The Georgia baseball team will welcome SEC opponent Vanderbilt to Foley Field for a three-game series with game one starting this afternoon at 7:02 p.m. ET. The game will be televised by ESPNU and be available on the Bulldog Sports Network from IMG.
For Saturday’s game two of the series, the start time will be at 6:00 p.m. while Sunday’s game three will start at 1:02 p.m. The final two games of the Vanderbilt series will be available on SEC Network+.
Georgia (15-23 overall, 4-11 SEC) looks to improve in the second half of the SEC season starting with the series with the Commodores who are 23-15 overall and 7-8 in league play. In midweek action on the road, Georgia fell 9-7 to fourth-ranked Clemson Wednesday while Vanderbilt pounded Middle Tennessee 21-2 Tuesday. Last week in the SEC, Georgia was swept by the SEC leader in 11th-ranked Arkansas in Fayetteville, and the Commodores dropped a home series to then 12th-ranked Florida 2-1.
Georgia’s rotation against the Commodores will feature senior LHP Andrew Gist (2-2, 3.19 ERA) and junior RHP Chase Adkins (4-4, 3.99 ERA) for the first two games and Sunday’s starter is TBA. Vanderbilt will counter with sophomore RHP Patrick Raby (5-3, 2.78 ERA) and junior RHP Kyle Wright (2-4, 3.98) on Friday and Saturday. They have not announced a starter for Sunday.
On Friday, Georgia will honor former Bulldog All-America standout and nine-year Major Leaguer Jeff Keppinger, and the first 1,000 fans will receive a Jeff Keppinger bobblehead. Keppinger served as the UGA shortstop from 1999-2001 and helped lead the Bulldogs to their first SEC Championship in 47 years and back to the College World Series in 2001. As a junior in 2001, he captured the team’s triple crown, leading the squad with a .389 batting average, 18 home runs and 73 RBI. He compiled one of the greatest postseasons in UGA history that year, batting a record .500 with nine home runs. Georgia finished 47-22 and ranked No. 7.
GAME NOTES
CLICK HERE for the complete game notes for the Georgia Bulldogs versus the Vanderbilt Commodores baseball series.
TICKET INFO
Ticket Booth and Gates open two hours before first pitch.
Reserved Seat Tickets: $8; General Admission Tickets: $5; Order online or by calling 1-877-542-1231.
UGA Student Tickets: Free Admission with valid UGA Student ID Card.
UGA Student Gate is located off Rutherford Street
SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR THE VANDERBILT SERIES
Friday: The first 1,000 fans receive a Jeff Keppinger Bobblehead.
Sunday: Pregame: Anthem Buddies: Stand on the field next to your favorite Bulldog for the National Anthem.
Postgame: Kids can run the bases and play catch in the outfield for a brief time.
TELEVISION/RADIO
TV: Friday on ESPNU (Taylor Zarzour & Ben McDonald);
Sat.-Sun. on SEC Network+ (Kaleb Frady, Jason Jacobs)
Radio: Georgia Bulldog Sports Network from IMG College (Jeff Dantzler & David Johnston)
Stations: 960 AM-WRFC and selected affiliates (check your local listings), also via the Georgia Bulldogs app and TuneIn app.
KEEP AN EYE ON THESE BULLDOGS
Sophomore C/DH Michael Curry (.356-8-38) is having an All-SEC caliber season, currently leading the Bulldogs in the “Triple Crown,” that is batting average, home runs and RBI, and he ranks in the top 10 in the SEC in those categories. In SEC action, he’s batting .373-3-11. Last week against Ga. Tech, Curry went 2-for-3 with an RBI-double and an intentional walk. In the series opener at #11 Arkansas, Curry went 3-for-4 with two home runs and 4 RBI and then followed that up with another 3-for-4 showing with two RBI. Overall, he batted .500 (6-for-12) with three home runs and six RBI versus the Razorbacks. This past Wednesday at fourth-ranked Clemson, Curry went 3-for-5 for his 15th multi-hit game this season including seventh three-hit game.
Freshman SS Cam Shepherd (.327-3-20) has started all 38 games at shortstop and ranks among the SEC leaders with a .358 batting average in league games. Last week against Ga. Tech, he was 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk. In the series at No. 11 Arkansas, he went 4-for-14 with a pair of doubles. Shepherd’s 53 hits this season and 12 doubles rank among the top 10 in the SEC. At fourth-ranked Clemson Wednesday, he went 2-for-5 with a triple, a home run and four RBI.
Freshman OF Tucker Bradley (.228-0-0) and sophomore 1B Adam Sasser (.244-2-7) enjoyed a solid series against the 11th-ranked Razorbacks. In three starts, Bradley hit .444 (4-for-9, two doubles, three walks) while Sasser batted .417 (5-for-12). Sasser tied his career-high going 3-for-4 at fourth-ranked Clemson Wednesday to make him an even .500 (8-for-16) in his last four games.
Freshman starting 3B Aaron Schunk (.290-1-18) injured his left thumb during his first at bat at #4 Clemson Wednesday. He will miss the Vanderbilt series. Schunk has made 37 starts at third base and was hitting .328 in SEC action. Junior Mitchell Webb (.208-1-6), who has 73 career starts at third, will move into the lineup.