Coming Soon to The Red & Black!
Olivia Sayer
A rainbow appears after rain showers at Foley Field on April 11. Georgia baseball beat Missouri 15-10 in game one of the series.
In his first season as Georgia baseball’s skipper, head coach Wes Johnson brought in a plethora of transfers. The new additions, paired with the Bulldogs’ returning talent, provided Georgia with a roster that had no shortage of depth.
This paid dividends in Georgia’s series win over Missouri from April 11-13 at Foley Field. The Bulldogs’ offense led them to a 15-10 victory on Thursday, while missed opportunities made the difference in Friday’s 10-inning 6-5 defeat. On Saturday, a strong relief outing paired with timely hitting gave Georgia a 10-7 win to take the series.
This season, Georgia’s offense is powered by SEC Player of the Week Charlie Condon, who currently leads the nation in home runs, slugging and total bases. Although his numbers stand out on the stat sheet, Missouri quickly learned Condon was not the only Bulldog capable of doing damage at the plate.
In game one, the Bulldogs and Tigers were knotted at one run each. With runners on second and third, Missouri opted to intentionally walk Condon to load the bases. The move gave Dylan Goldstein an opportunity, and he delivered with a double to give Georgia a two-run lead.
“It’s a collective effort everytime we come out here,” Condon said on SEC Network following the game. “SEC games aren’t going to be won by any individual person. It takes a collective hitting lineup, a collective pitching staff and just everybody coming out there with their best stuff and believing that they belong here.”
One player that came out with his “best stuff” was Jarvis Evans. With Georgia’s ace Charlie Goldstein still dealing with shoulder fatigue, Evans was called upon to make the series opening start for the Bulldogs. His 5.1 innings of three-run ball marked his longest career outing as a starter.
Despite its game two loss, Georgia’s depth was once again on full display. Four different Bulldogs recorded a RBI, while Leighton Finley allowed one run over five innings. Brian Zeldin followed Finley and threw 90 pitches to preserve Georgia’s bullpen for the rubber match.
In game three, another pair of Bulldogs led the offensive attack. Slate Alford recorded three RBI, while Paul Toetz finished 2-for-3. On the mound, Kolten Smith shut out Missouri in six innings of relief. Overall in the series, Georgia used eight different pitchers.
The Bulldogs’ series with Missouri showcased they have a multitude of players capable of leading them to a victory. Having this depth also allows Georgia to play with a relaxed approach.
“Anytime you can add depth to what you’re doing it does take some pressure off,” Johnson said.
This depth has been on display all season, especially on the offensive side. The Bulldogs currently sport a lineup that features three players with double digit home runs, five with at least 30 RBI and four with over 70 total bases. The amount of talent on Georgia’s offense allows the Bulldogs to practice patience at the plate.
“We have a lot of depth,” Corey Collins said. “So I think that’s one of the biggest things, is we trust each other, every guy that can go in there and who they put in there at the time.”
Georgia’s depth has taken a hit recently, as Tre Phelps and Dillon Carter are both nursing injuries. Kolby Branch was also removed from the series finale after taking a pitch to the helmet.
With no midweek matchup, the Bulldogs will use the time off to get healthy before welcoming Ole Miss to Foley Field for a three game series on Friday.
“The no midweek couldn’t come at a better time for us,” Johnson said. “We’ve got a handful of guys banged up, and [the time off] is going to be really good.”