ATLANTA --- This was just what the Atlanta Braves envisioned a year ago.

Well, almost.

Joshua Fields was dominant on the mound at Turner Field on Tuesday night, throwing fastballs clocked at 97 mph and striking out two batters in the ninth inning for another save.

Such outings prompted the Braves to select Fields in the second round of the draft last June. There's only one problem: Fields didn't sign, so he's still collecting saves for the University of Georgia. This one came in the Bulldogs' win against Georgia Tech in the teams' annual game at Turner Field.

Fields, who was represented by agent Scott Boras, chose to return for his senior season at Georgia.

The decision made him 2007's highest drafted player who did not sign, and it left Braves management disappointed.

Fields still is working on his consumer economics degree, instead of working his way up the Braves' farm system.

"It was all my decision to come back here," Fields said. "I just really didn't want to finish out with the type year I had last year. I wanted one more go at it, and I just felt like I should be here."

Fields led the Southeastern Conference with 15 saves in 2006 while posting a 1.80 ERA and helping lead Georgia to the College World Series as a sophomore. He couldn't repeat that success last year, when he was 1-6 with a 4.46 ERA and six blown saves in 13 chances.

"Last year, after the draft, I didn't think I was really ready to go into professional baseball," Fields said. "I feel like this year has prepared me. Going through last year and to bounce back has helped me tremendously on the mental game."

Fields' perfect ninth inning in the 3-2 win over Georgia Tech gave him a Georgia-record and Division I-leading 16 saves. He also extended his SEC career record to 39 saves.

The right-hander has allowed only two earned runs in 27q innings for a 0.66 ERA. He hasn't blown a save and is averaging almost two strikeouts per inning.

"If there's a better closer in the country, I'd like to see him," Georgia Tech coach Danny Hall said. "He's going to be a first-round draft pick. He's got electric stuff."