ATHENS—– Due to inclement weather and field conditions, today’s University of Georgia baseball game against Georgia Tech in Atlanta has been rescheduled for Wednesday, April 25 at 7 p.m. at Russ Chandler Stadium.
ATHENS—-The No. 20 Georgia Bulldogs aim to clinch the season series with Georgia Tech in Atlanta Tuesday as the teams square off at Russ Chandler Stadium. First pitch will be at 7 p.m. and the game will be streamed on ACC Network Extra and be available on the Bulldogs Sports Network from IMG.
With a top 10 RPI and a 27-13 record, Georgia is having its best season since 2009 when that club was 32-8 after 40 games and advanced to an NCAA Regional in Tallahassee. The Bulldogs are tied for second (with Vanderbilt) in the SEC Eastern Division behind top-ranked Florida (34-8, 14-4 SEC). Ole Miss and Arkansas sit atop the Western Division with a 10-8 league mark.
Georgia just became the first SEC team this year to play an 11-game stretch against ranked opponents, and the Bulldogs went 5-6. Up next, the Bulldogs face Tech (22-19) Tuesday before returning home for an SEC series starting Friday against Tennessee (24-18, 7-11 SEC). This past weekend, Tech was swept by No. 8 UNC in Chapel Hill while the Volunteers claimed an SEC home series 2-1 over No. 14 Texas A&M. Georgia is 19-4 at home and 8-10 away from Foley Field this year.
The Bulldogs have won four straight over Tech after sweeping the series last year and then posting a 4-0 victory on April 3 this season in Athens. Georgia last won five in a row over Tech during a stretch from 1985-87. Tuesday’s pitching matchup will feature Bulldog freshman left-hander C.J. Smith (0-0, 0.00 ERA) versus Tech freshman left-hander Brant Hurter (4-2, 5.75 ERA). Hurter started against the Bulldogs earlier this season, going 6.1 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts in Georgia’s 4-0 win. Four Bulldogs combined on a four-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts with Kevin Smith picking up the win in relief. He struck out a career-high nine in 4.1 innings. C.J. Smith will be making his second career start as a pitcher Tuesday. Also, he has started seven games in centerfield, one as a DH and owns a .278 batting average with one home run and 3 RBI in 36 at bats.
The Bulldogs are averaging 6.4 runs a game while batting .278 with a 3.56 ERA and a .979 FLDG%. Georgia went 2-2 against ranked opponents last week. The Bulldogs defeated #15 Clemson 6-1 in Athens to complete a series sweep over the Tigers for the first time since 2015. Then, the Bulldogs went 1-2 in Oxford against seventh-ranked Ole Miss.
Georgia’s top hitters have been senior outfielder Keegan McGovern (.324-12-36), who has been named to the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List, junior designated hitter Michael Curry (.322-7-38) and junior first baseman Adam Sasser (.313-4-28). McGovern has reached base safely in 28 consecutive games. Sasser has been the team’s leading hitter in SEC action at .333-1-13. Georgia’s lineup also features sophomore third baseman/closer Aaron Schunk (.299-1-27; 1-0, 2.00 ERA, 6 SV). He has started all 40 games at third base and in 11 appearances spanning 18 innings, he has 21 strikeouts and only three walks. He is 6-for-7 in save chances. Schunk has posted one of the longest hitting streaks in the SEC this season at 16 games. Currently, he has an eight-game hitting streak. In SEC games, Schunk is batting .280-1-9 and is 0-0 with a 2.61 ERA and five saves.
Pitching Matchup on April 24: Georgia at Ga. Tech
Tues. at 7 pm ET: C.J. Smith (0-0, 0.00 ERA), LHP, Fr. vs. Brant Hurter (4-2, 5.75), LHP, Fr.
Television/Radio
TV: Tuesday—ACC Network Extra (Link: http://gado.gs/8yh)
Radio: Georgia Bulldog Sports Network from IMG College (David Johnston & Jeff Dantzler)
Stations: 960 AM-WRFC and selected affiliates (check your local listings), also via the Georgia Bulldogs app and TuneIn app.
Additional Coverage on Twitter: @BaseballUGA