When Scott Stricklin tabbed Jonathan Cannon as Georgia’s Friday night starter, efforts like the one UGA received in Friday afternoon’s season-opener are exactly why.

Cannon was spectacular, scattering just two hits in six innings with zero walks and four strikeouts, as the Bulldogs beat Albany, 4-2.

“I was able to get first-pitch strikes and keep my pitch-count low,” Cannon said. “I just trust my defense. I’m biased; I think I have the best defense in the country behind me. I’m going to let them work, and they did a good job today.”

Ben Anderson gave Georgia a quick 1-0 lead.

The graduate senior led off the game with a solo homer to right, followed by a home run in the fourth inning by Josh McAllister who sent a ball over the fence in left center to go up 3-0.

For Anderson, it was the perfect beginning to a new year, after struggling at the plate for much of last spring.

“That was awesome. At first, I didn’t know if it was going out, but I knew I hit it well,” Anderson said. “Once it went out, it was a relief.”

That would be all the Bulldogs would need.

After Cannon (1-0) escaped the sixth by turning his second 1-6-3 double play, Jaden Woods took over to start the seventh.

The second-team preseason All-SEC performer found himself in trouble with runners at second and third with just one out, but escaped the inning to keep the score 3-0.

“I thought he was really good. They’re an aggressive team and they swing early. He could have easily gone back out there to pitch another inning,” Stricklin said of Cannon. “But just getting up and down, we really didn’t want him to get out there for seven innings, because he hasn’t done that yet. The most he’s gone is five.”

Cory Acton’s second hit—a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the seventh—pushed Georgia ahead by four.

A two-run homer by Albany's Brad Malm cut the advantage to 4-2 before Woods recovered to strikeout the next two batters, ending the inning.

Jack Gowen stranded a runner in the ninth to earn his first save.

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… In the bottom of the eighth, third baseman Josh McAllister fell to the dirt in a heap after making the final out.

Initially, it looked bad.

McAllister was in obvious pain as he lay on home plate, before being helped to the dugout, unable to put any weight on his left leg.

Fortunately, the post-game news was good.

“It’s a cramp, so he’s going to be day-to-day,” Stricklin said. “When I saw him go down and grab it, that’s what I thought it was. It just really tightened up, and he just couldn’t get rid of it. He’s walking in the clubhouse right now, but it’s going to be a day-to-day thing.

… Before the game, Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett took batting practice before throwing out the first pitch. He did himself proud. Batting against player development coordinator Nelson Ward, Bennett sprayed several balls around the field before homering over the fence in left for his final at-bat.

“He was nervous. It was really funny. He stepped in there and said, ‘Coach, I’m really nervous.' I said just settle down and swing the bat,” Stricklin said. “His first round was a little shaky, but the last swing he took, he left the yard. He walked off with his hands in the air, feeling pretty good about himself.”

… Shortstop Cole Tate dodged a bullet in the top of the fourth when he was injured at second base after colliding with an Albany base runner.

The injury happened when first baseman Parks Harber threw high trying to start a double play. As Tate reached for the ball, crashed into the runner. Tate laid sprawled on the ground for a few minutes before collecting his thoughts and stayed in the game.

… Next Up: Game 2 of this weekend’s series is Saturday at 3. Liam Sullivan will be on the mound for Georgia.

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