Bulldogs tie a school record in Tuesday rout of Georgia State
It will not always be this easy. But four games into the season, the Georgia baseball team is making it look that way.
For just the second time in school history, the Bulldogs have scored double-digit runs in their first four games after routing instate rival Georgia State on Tuesday, 15-0.
The only other time that’s happened took place 20 years ago in 2004.
Georgia will have a chance to set a new school record when the Bulldogs host Northern Kentucky for three games starting Friday afternoon.
“We talk a lot about consistency, and not giving at-bats away, not giving pitches away on the mound, constantly attacking and staying focused,” head coach Wes Johnson said during the post-game radio show on 960-AM. “We talk about bringing a consistent energy with that as well, no matter where we’re playing or who we’re playing against, and I think what you saw today was that.”
Charlie Condon, whose bat was on fire over the weekend against UNC-Asheville, did not cool off against the Panthers.
After watching his teammates clobber 10 home runs in the first three games, Condon went deep twice against Georgia State, going 3-for-4 with four runs scored and three RBI.
The preseason All-American is 10-for-14 to start the year with eight runs scored and four RBI.
“We all knew it was coming, right?” Johnson said. “That first home run he hit a good pitch, the ball ran in on him, and was able to get his hands in and shoot it to right. Then they threw him a breaking ball in the strike zone for the second run and I don’t know if it’s landed yet. It may beat us back to Athens.”
Condon is not the only Bulldog off to a hot start.
Leadoff hitter Slate Alford went 2-for-6 and drove in his 10th run in four games, with Logan Jordan driving in four runs giving him eight on the year.
Three of Jordan’s four RBI came on a bases-loaded double in the second.
“He and Coach (Will) Coggin have been putting a lot of time in on his approach because guys are going to try and get him to chase the slider a lot,” Johnson said. “One of the things I told our guys after the game was that no matter what the score was, even when it got sideways there, we didn’t give at-bats away. That’s the sign of some guys starting to mature at the plate and understanding an approach.”
Paul Toetz capped the scoring for the Bulldogs with a three-run homer, his first as a Bulldog after transferring in from Purdue.
In its four games against UNC-Asheville and Georgia State, Georgia outscored the two programs by a combined 53-7 score.
Meanwhile, six Bulldog pitchers held the Panthers to three hits.
Starter Jarvis Evans (1-0) walked four in three innings, in a staff day for the Bulldogs.
He was followed by Tyler McLoughlin (2 IP, 3 strikeouts), Zach Harris (1 IP, 1 strikeout), Daniel Padysak (1 IP, 1 strikeout), DJ Radtke (1 IP, one strikeout), and freshman Luke Wiltrakis (1 IP, 3 strikeouts).
