Daily Dawg Thread: May 01, 2026

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Daily Dawg Thread: May 01, 2026

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SB: Georgia Falls to Florida in Series Opener

The No. 14 Georgia Bulldogs fell in game one of the series against the No. 8 Florida Gators on Thursday evening at the Jack Turner Stadium, 5-3, to move to 34-17 (10-12).

 

 

 

 

SOFTBALL | vs. No. 8 Florida | L, 3-5
Winning Pitcher: Keagan Rothrock (26-5) 
Losing Pitcher: Randi Roelling (14-9)

Fast Facts:

  • Junior LHP Randi Roelling made the start in the circle going the full seven innings, striking out six and allowing five earned runs.
  • The Bulldogs got on the board at the bottom of the third frame with a solo shot from Jaydyn Goodwin. The Gators responded in the top of the fourth inning with a solo homer and a two-run shot to go ahead, 3-1.
  • Senior Keirstin Roose smashed a two-run shot to centerfield in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game at three a piece.
  • Goodwin and Roose each tallied two hits in the game, as the former drove in one run and the latter tallied two RBIs.
  • In the top of the seventh, an RBI double and RBI single for the Gators helped the visitors hold on for the win.
  • Georgia falls to 32-50 all-time against Florida.

 

 

 

 

Key Quote
Head Coach Tony Baldwin
On what he’s learned about this team as of recent…
“We found that we’re resilient, that we can bounce back, that we can compete, that we can go through the course of the season and still love each other and treat each other well and not carry a burden from game to game. To make a run here the way that we want to, we’ve got to just be able to capitalize on a few more opportunities. The game was there for us to have an opportunity to win, and we just didn’t get it done. I thought Randi [Roelling] pitched great. I thought we had a lot of great at-bats. I thought our defense was fine. At the end of the day, we just didn’t win enough moments to change the final outcome.”

Up Next: 
No. 14 Georgia and No. 8 Florida return for game two of their series tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. ET on the SEC Network+. Saturday’s game three against the Gators is Senior Day, and the Bulldogs will recognize seven seniors and graduates for their remarkable impact on the program.

BSB: Missouri Series Begins Tonight

Southeastern Conference-leading Georgia, nationally ranked as high as No. 5 this week, returns to Foley Field Friday against Missouri. First pitch is scheduled for 6:02 p.m. and be available on SECN+ and the Georgia Bulldog Sports Network.

Game two of the series will be Saturday at 2 p.m. (SECN+) while the series concludes Sunday with first pitch set for Noon (SEC Network). Georgia leads the Missouri series 20-16. The Bulldogs are enjoying a seven-game stretch at Foley Field after playing seven straight on the road. This past Tuesday, the Bulldogs dispatched Troy 11-1 in seven innings. Georgia is 25-7 at home. On Saturday, the Bulldogs will have their annual Lettermen Day including honoring the 2001 SEC Champion Bulldogs that advanced to the College World Series.

After being on the road for three of its last four SEC weekends against top 25 foes, the Bulldogs remain in first place by 0.5 games ahead of Texas A&M. Georgia is 9-3 in SEC road action and 6-3 in league play at Foley Field. The Bulldogs dropped their SEC opener to then No. 21 Tennessee here but since then have gone 15-5 in league action. Georgia last won the SEC in 2008 going 20-9-1 in league play. Georgia’s best SEC mark came in 2019 when it finished 2nd at 21-9 as Vandy won it at 23-7.

Bulldogs Lead Nation In Home Runs And SEC In Batting Average

            *Georgia leads the NCAA with 124 Home Runs and is 2nd with a .617 Slugging Percentage while it is 4th in Scoring at 9.5 runs/game. The Bulldogs have an SEC-best .323 Batting Average that ranks 7th nationally. Also, Georgia has a .983 Fielding Percentage, which is 9th nationally.  

            *Junior C Daniel Jackson, who is a National Player of the Year candidate, has a team-high 23 home runs (including three grand slams) followed by senior Brennan Hudson (16) and junior 3B Tre Phelps (15). Senior Michael O’Shaughnessy (14), senior Kolby Branch (13) and sophomore Henry Allen (13) are in double digits.    

            *Georgia is averaging an NCAA-leading 2.70 Home Runs per Game (HR/G) in 2026. The 2025 squad averaged 2.40 HR/G while the 2024 team averaged 2.52 HR/G. 

Daniel Jackson Joins Elite 20-20 Club

            *Currently, there are only two players in NCAA Division 1 that have hit at least 20 home runs and have 20 stolen bases this season: Georgia’s National Player of the Year candidate junior catcher Daniel Jackson (23-21) and Farleigh Dickinson sophomore outfielder Hunter Ray (22-22). 

