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By Olivia Sayer
Georgia baseball went to Founders Park and accomplished something it had not done in over 15 years.
The Bulldogs completed a three game sweep of No. 14 South Carolina, sweeping back-to-back SEC opponents for the first time since 2008. It was also Georgia’s first series win over a conference opponent on the road since 2022.
Logan Jordan finished the game with a pinch-hit grand slam in the eighth inning of the series finale. After South Carolina intentionally walked Charlie Condon with two outs and a tie game, head coach Wes Johnson pinch-hit Jordan for Dylan Goldstein, who was 0-for-4 with four strikeouts.
Jordan faced the Gamecocks with Campbell in the Columbia Regional last season, where he finished with two home runs. Both were against Matthew Becker, a lefty that was once again on the mound when Jordan approached the plate Saturday afternoon.
Knowing the history, South Carolina made a pitching change. It did not matter, however, as on the second pitch of the at-bat Jordan obliterated a ball to the bullpen in left field. The grand slam capped a six-run eighth inning and gave Georgia its first lead of the game.
Despite it being Jordan’s first plate appearance since April 30, the clutch swing did not surprise Johnson.
“I’ve seen him in the gym every morning we’ve been here, doing extra work,” Johnson said. “He’s just waiting his turn. I tell him ‘guys when you get your turn, it’s going to be big, and I need you to produce.’”
Throughout the series, Georgia demonstrated its ability to overcome adversity. After knocking South Carolina’s game one starter out early, the Gamecocks returned the favor to Jarvis Evans. As a result, the Bulldogs’ bullpen covered 8.2 innings. The offense backed it up with a 14-run performance.
Game two was the most complete game Georgia played all series. Reigning SEC Pitcher of the Week Leighton Finley threw five innings of two-run ball, despite not having his best appearance. On the offensive side, the Bulldogs scored 11 runs on 15 hits.
Georgia looked destined to lose the series finale, as four errors had it trailing the Gamecocks with six outs left. However, the offense responded en route to a 14-6 victory.
“I just kept telling guys, ‘guys, don’t hit the panic button,”’ Johnson said. “It’s a long game. There’s a reason we play nine innings. We’ve got to keep playing the game. And if we’ll play the game, we’ve got a good enough offense that we’ll put enough pressure on people. Eventually, we’ll get pitches, and we just can’t miss them. And that’s what happened.”
Georgia continued its home run barrage in the series, as the Bulldogs blasted 11 long balls in three games. Freshman Tre Phelps led the attack with four home runs, while Slate Alford and Corey Collins each recorded two. Jordan, Condon, and Fernando Gonzalez each hit one as well.
Phelps’ performance earned him SEC Player of the Week honors. Against the Gamecocks, he finished with a .429 batting average and 1.357 slugging percentage.
The series win rocketed Georgia up the rankings in Monday’s polls. In Baseball America’s top-25, the Bulldogs came in at No. 6, while D1 Baseball had Georgia at No. 9.
The Bulldogs will now face Florida in a three-game series at Foley Field Thursday to conclude their regular season. With a third-ranked RPI, Georgia has a chance to bolster its resume to host both a Regional and a Super Regional.