Fourth-ranked and SEC-leading Georgia battles ninth-ranked Mississippi State starting Friday in Starkville at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The Bulldogs (33-9, 13-5 SEC), under the direction of Ike Cousins head coach Scott Stricklin, have won five of their six SEC series this year. Up next, it’s a road test against MSU (33-9, 10-8 SEC), and they are 25-4 at home this season. The Bulldogs are 6-3 on the road in the SEC this year, going 3-0 at South Carolina, 2-1 at Kentucky and 1-2 at Tennessee. MSU holds a 46-45 edge in the series that dates back to 1916.
Currently, the Bulldogs and MSU lead the nation in wins. Georgia is winning with pitching, defense and timely hitting. The Bulldogs are second in the NCAA in ERA at 2.71 and fifth in Fielding Percentage at .981, and those are on pace to be school records. Georgia’s record for lowest ERA in a season is 2.97 by the 1958 club and the next best is 3.26 by the 1967 squad. Last year, the Bulldogs set the fielding mark at .979. Georgia is batting .266 with a .377 on base percentage. Opponents are batting only .182 against the Bulldogs.
Georgia will adjust its rotation for the MSU series as sophomore ace right-hander Emerson Hancock (7-2, SEC-best 1.04 ERA) will miss his start to rest. The Bulldogs will move up sophomore left-hander C.J. Smith (3-2, 3.05 ERA) to Friday and junior right-hander Tony Locey (7-0, 2.04 ERA) to Saturday. Smith and Locey have been starting games two and three of SEC series this year. Georgia has not announced a starter for Sunday. In the bullpen, Georgia is led by junior starting third baseman/closer Aaron Schunk (.341-7-30) who has 11 saves to go with a 1-1 mark and 2.14 ERA while junior Zac Kristofak is 3-0 with a 3.86 ERA and five saves. Freshman Cole Wilcox (1-0, 4.45 ERA) has seen more action of late and picked up his first career victory during last weekend’s series win over No. 21 Missouri. The team leader in appearances is junior left-hander Justin Glover (1-0, 2.20 ERA) with 17 followed by Kristofak (16) and Schunk (15). Hancock is on the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch list while Schunk is on the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Midseason Update list.
Bulldog senior second baseman LJ Talley continues to lead the team in batting at .346-6-30. Junior centerfielder Tucker Maxwell leads the club with nine home runs and ranks among the SEC leaders in stolen bases with a team best 19 out of 22 attempts. Georgia’s RBI leader with 34 is sophomore outfielder Riley King (.302-5-34). In SEC action, Schunk is batting a team-high .361 along with a 1-1 mark, 3.60 ERA and four saves. Graduate designated hitter John Cable is batting .259 with three home runs and 16 RBI in league play.
MSU’s rotation will feature junior left-hander Ethan Small (4-1, 2.10 ERA) on Friday followed by freshman right-hander JT Ginn (7-2, 3.38 ERA) on Saturday. Sunday’s starter is TBA. MSU ranks first in the SEC in batting at .314 with senior centerfielder Jake Mangum leading the way at .382 with 73 hits and 19 stolen bases. Sophomore second baseman Justin Foscue has clubbed 11 home runs with a team-best 44 RBI. MSU is fielding .973 as a team with a 3.49 ERA.
Georgia won a home series over then No. 6 MSU in 2017 (2-1), and the clubs met later that year during the SEC Tournament with MSU coming out on top. Georgia’s last trip to Starkville came in 2016 and then No. 10 MSU won the series 2-1.
Television/Radio
TV: Friday @ 7:30 pm ET & Sunday @ 2 pm ET on SEC Network+; Saturday @ 1 pm ET on SEC Network
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