Han Vance on Georgia baseball: Shutout in game two at Charleston, the amazingly-strong starting season suddenly swings toward peril, as UGA has lost a series for the first time this season, with a game to go. Interesting schedule for the Diamond Dawgs, in a critical year.
First, a regional happy hour two-game stand went not as planned as the scheduled game hosting downtown Atlanta’s Georgia State – in what could be called the “MegaBus Series” – was canceled under heavy clouds, after the Dawgs easily outdistanced the Wofford Terriers 5-0, Tim Elliot with the pitching win. Dawgs’ll return the non-visit in ATL Tuesday, March 20th, where I’ll be at an away game in my hometown. State plays home baseball at their compound in Decatur.
Coming off three winning series to end last year and barely qualify for the SEC tournament, Georgia won two (full-length) series and at Kennesaw State in Cobb County to start hot. They stand 4-1 in in-state games, which I’m looking at this season as an analytical line for how this team is playing overall. Georgia faces Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State. 7-3 is a nice start to a long campaign, but alarms could ring quickly on a coach who hasn’t had a winner over a half-decade in Athens, He’s been a head coach collectively nearly a decade-and-a-half (14 years total) and frankly may need immediate success at Georgia to keep his job, after this season.
Getting a win to save some face Sunday would be nice; taking an extended stay in the Holy City sees Charleston Southern and Citadel up next, in a longer period of mostly playing games. The team could get tired if they aren’t well prepared for this.
While the SEC schedule awaits, the conference perhaps even stronger in baseball than basketball – which is on a record pace in terms of the number of teams making the NCAA tournament. It’s important to build early momentum before league play begins. Loads of talented and many ranked teams chocked together in this SEC.
Beauty at Athens reminiscent of springs past, weekend past for Yante’s last successful stand over LSU, in hoops, and a baseball doubleheader sweeping Charlotte. In a feel-good move the school allowed all basketball ticket holders free admittance to Foley Field under a sunny sky.
Outfielder Keegan McGovern, in his senior year, was named National Player of the Week and SEC Player of the Week for his Herculean efforts. The Dawgs came into the Wofford game averaging an early, untenable in obtainability ten runs a game, then got half their average in the shutout, before slipping back in production.
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