            *Jackson is the first catcher in SEC history to post a 20-20 season and just the fifth overall in the history of the league. Before Jackson, the last SEC player to register a 20-20 season was Arkansas outfielder Andrew Benintendi (20-24) in 2015 when he swept all the national honors including the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy.

*Jackson ranks in the top three nationally in Home Runs (23), Total Bases (150), RBI (67) and Runs Scored (63). He is on the Midseason Watch Lists for the Golden Spikes Award and the Buster Posey Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award. At #14 Arkansas, he tied a school record by hitting three home runs in a game. He hit .429 with seven RBI in the road series win over the Razorbacks to earn SEC Co-Player of the Week honors. He followed that up by hitting .400-1-3 plus 3 SB in a road series win over #17 Ole Miss plus hit two home runs and drove in five runs this past Tuesday in the victory over Troy. In SEC action, Jackson is batting .371-7-23.

Phelps and Lujo Help Pace Offense Too

            *Junior 3B Tre Phelps (.366-15-42) leads the nation in Hit-By-Pitches (27) and is fifth in Runs Scored (61). Phelps is on the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List. Earlier this year, Jackson had a team-best 21-game hitting streak while Phelps carried one over from last year that stretched to 27, one game shy of the school record. 

            *Sophomore CF Rylan Lujo (.353-7-29) ranks second in the league with a .403 batting average in SEC games, and he’s got a .681 slugging percentage in SEC action too. 

About Missouri  

            *The Tigers, coached by Kerrick Jackson, are batting .264 with 40 home runs and 53 stolen bases in 70 attempts. Mizzou is fielding .975. The Tigers have a 5.05 ERA with 419 strikeouts and 214 walks. Opponents are batting .237. Last week, they went 1-2 at home versus #24 Arkansas. 

Georgia-Missouri Pitching Rotation 

Game 1: Joey Volchko (6-2, 4.02 ERA), RHP, Jr., vs. Josh McDevitt (3-4, 4.10 ERA), RHP, Jr. 

Game 2: Dylan Vigue (3-1, 2.51 ERA), RHP, Jr., vs. Brady Kehlenbrink (3-7, 6.52 ERA), LHP, So.

Game 3: TBA vs. TBA 

Thursday Media Session: Missouri Series Preview  
Ike Cousins Head Baseball Coach Wes Johnson
On Dylan Vigue returning to the rotation this weekend…
“We will see. Yesterday, he threw a bullpen. It was really good. He was up to 93 or 94 mph, I’d have to go back and look. He threw 25 pitches. He threw all of his pitches. He threw probably harder than he normally throws in a bullpen. He was really good, healthy and excited. We are going to run him out there on Saturday.”

On finishing a travel-heavy April and retuning to Foley Field to host Missouri…
“It is big, but you better not quit pushing. The rock will roll back down over you really fast. We still have Missouri. I have told everybody that their Friday night guy (Josh McDevitt) pitches for anybody in our league on their weekend rotation. He is that good. Their bullpen is extremely strong. They are way more athletic than I have seen then since I have been back in the league. Offensively, they have had some really, really tough losses – some dropped fly balls, some mistakes that kind of bit them. They could have eight or nine wins in this league really easily, not stretching anything. We better be ready. They are going to be really good. Let’s not forget we have LSU left. In about half the polls they were preseason No. 1. That means they have talent, so you better not write them off. You have Auburn, who was picked second, third or fourth in the league, depending on which poll you look at. We got April over with, but we still have May. It is just as tough.”

#9 Kolby Branch | Sr. | SS
On the message he gives to the team as the season progresses…
“You take it one game at a time. They all count the same, whether you are playing Missouri, Alabama, Florida, Texas, Texas A&M, whoever it is. They all have an immense amount of talent. Go at it and treat every game like it is your last. Make sure you win one game at a time. Don’t look at the sweeps. Don’t look at the series wins. Don’t look at anything like that and take it one game at a time. If you do that, at the end of the year, if you play well enough, it takes care of itself.” 

#1 Tre Phelps | Jr. | 3B
On him and Kolby Branch taking on a leadership role this season…
“Me and Kolby talked probably 85-90% of the days this summer. I wanted to know if he was coming back, and he wanted to know if I was coming back. It was good for Georgia and both of our mindsets to come back and play beside each other for another year. Now, being able to take that leadership role because we have been here for three years, we know what it is going to take to play for Coach (Will) Coggin, Coach Wes (Johnson) and Coach (Nick Ammirati). We can show the transfers what it is like. It will be a lot easier playing for each other and with each other.” 

