State of the Union: Regional Edition
The No. 2 seed Georgia Bulldogs will start their road to Omaha on Friday at 7 pm (ESPN+) as they take on the No. 3 seed VCU Rams in the Chapel Hill Regional hosted by the Tar Heels. The Dawgs have had a roller coaster of a season with injuries, cold streaks, and multiple emotional wins, but all that has led them to Chapel Hill where they will try to advance to their first super regional since 2008. Let’s dive into what it’s going to take to get them there.
Pitching Outlook
Deciding the pitching rotation in a regional is as tough as it gets for a coaching staff, and UGA is no exception. There are very few teams in the country that have been hit harder by the injury bug than the 2022 Georgia Bulldogs. Multiple starting pitchers have suffered season-ending injuries (Will Childers, Dylan Ross, and now Nolan Crisp) leaving them very thin in that department. This will have to factor into Coach Stricklin and pitching coach Sean Kenny’s decisions on who to give the ball to.
In a perfect world, you try to steal game one and then throw Jonathon Cannon (3.62) against what is likely going to be the 1 seed UNC Tar Heels on Saturday. But this ain’t a perfect world. For the reason listed above, I fully believe the coaching staff will give the ball to Jonny and ride their horse for game 1 against the Rams. The reason that is the right move is because Cannon is the only guy proven he will go deep into games, and if you’re Georgia, you hope Cannon can give you 7+ innings. If he can do that, Georgia will go into the rest of the weekend with all of their options on the table.
In this scenario, Lefty Liam Sullivan would be the likely Game 2 starter. With absolutely everyone fully rested, I imagine Coach Stricklin will have his starter (and rest of the staff) on a very tight leash, and will not hesitate to play the matchup game if Sullivan gets into any trouble. Stricklin and staff would have an arsenal of Jack Gowen (2.29), Jaden Woods (4.56), Chandler Marsh (3.86), Max Dejong (2.61), Davis Rokose (6.65), Luke Wagner (6.10), and Michael Polk (9.93) ready at his disposal whenever he needed them. If Cannon can be the guy he’s been all year and give them length in game 1, it would put the Dawgs in a very nice situation heading into Saturday.
The Lineup Card
What the Dawgs can bank on going into Friday is that they will have one of the most veteran lineups in the country. This is where I think UGA has the biggest advantage in the postseason, a battle-tested lineup that will not be affected by any travel pains or rowdy environment. With a team batting average of .284 and scoring 7 runs a game, this lineup has a chance to do the damage that can keep them in any game.
Ben Anderson (.278) is the perfect table-setter in the leadoff spot. He has a .388 on-base percentage and has some sneaky pop (8 homers) that will get the party started. He is followed by the two best hitters in the lineup in the Tate Twins, Connor and Cole. The Tate gene pool alone has been solely responsible for multiple wins throughout the season, with their combined .347 batting average and 17 homers, the Dawgs will need them to continue their incredible season. Veterans Chaney Rodgers (.278), Josh McAllister (.269), and Park Harber (.307) will all look to supply some added firepower and continue to provide depth to the lineup.
OF, Ben Anderson
Past the top 6, the Bulldogs will need some other contributors to step up and really round out this high-powered lineup. Both Corey Acton (.258) and Corey Collins (.263) are dangerous left-handed hitters that are more than capable of doing some damage. Fernando Gonzales (.273) will look to continue his late-season power surge that the Dawgs will need from their backstop, along with providing a very steady presence behind the dish.
Paired with this lineup is, as is with most Scott Stricklin-coached teams, one of the nation’s best defenses. The dawgs boast a .979 fielding percentage that is good for 20th in the country. This is important because the Bulldogs can’t afford to beat themselves this weekend in Chapel Hill. Being clean in the field will be a point of emphasis for the Bulldog coaching staff throughout the rest of this week.
X Factors
Jack Gowen:
Gowen has flown under the radar nationally as being one of the best arms In the country. The big righty has 24 appearances with 10 saves, and hitters are sporting a measly .138 Batting Average against him. He has been the most consistent guy on this staff and most importantly, he’s shown that he can provide some length out of the bullpen (11 out save against SC and 11 out win against #1 ranked Tennessee). UGA will desperately need that length to advance to a Super Regional and don’t be surprised to see Gowen start to warm up if the Dawgs are tied or have a lead in the 5th inning on.
Corey Collins:
Don’t let the numbers fool you, Corey Collins is the most dangerous hitter Scott Stricklin will write on his lineup card this weekend. Collins’ left-handed power is what has scouts projecting him to be a top pick in next year’s MLB Draft, as he can leave the yard on any pitch. Collins is a player that when he is hot can carry a lineup by himself, he’s that talented. If Collins gets it going in Chapel Hill, he could wear out that short porch in right-center field and lead Georgia to a long-overdue Super Regional.
Overall, the Dawgs are in a very good place headed into Friday. While losing early in Hoover is never fun, it gave the team a much-needed 9 days off to get healthy and clean some things up. This team should be as fresh as they have been all season, and still, have everything they want to accomplish in front of them. We will get to see the boys in Red and Black starting this Friday at 7 pm, when it is officially a win or go home weekend.
