There’s no Charlie Condon or Corey Collins, but home runs remain no problem for 5th-ranked Georgia.
The Bulldogs hit five more long balls Friday, powering their way to a 14-5 win over Columbia in the first of a weekend series.
Georgia’s quintet of homers gives the Bulldogs 39, one more than Tennessee, which came into the day leading the SEC with 38.
“Our goal as a team is to hit the ball high and far, staying in our control of the box and not trying to do too much,” designated hitter Ryland Zaborowski said. “On days like this where the wind's breezing out just a little bit … we're not trying to hit homers like that; we're just trying to hit the ball high and far.”
Zaborowski certainly accomplished that. The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder went 3-for-4 to up his average to .462, blasting his seventh and eighth home runs, driving in seven runs.
“You come watch his BP, his pregame BP. I like to joke that I was fortunate enough to be with Louie Arraez, who's won two batting titles now, when I was with the Minnesota Twins. Louie just sprays the ball around the BP, and here you’ve got this big, 6-5 guy. He's taking a Louie Arias BP, and I think that helps the swing,” Johnson said. “He doesn't come into BP trying to hit it over the lights. He's going to work it off the middle. He's going to work some off-ball. He's going to hit some power ground balls. He's going to do those kinds of things, and I think that helps him in the game.”
Robbie Burnett’s solo blast also gave him his eighth homer of the year, while Tre Phelps continues his surge with home run No. 5, extending his hitting streak to 11 games.
Duke transfer Devin Obee hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning to push the lead to 10-3 and drove in four on the afternoon.
“We've been working really hard on some approaches and swings, and you’re starting to see it (pay off),” Johnson said. “I thought Tre Phelps obviously got us on the board there early. His approach here the last two weeks has been really, really good. Then you go down the lineup. (Zaborowski) is doing things that are fun to watch. You look at that 7-8-9 in the order, and we got a lot of production out of there. I think it was 11 RBIs down there today.”
On the mound, Charlie Goldstein’s day got off to a slow start after two first-inning walks were followed by a three-run homer by Anton Lazits giving Columbia a surprising 3-0 lead.
The blast – the first hit allowed by Goldstein in five innings – continues what’s been an uneasy string of crooked numbers against the Bulldogs through the non-conference portion of the schedule.
But Goldstein – who has been on a pitch-count coming off Internal Brace surgery – settled down from there, making it through three innings, retiring the final six batters he faced. Goldstein threw 54 pitches.
“I thought his off-speed stuff was good today, and it's showing life; it’s getting close to being conference ready,” Johnson said. “We'll get that fastball command in. For guys come off surgery and stuff, that's typically the last thing to come.”
Goldstein said he feels close to being where he wants to be.
“I'm not even nine months post-surgery. So, and that's around the window when you come fully back to being able to throw a high intent,” Goldstein said. “I have some things to work on. I mean, my fastball location isn't the best right now. Obviously, the velo is not the best, but I'm not worried about it because I know that my pitchability is enough to get me through the innings right now.”
Zach Brown (3-1) took over in the fourth and retired the first six batters he faced – including the final six of nine straight groundouts – before giving up a two-run homer to Skye Selinsky in the sixth to draw Columbia within 10-5.
Jordan Stephens closed the game out with a season-high three innings, allowing just three hits with one walk and three strikeouts, twice topping out at 100 mph. Stephens earned his second save.
NOTE: Georgia and Columbia resume their series Saturday at 2. Sunday’s game has been moved from 1 to noon.
