Baseball News and Notes: Bulldogs look to keep momentum

Kentucky at Georgia

WHERE: Foley Field

WHEN: Friday 6:02 p.m.; Saturday, 7:02 p.m.; Sunday 1:02 p.m.

RECORDS: Georgia 21-11, 5-7; Kentucky 21-9, 6-6

STARTING PITCHERS: Friday - Ryan Webb (2-1, 2.86) vs Cole Stupp (3-2, 2.38); Saturday - Jonathan Cannon (2-2, 3.38) vs Sean Harney (2-0, 2.87); Sunday - TBA vs Zack Lee (3-2, 3.82)

TV/RADIO: Friday and Sunday - SECNetwork+ (Matt Stewart and Jason Jacobs); Saturday - SEC Network (Sam Ravech and David Dellucci); Georgia Bulldog Radio Network (Jeff Dantzler and David Johnston)

Expectations have risen for Georgia following last week’s series sweep of formerly No. 1 Vanderbilt.

That’s a fact head coach Scott Stricklin has pointed out to his team on more than one occasion. With Kentucky next on the Bulldogs’ docket, keeping that momentum is imperative.

“We’ve got to capitalize on it. We played really well last week and Tuesday, even though the ninth (Tuesday against Georgia State) did not go the way we wanted it to. But I thought we’ve played well the last four games, and you’ve got to capitalize on it,” Stricklin said. “We talked about raising expectations, and the fact we haven’t been playing up to our potential until we got to Vanderbilt. We played really, really well, but that’s what we’ve always expected, to go out and play our best baseball.

“Our expectations have risen a little bit, and I think that’s a good thing.”

Georgia (21-11, 5-7) will be a little shorthanded for its first two games against the Wildcats (21-9, 6-6).

Tuesday, Stricklin acknowledged that his team had several players forced to sit due to contact tracing for Covid-19. Thursday, he revealed that catchers Mason Meadows and Fernando Gonzalez, along with relief pitcher Will Pearson, would not be available until Sunday’s finale.

Pearson has been a key part of Georgia’s bullpen, while Gonzalez has split the starting catching duties with sophomore Shane Marshall.

Ryan Webb (2-1, 2.86) will start Friday’s 6:02 p.m. opener, followed by Jonathan Cannon (2-2, 3.37) on Saturday. Sunday's starter will be determined later.

Infielder Josh McAllister (.362-5-13) will be available this weekend for the first time since tweaking his hamstring against South Carolina on April 2.

“McAllister is going to be available this weekend and ready to go,” Stricklin said. “As long as he has a good week in practice. He was able to get live at-bats yesterday off live pitching and that was encouraging to see. He probably practiced at 80 percent yesterday and should go full go today.”

…Stricklin said pitcher CJ Smith has resumed throwing for the first time since coming down with arm soreness back on March 5 against North Florida.

Unfortunately, it appears the junior is still a few weeks away from seeing action.

“CJ just started throwing this week. I'd say best case scenario, he’s got two more weeks of buildup and maybe those final three weekends getting him back. Maybe an inning at first. One inning week 8, two innings week 9, and three innings week 10. That would kind of be the hope,” Stricklin said. “So far, so good. He’s had a good week of throwing. He feels good, but we’ve got to build him up.”

Garrett Blaylock could not deny it.

Last week’s series victory over Vanderbilt held a special meaning for the former Commodore.

A native of Asheville, N.C., Blaylock started his college baseball career at Vanderbilt, where he played in 18 games as a true freshman, beating .231 with six RBIs in 26 at-bats.

Blaylock would transfer to St. John’s River State College the following year, before matriculating to Georgia in time for last season’s Covid-shortened campaign.

Last week’s trip to Nashville was his first trip back since his departure. He did not disappoint.

In three games, Blaylock went 5-for-13 with three home runs and five RBIs.

“That was a very special weekend. Not only for the team, but we also played some very good baseball; I think that’s the best we’ve played,” Blaylock said. “I don’t want to make it about me specifically, but that was a pretty special weekend to go back to Nashville and play pretty good, I guess.”

