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Georgia baseball's bad habit could prove fatal if not remedied in SEC play

hunterby:Hunter Shelton•03/10/25•

HunterShelton_

Syndication: Online Athens
Georgia's Zach Brown (37) throws a pitch during an NCAA baseball game against UIC in Athens, Ga., on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025.

By just looking at final scores and the win-loss record, one might think that Georgia’s first four weeks of the college baseball season have been smooth sailing.

The Bulldogs are 18-1 following a three-game sweep of Columbia over the weekend. After a four-run loss to UNC Wilmington on opening weekend, UGA has now won 15 games in a row and continues to ride high heading into the beginning of SEC play in just four days.

Georgia now ranks as the No. 4 team in the latest D1Baseball Top 25. Frankly, that’s thanks to the long ball, as its belted 45 home runs, second in the nation behind Tennessee. That power has proven especially crucial, given the amount of early deficits its found itself in to this point.

Through 19 games, the Georgia pitching staff has a 4.28 ERA, the second worst of any team in the SEC, just in front of lowly Missouri. What’s bizarre is when runs have come for the Bulldogs’ opponents. Of the 84 runs allowed, 55 have come during the first three innings.

The Bulldogs’ lone loss saw UNCW plate six runs in the first. UIC scored eight early runs across its four games in Athens. Florida Gulf Coast was able to score five and six early in two of its four games against the Dawgs two weekends ago. Georgia State put up a nine-spot in its midweek game last Wednesday. Columbia totaled 11 in the first three innings over the weekend, including a six-run third inning on Sunday.

Even if the damage hasn’t come during the first third of the game, there’s been a sizable inning in favor of Georgia’s opponent more than half the time so far this year. UGA has allowed a three-run inning at some point in 11 of its 19 games, including six of its last seven.Walks have been an issue, too, as Bulldog pitchers have issued 87 free passes, averaging around 4.5 per game.

Eighteen pitchers have made three or more appearances for Georgia. Nine have made a start. It remains to be seen just how many of those arms will properly be in the mix once conference play ramps up. It’s been a committee approach, as just five of those arms have completed four-plus innings in an appearance. Results have certainly been varied, too.

The frontline arms in the bullpen look top-notch. Junior right-hander Brian Curley transferred in from VCU and has as much as juice on the mound as anyone in the country. He can bring the heat and also possesses a devastating slider that’s led to one hit, one run and 17 strikeouts in 10 innings.

Redshirt junior righty DJ Radtke has an 0.87 ERA across 10-and-a-third innings and leads the team with seven appearances. Jordan Stephens, Eric Hammond, Matthew Hoskins and Tyler McLoughlin, all of whom are right-handers, all have sub-2.00 ERAs with seven-plus innings under their belt, be it a limited sample size.

Georgia has opted more for the opener route to this point and results haven’t been amazing. Righty Leighton Finley has thrown the most innings of any arm on the staff at 15, making three starts and five total appearances. His ERA sits at 6.00 after allowing four earned over the weekend in three innings. RHP Zach Harris, RHP Brian Zeldin, RHP Kolton Smith, RHP Zach Brown and LHP Alton Davis II have combined to allow 42 earned runs in 46-and-two-thirds innings. Davis has been particularly worrisome, as the junior Alabama transfer and 2024 Second Team All-SEC selection has now allowed six earned in a pair of outings, leading to a ballooned 12.10 ERA and 2.38 WHIP.

Power is paving the way for Georgia

So far, though, it hasn’t mattered. Georgia is mashing its way to wins. A team .604 slugging percentage and .467 on-base percentage have done the job and then some. Georgia has scored nine-plus runs 12 times and contributions have come throughout the entire lineup.

Miami Ohio transfer Ryland Zaborowski is near the top of the SEC leaderboard in just about every major batting statistic, slashing .447/.574/1.170 with 10 home runs, 36 RBIs and more walks (11) than strikeouts (nine). Outfielder Robbie Burnett (.375/.598/.946) is right behind with nine homers and 27 RBIs, bringing some elite pop from the left side.

Third baseman Slate Alford (.315/.469/.575) feels like the glue to the lineup as catcher Henry Hunter, outfielder Nolan McCarthy, first baseman Tre Phelps and second baseman Ryan Black all continue to rake, with each hitting above .320. Alford, Phelps and Black have combined for 13 homers and 53 RBIs. Extra bases feel inevitable when Georgia is in the box.

So, naturally, two simple questions arise with SEC play about to begin: Can Georgia hit its way through conference play? And will the pitching staff give it a chance to do just that?

While some regression will be expected at the plate, Georgia still likely won’t have a problem pouring in runs. Coming back from a sizable early deficit won’t be anywhere near as easy against some of the nation’s top staffs, however. It doesn’t take a genius to know that spotting the likes of Florida, Arkansas and Texas A&M with four, five or six runs the first two times through the order will simply not bode well. It will be on UGA pitching to bend but not break as the season treks onward.

Georgia begins SEC play at home this weekend against Kentucky. The Wildcats’ pitching staff has given up the least earned runs of any team in the conference and will provide easily the toughest test of the season for the Bulldogs thus far.

Despite the No. 4 ranking, Georgia still has some questions to answer. A swift start in conference play in the box and on the mound will quickly diminish any worries.