Radio/TV (SECN+)
Friday @ 6 p.m. ET
Radio: 960TheRef (Jeff Dantzler & David Johnston): https://georgiadogs.com/watch/?Live=5000&type=Live

SECN+ TV (Matt Stewart & Jason Jacobs): https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/a870f44e-0196-4072-a0e4-0f42d935c058

Live Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=650777

Saturday @ 2 p.m. ET

Radio: 960TheRef (Jeff Dantzler & David Johnston): https://georgiadogs.com/watch/?Live=5001&type=Live

SECN+ TV (Matt Stewart & Jason Jacobs): https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/40d0c140-3d64-48c3-bf8d-77a6a2207585

Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=650778

Sunday @ Noon ET

Radio: 960TheRef (Jeff Dantzler & David Johnston): https://georgiadogs.com/watch/?Live=5002&type=Live

SECN TV (Dave Neal & Jared Mitchell): https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/a40788b0-37a7-4664-b22e-85a0fb9ede8c

Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=650779

Foley Field In 2026
·       Foley Field Gates Open 1 hour before first pitch 
·       Tickets –Available; Also Available on SeatGeek: https://seatgeek.com/georgia-bulldogs-baseball-tickets
·       UGA STUDENTS:  Free Admission and please enter at 3rd Base Gate
·       Promotions: On-field promotions during the 3rd, 5th and 6th innings during the series; Sunday Only: Pregame: Anthem Buddies; Postgame: Kids run the bases

Giveaways: Friday: First 2,000 fans receive a Decorative Music Record; Saturday: First 1,000 fans receive an Emerson Hancock Bobblehead; Sunday: First 1,000 fans receive a Throwback shirsey.

Saturday: Annual Lettermen Day: Pregame: Lettermen from the 1960s-2020s in attendance; 2001 SEC Championship Team that advanced to the CWS recognized; Two Alumni Awards presented

WTEN: Georgia Begins Postseason Play At Home vs. Alabama State Today

The top-seeded Georgia women’s tennis team (18-5, 12-3 SEC) is set to open postseason competition as hosts of the NCAA Regional with a first round matchup against Alabama State (11-9, 6-2 SWAC) on Saturday, May 2 at 1 p.m. ET at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex.

Fast Facts

• The Georgia women — which won the National Championship in 2025 — received a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the 39th-straight year with an all-time tournament record of 105-35.

• The 2026 season marks the 15th consecutive year the Bulldogs have earned a host position for the first and second rounds of the tournament.

• The Bulldogs will battle against the 2026 Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament champion in Saturday’s first round match.

• Both programs will meet for the third time all-time, with Georgia leading the series 2-0. The Bulldogs won the previous matchup 4-0 in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Regional in Athens.

• The Bulldogs will look to make another deep run in the NCAA Tournament after back-to-back appearances the past two seasons, including last year’s national title.

• The Bulldogs will also host No. 74 Elon and No. 31 Charlotte, who will compete in the NCAA Regional first round to face the winner between No. 2 Georgia and Alabama State in the second round.

Dawgs in the Polls

• Georgia features six players in the latest ITA singles rankings: No. 7 Aysegul Mert, No. 19 Anastasiia Lopata, No. 61 Anastasiia Gureva, No. 64 Deniz Dilek, No. 81 Sofia Rojas and No. 93 Emma Dong.

• In addition, Georgia has four ranked doubles teams: No. 4 Dilek and Mert, No. 19 Lopata and Patricija Paukstyte, No. 58 Mert and Gureva, and No. 90 while Dilek and Dong.

Scouting the NCAA Regional Opponents

  • Alabama State –  The Hornets head to Athens after winning the 2026 SWAC Tournament, defeating Jackson State 4-2. Alabama State is 11-9 overall with a 6-2 conference record and enters on an eight-match winning streak.

Women’s Match Schedule (Dan Magill Tennis Complex – Athens, Ga.)

Saturday, May 2

10 a.m. — Elon vs. Charlotte

1 p.m. — Georgia vs. Alabama State

Sunday, May 3

1 p.m. — Women’s Second Round Match

Match 24 – No. 2 Georgia vs. Alabama State (NCAA Regional First Round)

Date: Saturday, May 2, 2026

Time: 1 p.m. ET

Location: Athens, Ga.

Site: Dan Magill Tennis Complex

Live Video/Stats: LINK HERE

Tournament Central Page: LINK HERE

Ticket Information

Tickets for this weekend’s matches are on sale online at Georgia Bulldogs | Online Ticket Office | Event Groups (evenue.net). Fans can also purchase tickets at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex beginning one hour prior to the start of the first match each day (based on availability). Tickets are $5.

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Greg is closing in on 15 years writing about and photographing UGA sports. While often wrong and/or out of focus, it has been a long, strange trip full of fun and new friends.