Auburn bullpen

Cody Greenhill photo courtesy of Auburn Athletics.

Georgia posted its SEC-leading seventh walk-off win of the season with an 8-7 win over Clemson. The Bulldogs swept the two-game season series with its ACC rival. Auburn right-hander Cody Greenhill returned the bullpen and notched his 20^th career save in a 6-4 win over Samford. Alabama avoided disaster with a late-inning win over North Alabama. Here is a look at Tuesday night’s SEC action.

 GEORGIA WALKS-OFF CLEMSON; SWEEPS SERIES:

The last time Georgia hosted Clemson at Foley Field, the Bulldogs won in 20 innings.

Parks Harber made sure that didn’t happen again on Tuesday.

The Georgia first baseman, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning, smacked a double to centerfield and second baseman Buddy Floyd raced all the way from first base to score the winning run in the Bulldogs 8-7 walk-off win over rival Clemson.

It was the Bulldogs SEC-leading seventh walk-off win of the season and the second by Harber. He hit a walk-off home run in the 3-2 win over Kennesaw State on March 23.

The win gives Georgia a sweep of the two-game season series. The Bulldogs shut out Clemson 2-0 on March 30.

Harber’s heroics capped a wild finish that saw the team’s trade leads three times in the final three innings.

Clemson scored four runs on three straight RBI singles to take a 6-4 lead in the seventh inning.

Georgia tied the game in the bottom of the frame on shortstop Cole Tate’s two-run home run.

Harber led off the eighth inning with a pinch-hit single and scored the go-ahead run on Josh McAllister’s RBI single to center to put the Dogs back in front 7-6.

Clemson tied the game in the ninth on catcher Jonathan French’s sac fly.

McAllister, Tate, catcher Corey Collins and left fielder Riley King all homered for Georgia.

First baseman Davis Sharpe homered for the Tigers.

GREENHILL RETURNS TO BULLPEN:

Auburn senior right hander Cody Greenhill returned to the bullpen on Tuesday and the result was a 6-4 win over in-state rival Samford.

Greenhill worked a scoreless ninth inning with one strikeout for his first save of the season and 20^th save of his AU career. He is now tied with former Auburn relievers Gregg Olson and Colter Bean for fourth place on the school’s all-time saves list. He recorded two saves on four appearances in the 2020 pandemic-shortened season.

Greenhill got a foul out, ground out and strikeout in his 15-pitch inning.

Carson Swilling and Carson Skipper combined for three scoreless innings and four strikeouts ahead of Greenhill’s appearance.

Auburn trailed 3-2 in the third inning but scored four runs, including back-to-back home runs, by third baseman Rankin Woley and catcher Steven Williams, to take a 6-3 lead.

First baseman Tyler Miller blasted a two-run homer in the first inning to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead.

Samford grabbed a 3-2 lead in the second inning on back-to-back home runs by Ryan Crockett and Kaden Drier.

ALABAMA SURVIVES:

Alabama avoided disaster by scoring five runs in its final two at-bats to defeat North Alabama 8-6. The Lions (4-30) entered the game with the most losses and highest scoring differential among Division I teams.

The Crimson Tide scored two runs in the seventh inning on a two-run double by Sam Praytor to tie the game at 5-5.

UNA regained the lead in the eighth on a RBI single by catcher Luke Harper to put the Lions up 6-5. Harper had two hits and three RBIs in the win. He did not have an RBI in his first 30 games of the season. He had a two-run single in the fifth inning to give UNA a 5-3 lead.

Alabama took advantage of two walks and hit batter to load the bases with no outs in the eighth inning. Pinch-hitter Andrew Pinckney lifted sac fly to right field to score center fielder Jackson Tate with the tying run.

UA second baseman Peyton Wilson lined out to second baseman Drew Hudson, who made a spectacular play, for the second out. UA left fielder William Hamiter came to the plate and bounced a two-out single over the head of Hudson to score first baseman Drew Williamson and shortstop Jim Jarvis with the go-ahead runs.

Chase Lee retired all five batters he faced for his sixth win of the season. He struck out the side in the ninth on 10 pitches.

AROUND THE SEC:

Arkansas and Grambling were canceled due to cold weather in northwest Arkansas. The game will not be rescheduled.

Florida posted its season-high sixth straight win with an 8-7 win at Jacksonville. Five Gators recorded hits in the win over the Dolphins. Right fielder Sterlin Thompson, third baseman Colby Halter and second baseman Cory Action all had two hits and two RBIs. Trey Van Der Weide tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings for the win. Jordan Carrion needed only one pitch to log his first save. After losing to JU 10-9 on March 12, Florida won the final three games with the Dolphins.

Kentucky suffered a 12-5 home loss to in-state rival Louisville. The Cardinals scored five runs in the first inning and raced out to an 11-0 lead. Centerfielder Austin Schultz (2-5, R, HR, 2 RBIs) homered in the loss for UK. Kentucky and Louisville split the two-game season series.

LSU blanked UL Monroe 5-0 as nine pitchers combined for the shutout. Will Helmers tossed three scoreless innings for his sixth win of the season. LSU centerfielder Giovanni DiGiacomo had three hits and scored two runs.

Mississippi State matched its season high for runs scored in a 19-7 blowout win over UAB. Designated hitter Logan Tanner led the offense with three and five RBIs. Second baseman Scotty Dubrule added three hits and two RBIs. He also scored three runs. Third baseman Kamren James had three RBIs. The Bulldogs used 10 pitchers in the win.

Missouri and Missouri State was canceled due to Covid-19 issues with the MSU program. The game will not be rescheduled.

Ole Miss scored four runs in the seventh inning to defeat Little Rock 11-6. The Rebels led 7-5 entering the bottom of the seventh before breaking open a tight game. Catcher Knox Loposer had an RBI single and first baseman Cael Baker drove in two runs with a single in the frame. First baseman Kevin Graham led the Rebels with three hits and two RBIs.

Tennessee posted its fifth walk-off win of the season with a 3-2 win over Tennessee Tech. Second baseman Max Ferguson delivered the walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth to score Jordan Beck with the winning run. Beck added a solo home run in the sixth inning.

Texas A&M defeated Texas Southern 9-4 in College Station. First baseman Hunter Coleman, left fielder Brett Minnich and second baseman Bryce Blaum all had two hits for the Aggies. Blaum, catcher Taylor Smith and shortstop Kalae Harrison all had two RBIs. Harrison homered in the fourth inning.

Vanderbilt blanked Austin Peay, 7-0. Thomas Schultz threw six innings and struck out four, as he and three other Commodores combined on a three- hit shutout.  Second baseman Parker Noland doubled in two in the first as part of a three-RBI day. Tate Kolwyck, Vanderbilt's second baseman to start the year, made his first appearance in a month when he replaced Noland in the bottom of the ninth. Kolwyck has been out with a hamate injury.