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Power surge leads Georgia baseball to 14th straight win

Jeremy Johnsonby:Jeremy Johnson•about 21 hours•

JeremyO_Johnson

Ryland Zaborowski/Georgia
Photo by Jeremy Johnson.

Athens, Ga – Georgia’s baseball team slugged their way to win number 14 with a 16-6 win over Columbia on Saturday afternoon in seven innings at Foley Field.

That win followed a 14-5 win on Friday night at Foley Field. The Bulldogs combined for 20 hits between the two games.

At the head of the charge continues to be transfers entering their first year with the program. Ryland Zaborowski hit four home runs in the two games to drive in 14 runs. Zaborowski hit a total of 10 runs in 2024 for Miami (Ohio).

After Friday and Saturday, he already has nine long balls in his first season at Georgia. Georgia was powered by Golden Spikes winner Charlie Condon in 2024. Condon hit 37 dingers.

Zaborowski has been a revelation for Georgia in replacing that consistent power in the lineup so far.

“If you come and watch his pregame BP (batting practice), it’s something,” Georgia head coach Wes Johnson told reporters after Friday’s game. “I was fortunate enough to be with Luis Arraez who won two batting titles when I was with the Minnesota Twins. Luis just sprays the ball around during BP, and Ryland is taking that approach. He doesn’t come to BP trying to hit it over the lights. He’s going to work it up the middle, hit some power ground balls, and I think that helps him in the game.”

‘Home’ runs

Georgia has hit eight home runs this weekend in Foley Field alone. Johnson feels its a combination of the approach implemented in Athens and also the make up of Foley Field.

“It’s an approach thing,” Johnson said Saturday. “I know people are tired of me tired of me talking about it, but on opening weekend we played in 30 miles per hour wind. Our conservative numbers say that we should have had eight home runs. We walked out of there with three. I think we’ve got off a lot of good swings. You’re seeing more home runs because we’re at home. We build our team around our home ballpark.”

Pitching stretching out

Georgia got a win from Kolten Smith in his second start of the season. He threw four innings, allowed three hits and one earned run while striking out six hitters.

Smith has been under the weather and lost around 10 pounds. He’s beginning to round into form now that he’s back on the mound.

“Sometimes you have to go through a little adversity and its how you respond,” Smith told reporters after the game. “I’m just glad to get out there with my team… I’ve been grinding every day trying to get back with my team.”

The big picture

The Bulldogs now have a 17-1 record. They’re ranked No. 5 in the D1 Baseball.com rankings. The Bulldogs are scheduled to close out their three-game set with Columbia on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. an hour sooner than originally scheduled.

Weather could become a factor. Athens has about a 90 percent chance of rain. Georgia will have a bit of a lighter week next week. They host East Tennessee State on Tuesday at 3 p.m.

The Bulldogs then get going in the SEC with Kentucky coming to town on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

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