TALLAHASSEE, Fla. --- Georgia's second NCAA Regional game against Ohio State started much like the first.

The ending, however, was remarkably different.

A combination of Georgia's inept defense and ineffective pitching allowed the Buckeyes to come back from an early deficit and hand the Bulldogs a season-ending 13-6 loss.

Two days earlier, Georgia started quickly and beat the Buckeyes 24-8 in the regional opener.

"We just didn't pitch well and didn't play very good defense," Georgia coach David Perno said. "When you get to this level in these games, those are two things that are a must to give your team a chance. We didn't do either of them."

Led by a pair of home runs from freshman outfielder Zach Cone -- a solo shot to lead off the game and a three-run blast an inning later -- Georgia jumped out to a 5-0 lead midway through the second inning.

But Georgia starter Jeff Walters immediately allowed the Buckeyes back in the game. The junior didn't make it out of the second inning before Ohio State cut Georgia's lead to 5-3. Walters retired only one batter in the second before giving way to a series of four relievers whose luck was even worse.

The same Ohio State pitching staff that had allowed seven home runs and 23 hits to the Bulldogs on Friday pulled together to shut Georgia down after its initial outburst. From the third inning on, Georgia totaled only six hits.

Joey Lewis' solo homer in the top of the sixth cut Ohio State's lead to 7-6, but the Bulldogs would draw no closer.

Their best chance came in the seventh, when Cone and Lyle Allen reached against Drew Rucinski (12-2) before Ohio State coach Bob Todd called on closer Jake Hale to face fellow All-American Rich Poythress with one out.

Hale struck out Poythress, a former Greenbrier standout, and retired Bryce Massanari with a groundout to third. The Buckeyes put the game away with six runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Poythress finished the game 0-for-2 with two walks.

Reach David Ching at david.ching@morris.com.