Link to Article on The Red & Black
By Olivia Sayer
The Athens Regional begins Friday when Georgia baseball takes on Army at 1 p.m. at Foley Field. UNC-Wilmington and Georgia Tech will follow with a matchup at 7 p.m. Heading into postseason play, the Skippers provided updates on their respective teams.
The latest on Georgia’s rotation
Head coach Wes Johnson said Charlie Goldstein will be on the postseason roster. Goldstein began the season as Georgia’s ace, but shoulder fatigue and tricep cramps hampered the veteran starter. Goldstein’s last outing occurred on May 4, when he no-hit Vanderbilt through 2.2 innings.
For game one, Leighton Finley will take the mound for the Bulldogs. After injury sidelined Goldstein, Finley stepped up as Georgia’s Friday night starter. The sophomore right-hander allowed four or less runs in 12 of his 14 appearances this season.
Finley and teammate Kolten Smith provide a solid 1-2 punch at the top of Georgia’s rotation. In their first season under Johnson, both former relievers performed strongly and developed confidence as starters.
“I feel really good with our two starters in Leighton and Kolten,” Johnson said on the SEC Network. “Both of these guys the past few years have been relievers or middle guys, and now we’ve been able to stretch them.”
Postseason play returns to Athens
With postseason play returning to Athens for the first time since 2019, Kudzu Hill has a new look. The athletic department trimmed the shrubbery in right field to provide those observing the game with a less obstructed view.
“I expect a good crowd tomorrow,” Johnson said. “It’s going to be rocking. We cleared out some trees, and I have a feeling the hill is going to be rocking tomorrow.”
Foley Field is familiar territory for Georgia Tech, who fell to the Bulldogs in Athens during the regular season. The Yellow Jackets welcome the opportunity to travel in-state and are comfortable with the ballpark.
“[We’re] comfortable with the stadium,” Georgia Tech head coach Danny Hall said. “There’s nothing that we have to learn about how the ball bounces or anything like that.”
Looking to bounce back
Multiple teams in the Athens Regional are looking to bounce back from an early exit in their conference Tournaments. None more-so than the Bulldogs, who used a cautious approach for the SEC Tournament.
“We knew we had some guys dinged up,” Johnson said. “So we weren’t going to push in all our chips to win a game. We were trying to win, don’t misunderstand me by any means, but I wasn’t bringing guys back on short rest.”
Throughout the layoff, Georgia played simulated games to stay fresh. However, Johnson said the Bulldogs’ pitching staff did not throw to live hitters.
Although UNC-Wilmington won its conference Tournament, the Seahawks are looking to rebound from their past NCAA Tournament struggles. UNC-Wilmington views the Athens Regional as a perfect place to do so.
“Our program has a long history of making it to this stage,” UNC-Wilmington head coach Randy Hood said. “We keep getting told we are one of the last ones in it a lot and haven’t won a regional. At some point, hopefully we can push through. It is a great opportunity here with very good quality programs.”
Putting the game into perspective
The Bulldogs will face Army to begin the Athens Regional. Although the Black Knights’ work on the diamond will be the focal point of this weekend, baseball is just a small part of many of their lives. Army head coach Chris Tracz said about seven-to-eight players just graduated from West Point.
Playing in the Athens Regional gives Army a chance to get away from the grind it takes to graduate from the Academy. It also puts the game into perspective for those following along.
“We get to just come and be baseball players,” Tracz said. “I think their daily work and what they go through prepares them for pressure situations. Because as much as this is going to be a huge environment for them, they’re going to face some more stressful, bigger events in their lives as leaders of the Army.”