Georgia coach: 'No doubt' Hogs are a top-8 national seed

HOOVER, Ala. — Granted it’s always easier to talk about how great an opponent was when you just beat them, Georgia head coach Scott Stricklin had some high praise for Arkansas.

In the teams’ first meeting of 2019, the Bulldogs scored two runs in the eighth inning to beat the Razorbacks on Thursday and advance to the SEC Tournament semifinals.

The loss - its fourth in its last six games - sends Arkansas into the loser’s bracket and one game away from heading back home, but that could be an extended stay in Fayetteville. Stricklin is confident the Razorbacks will get to play at Baum-Walker Stadium all the way to the College World Series.

“I think they’re one of the top few teams in the country… Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, UCLA, I’m going to put us in that conversation, Arkansas,” Stricklin said. “There’s no doubt they’re a top-eight (national seed).”

Although his starting pitcher, Cole Wilcox, and relievers shut them down to the tune of one run on five hits, Stricklin also spoke glowingly about the Razorbacks’ hitters.

“That’s as good an offense as there is in the country,” Strickin said. “Watching them on video last night and this morning, it can make you nauseous watching that lineup. They’re really good. There’s no easy outs, 1 through 9.”

Even if the Razorbacks get eliminated by Ole Miss at 3 p.m. Friday and don’t face the Bulldogs again in Hoover, Stricklin settled fans’ nerves that it might jeopardize their hosting chances and indicated he wouldn’t be surprised if they met again in a few weeks.

“There’s no question they’re a national seed,” Stricklin said. “I hope that we end up seeing them in Omaha.”

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