TUCSON, Ariz.-----Georgia scored eight runs in the first four innings, Joey Lewis went 5-for-6, and Alex McRee pitched five scoreless innings as the Bulldogs cruised to a 12-5 win over Arizona Saturday at Jerry Kindall Field.

With the win, the Bulldogs improved to 7-0, matching their best start in the David Perno era. The 2006 team that advanced to the College World Series also won its first seven games.

Georgia pounded out a season-high 21 hits and scored double digit runs for the sixth time in seven games. The Bulldogs scored in six different innings, and have scored in 38 of 58 innings this season.

Lewis’ five hits tied a career high as he had two singles, two doubles and a home run. He also scored a career-high four runs. Matt Cerione also tied a career high with four hits including a two singles, a double and a triple in his first game of the season. The junior from Alpharetta, Ga., also tied his career high with four RBI.

“It was a good coming out party for Matt Cerione,” said head coach David Perno. “He has patiently waited and he responded today. It was a great effort by everybody. Joey was tremendous tonight, and Alex got the tough outs when he needed to. We kept turning the double play. Everyone was excellent. We just keep getting balance in the lineup.”

Michael Demperio added three hits for Georgia and Colby May and Chase Davidson added two apiece.

Just as they did in game one, the Bulldogs grabbed the early lead as Johnathan Taylor led off the game with a single to left field, stole second and scored on a single by Rich Poythress to make it 1-0.

The Bulldogs sent nine batters to the plate in the second and added three more runs to take a 4-0 lead. Lewis hit his team-leading fifth double of the season, then scored from third when Demperio placed a squeeze bunt perfectly down the third base line. Levi Hyams followed with a hit, and Cerione’s two-out single scored two more runs.

Georgia again sent nine batters to the plate in the fourth inning and scored four times. Taylor drew a leadoff walk, the 20th time he reached base safely in 26 attempts to start the season, then scored on a double by Cerione. May followed with a single up the middle to score Cerione and push the Georgia lead to 6-0. Lewis recorded his third hit of the night with an RBI single, then scored on a double by Davidson. All nine Bulldog starters had at least one hit by the fourth inning.

The Bulldogs added another run in the sixth as Lewis singled for his fourth hit of the night, and eventually scored on David Thoms’ groundout. Cerione

May hit a solo home run in the seventh, his third of the season, to make it 10-0, and Lewis recorded his fifth hit of the night, a solo home run in the eighth to give Georgia an 11-0 lead. Later in the inning, Cerione added his fourth hit of the game with a single that scored Lyle Allen.

Arizona scored three runs in the eighth and two in the ninth for the final margin.

McRee (2-0) gave up three hits and struck out six batters to earn the win while Jeff Walters and Chase Hawkins pitched the final four innings for the Bulldogs.

Matt Veltmann (0-2) went 3.0 innings and gave up seven runs on 10 hits to take the loss for Arizona (4-3).

The victory clinched a series win over the Wildcats, who won the season-opening series last year in Athens.

“We have struggled against the Pac-10 teams,” Perno said. “I told this group all the great teams did things during the season that throughout history we hadn’t done. This is a feather in their cap to get this done tonight.”

Sophomore righthander Justin Grimm will start the final game of the series for the Bulldogs Sunday at 2 p.m. Eastern.