When the weather warms, Foley Field tends to heat up. That’s bad news for baseballs, and typically good news for Georgia.

Thursday night’s game against Texas A&M was an excellent example, as the Bulldogs edged closer to a national seed by outslugging the Aggies, 10-6

With the win, fourth-ranked Georgia improves to 41-13, 17-11 in SEC play. Wes Johnson’s squad likely needs just one more victory to assure the program earns a Top 8 seed for the second straight season, and with it the opportunity to host throughout the Super Regionals for a spot in the College World Series.

But that’s not where his focus, nor that of his team, is. There’s still work to do.

“Yeah, as I just told him right there, we just need to come out and play with confidence too and stay hungry,” Johnson said. “You can't get fed in this game. If you do or start thinking you've done something or accomplished something, somebody will sneak up and get you. So no, no, no … we'll have a huge point of emphasis tomorrow.”

Home runs were the story Thursday night before a sold-out Foley Field crowd of 3,633..

Georgia, which came in leading the nation in home runs with 127, added three more to their total against Texas A&M (27-24, 10-18).

Robbie Burnett’s 20th, No. 10 for Nolan McCarthy, and a three-run blast by Daniel Jackson (No. 12) to cap a seven-run third for the Bulldogs to push the lead to 9-4.

However, Burnett’s home run was not among the best news of the night for Georgia.

In the 8th, Burnett stumbled over the first base bag trying to beat out an infield hit. Trainer Zach Adams came out to check, but after a few moments, the UNC-Ashville walked off under his own power.

Fortunately, the Bulldogs appear to have dodged a bullet.

“My leg just gave out a little bit, you know, long day at the yard, so I don't know what really happened,” said Burnett, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI. “But I'm just going to rest up and hopefully be back as soon as possible. Just trusting the process.”

Already temporarily without Ryland Zaborowsk (elbow), the initial prospect of also losing Burnett caused Johnson some palpitations.

“We were a little nervous there,” Johnson said. “We got out there, and I think it just kind of shook him for a second. He didn't want to pop up really fast. He said I don't think it's bad, but just give me a second. I think he just wanted to catch his breath. It was a muggy night; he probably had a touch of cramp in there, too. But his preliminary check with Zach, our trainer, came back good.”

Bulldog starter Charlie Goldstein made it out of the first, only recording one out.

After back-to-back walks to start the game, Goldstein gave up a 3-0 home run to Caden Sorrell three batters into the game.

Goldstein recorded just one out before he was replaced by JT Quinn.

Home runs by Burnett in the first and McCarthy in the second cut the lead to 3-2 before A&M’s Wyatt Henseler pushed the margin to 4-2 with the fourth long ball of the afternoon.

But Georgia’s bats took over from there, scoring seven times in the bottom of the third with Jackson’s home run and a two-run double by Kolby Branch putting the Bulldogs up.

Credit Quinn for keeping the score right there.

After replacing Goldstein in the first, the Ole Miss transfer allowed just one run on two hits in 3.2 innings with one walk and a season-high seven strikeouts.

Brian Zeldin, Alton Davis II, and Zach Harris took it from there.

Zeldin allowed two runs in three innings, while Harris bailed out Davis with runners at first and second before tossing a scoreless ninth to pick up his third save.

Bulldog pitchers combined for 17 strikeouts.

“I thought JT Quinn was lights out and settled this down,” Johnson said. “We played a relatively clean game, but we can still play clean. But we played clean enough, felt confident, and did a really good job.”

Boxscore

…Slate Alford extended his streak of reaching base to 37 straight games.

…Georgia and Texas A&M resume their series Friday at 6:02 with Brian Curley (4-2, 3.02) facing Aggie left-hander Justin Lamkin (3-7, 3.97).

…Zach Harris has not allowed a run in his last six appearances, a stretch that covers seven innings.

…Johnson said Ryland Zaborowski (elbow) is almost ready to get back on the field.

“Man, it's close, yeah, close, close. But we’ve a little more ball ahead of us, and I don't want to rush him; I want to check one more day and see how he is tomorrow,” Johnson said. “Your challenge tomorrow is, you've got a 6 p.m. start, and Sunday 12 noon start. You’ve got to put all those factors in when you're looking at when you're going to play guys that are coming off with stuff like this. I think, man, if it had been a do-or-die win, you might have seen him.”