Georgia Bulldogs Split Doubleheader with Wright State

Dawgs win opener 9-0 before falling 6-3 in nightcap

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The sixth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs split a doubleheader with Wright State on Saturday at Foley Field in Athens. The Bulldogs cruised to a 9-0 victory in the opener, powered by a strong pitching performance from sophomore Kenny Ishikawa and four home runs from the offense. However, Georgia struggled to convert on hard-hit balls in the nightcap, falling 6-3 despite a late rally.

Why it matters

The split series provided Georgia head coach Wes Johnson an early-season measuring stick for his team, highlighting both their strengths and areas for improvement as they look to build on last season's success.

The details

In the first game, Ishikawa tossed 4.1 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts to earn the win. Georgia's bullpen then shut the door, while the offense erupted for four home runs. In the nightcap, the Bulldogs struggled to capitalize on hard-hit balls, cycling through six relievers in the 6-3 loss despite a late rally capped by Henry Allen's first career homer.

  • The doubleheader took place on Saturday, February 15, 2026 in Athens, Georgia.
  • Georgia won the opener 9-0 before falling 6-3 in the nightcap.

The players

Kenny Ishikawa

A sophomore making his first start on the mound for Georgia, Ishikawa tossed 4.1 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts to earn the win in the opener.

Wes Johnson

The head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, Johnson used the doubleheader split as an early-season measuring stick for his team.

Daniel Jackson

The Bulldogs' first baseman launched the team's first home run of the day in the second inning of the opener.

Rylan Lujo

The Georgia player who became the first Bulldog since 2002 to homer in his first at-bat.

Tre Phelps

The Bulldogs' outfielder continued his hot start to the season, blasting his second homer of the series in the opener while also extending his hitting streak to 17 games.

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What they’re saying

“There's definitely a lot of adjustments with Coach Johnson. My pitching has changed a lot since I got here. That's showing up. I'm throwing more change-ups. I think hitters are getting more swing and misses.”

— Kenny Ishikawa (albanyherald.com)

“We had quite a few balls over 100. We didn't get anything to show for it. That's our game, right? Sometimes you don't hit balls hard and you score runs. Sometimes you hit balls really hard and you don't score runs. It's kind of what happened. We learned a lot right there in that fourth, fifth inning.”

— Wes Johnson, Head Coach (albanyherald.com)

“With some guys, you've got to put them in there. You've got to put them in the fire and see where they're at. You see how they respond and go from there.”

— Wes Johnson, Head Coach (albanyherald.com)

What’s next

Georgia returns to Foley Field on Wednesday to face USC Upstate. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. and will air on SECN+ and the Georgia Bulldog Sports Network.

The takeaway

The doubleheader split provided Georgia head coach Wes Johnson an early-season glimpse into his team's strengths and weaknesses, as the Bulldogs look to build on last year's success and compete for a conference title in 2026.