No. 17 Georgia at No. 16 Vanderbilt

WHERE: Hawkins Field, Nashville, Tenn.

WHEN: Thursday 7 p.m., Friday 7:30 p.m., Saturday, 3 p.m.

RECORDS: Georgia 22-7, 7-2; Vanderbilt 17-12, 5-4

TV/RADIO: Thursday – ESPNU (Steve Lennox, Todd Walker; Friday-Saturday – SEC Network+; Georgia Bulldog Radio Network (Jeff Dantzler, David Johnston).

When Emerson Hancock limped off the mound Friday night against Texas A&M, even head coach Scott Stricklin feared the worse.

Considering how effective the freshman has pitched as a weekend starter for the Bulldogs, the thought of losing the Cairo, Ga., native was particularly alarming for a Georgia team (22-7, 7-2) that sits atop the SEC East tied with defending national champion Florida.

Fortunately for the 17th-ranked Bulldogs, the news is much better than most feared. Instead of what was initially believed to be an injury to the knee was instead to his ankle, and barring some unforeseen setback, Hancock (3-1, 3.29) will be on the mound Saturday when Georgia wraps up its three-game series at No. 16 Vanderbilt.

“I’m anticipating him pitching,” said Stricklin, prior to Hancock taking one final bullpen session Wednesday night upon the team’s arrival in Nashville.

Assuming he made it through unscathed, Stricklin said he’ll announce Hancock as the starter right before Saturday’s final game (3 p.m.).

“When we walked out I thought it was the knee, but when you watch the replay, he grabbed his ankle. So, it was basically an ankle sprain,” Stricklin said of Hancock’s injury. “It came back on the MRI a bone bruise on the ankle, but it’s essentially an ankle sprain and he’s been fine.”

Talk about a huge sigh of relief.

In his three previous SEC starts, Hancock’s numbers are even better – going 2-0 with an ERA of 2.25 with 15 strikeouts in 16 innings.

“He’s been running around, lifting in the weight room and doing everything everybody else has been doing for the last three days,” Stricklin said. “If you didn’t know any better … he walked past Coach (Georgia Tech coach Danny) Hall last night and he made the comment, he looks like he’s fine. You can’t tell by looking at it.”

With Hancock pushed back, fellow freshman and roommate Ryan Webb (1-2, 3.54) will start Friday night’s game with Chase Adkins (3-0, 4.76) starting Thursday’s opening game.

NOTES: The Bulldogs are averaging 7.3 runs a game while batting .291 and having a .977 fielding percentage. Georgia checks in sixth in the SEC in batting and seventh in fielding. In four games last week, Georgia fielded .993, making just one error. In SEC action this year, Georgia is fielding .985. ... Offensively, Georgia has been led by junior designated hitter Michael Curry (.358-6-33), senior outfielder Keegan McGovern (.356-10-31), sophomore third baseman/pitcher Aaron Schunk (.301-0-18; 1-0, 0.66 ERA, 3 SV, 13.2 IP, 1BB, 17K) and junior second baseman LJ Talley (.316-2-14). McGovern ranks among the top 10 in the SEC in numerous offensive categories, including in runs scored (37), walks (25), home runs (10), RBI (31) and slugging percentage (.721) while Curry is second in RBI (33). Sophomore Cam Shepherd is batting .231 but ranks second in doubles (10) and has 24 RBI and 21 walks. Curry, Talley and redshirt freshman Mason Meadows (.300-2-15) are all hitting over .300 in SEC action including .371 by Curry.