The effort also enabled Blaylock to get back on the right track.

After receiving just one at-bat in Georgia’s opening SEC series against Tennessee, Blaylock’s playing time took a noticeable dip until a hamstring injury to Josh McAllister offered him an opportunity at second base.

All Blaylock did in the days since was put together a six-game hitting streak before going 0-for-3 last Tuesday against Georgia State.

“I just started preparing the same way each and every day, showing up at the field like I was going to be in the lineup every day; I got a few opportunities, and I feel like I took advantage of them and started having really good at-bats,” Blaylock said. “It stinks for it to happen because of an injury with Josh going down, but you’ve just got to be ready to go.”

Even with McAllister set to return, Blaylock’s time in the lineup is not over yet.

“We’ll have to move some guys around,” Stricklin said. “You could see Blaylock play some third, you could see Blaylock play some first, you could see him DH. You could see Blaylock play three different positions.”

That suits Blaylock just fine.

“I feel like I’m really ready for that. Growing up, I was really kind of a utility player playing all over the place with my travel team and my dad,” Blaylock said. “He made it a point for me to try and learn every position I could. I’ve been taking ground balls at first, second, and third, just trying to stay as versatile as I can.”

There’s nothing like seven innings of five-hit ball against Vanderbilt to boost one’s confidence on the mound.

Just ask Jonathan Cannon.

After giving up a combined 10 runs his first three SEC starts against Tennessee, Texas A&M, and South Carolina, Cannon dominated the Commodores. Along with giving up just five hits, Cannon didn't issue a walk and struck out nine.

“I think he had a little bit of a change in attitude. It became, 'I’m the best guy out there,' and you have to feel that way, you have to think that way in order to be successful at a high level,” Stricklin said. “I think he fully believes that now. I just hope he can keep that momentum.”

Cannon, who missed the first month of the season recovering from mononucleosis, said that fact he missed so much time contributed to his slow start.

“One of the challenges was not being able to start the beginning of the year and getting those three or four starts before SEC play started, just to sort of work out some kinks and get my rhythm back and get my pitches back,” Cannon said. “I kind of had to use that time period during the first three weeks of the SEC season, where maybe one week my changeup wasn’t that good, or another week where my curveball wasn’t that good. But I think now that I’ve been able to work some things out, work with Coach (Sean) Kenny in the bullpen in-between starts, I’m a lot more comfortable out there and confident.”

The numbers tell the story.

Along with lowering his ERA to 3.37, Cannon’s WHIP is now down to 1.01 with just three walks and 29 strikeouts in 26.2 innings.

Learning how to pitch to hitters the caliber of what one sees weekly in the SEC has also been huge.

“Everyone is playing at such a high level. The hitters are just so good. You don’t really have room for mistakes,” Cannon said. “Against South Carolina, I didn’t think I threw horribly; I probably made four or five mistakes; it’s just those mistakes went over the fence. That’s kind of the difference between a regular start and an SEC start. The hitters will make you pay for mistakes.”

...Redshirt junior Connor Tate (.377-8-25) led the Bulldog attack against the top-ranked Commodores, batting .583 (7-for-12) with two doubles, three home runs, and six RBIs. He was one of nine players/pitchers named a National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball, and he was the SEC Player of the Week, the league announced Monday. Tate is the first Bulldog named National Player of the Week and SEC Player of the Week since Tucker Bradley last year. Tate is batting .391-6-10 in SEC action. Earlier this year, DH/C Corey Collins (.304-5-23) was named SEC Freshman of the Week. He made his first start at C Tuesday.

...Cannon 2-2, 3.38 ERA) was named the NCBWA National Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday and the SEC Pitcher of the Week on Monday. He tossed a career-high seven shutout in-nings with 9 strikeouts and no walks in clinching SEC road series over No. 1 Vanderbilt this past Saturday. He is Georgia’s first National Pitcher of the Week since Tony Locey in 2019 and SEC Pitcher of the Week since Cole Wilcox in 2020. Cannon will pitch again Saturday with senior LHP Ryan Webb (2-1, 2.86 ERA) going in the opener Friday.