WHERE: Foley Field

WHEN: Friday 3 p.m., Saturday 2 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m.

STARTING PITCHERS: Friday - LH Jaden Woods (1-1, 4.80 in 2022) vs. RH A.J. Causey (4-2, 2.61 ERA, 9 saves in 2022); Saturday - LH Liam Sullivan (4-3, 4.62 ERA in 2022) vs. RH Tanner Jones (2-4, 5.33 ERA in 2022); RH Blake Gillespie (High School in 2022) vs Eli Zielinski (High School in 2022)

TV/RADIO: SECNetwork+ (Jeff Dantzler, David Johnston); Georgia Bulldog Radio (Jeff Dantzler, David Johnston).

After bowing out in the North Carolina Regional and minus several key players from last year, not a lot is being expected from this year's Georgia baseball team.

The Bulldogs were not ranked in any of the preseason Top 25 polls, while SEC coaches picked Georgia to finish fifth in a tough SEC East.

That might be a mistake.

Although pitching remains a question, Scott Stricklin has said on more than one occasion that this year's lineup may be the best he's had in 10 years as Georgia's head coach.

"I think we've definitely got a chip on our shoulder heading into the season," sophomore Cole Wagner said. "Because we brought in so many new faces and with the people who make those decisions, I think there are some question marks. But we know we're super-talented. We've got guys with experience, we've worked very hard, and we're very confident in what we have."

This year's team includes six graduates including 24-year-old outfielders Ben Anderson and preseason second-team All-SEC Connor Tate, both in their sixth campaign due to a redshirt season and a COVID year. Anderson was the 2022 SEC Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. A few more veterans back are juniors Corey Collins, Fernando Gonzalez, and Parks Harber.

Georgia also has two graduate transfer pitchers: Kyle Greenler (Elon), and Dalton Rhadans (Wofford); two graduate transfer infielders: Will David (Samford) and Mason LaPlante (Yale) plus two Division 1 transfers in pitcher Zach DeVito (Tulane) and infielder Sebastian Murillo (Long Beach State).

Also keep an eye on Wagner and redshirt freshman Charlie Condon as they will see action at either first base, right field, or designated hitter.

On the mound, junior Jaden Woods gets the start, followed by fellow lefty Liam Sullivan on Saturday and freshman righty Blake Gillespie on Sunday.

Woods moves from his fireman role to the rotation with a solid three-pitch mix while Sullivan was a mainstay last year. Woods is the team’s highest-rated prospect for the 2023 MLB Draft according to Baseball America which ranks the top 200. Woods came in at No. 89 while junior C/OF Corey Collins was No. 188. Gillespie earned the job and will be the first freshman in the opening series rotation since Woods and Luke Wagner in 2021.

Veterans Nolan Crisp, Charlie Goldstein, Will Pearson, Collin Caldwell and Chandler Marsh and freshmen Leighton Finley, Kolten Smith, and left-hander Jarvis Evans are likely among the first ones up for action in the middle innings with transfer pitchers Kyle Greenler and Dalton Rhadans will be among are likely to be involved later in games. Rhadans is expected to start the season as the closer.

"This is the 26th opening day for me. It started on Monday. I woke up, and said, why do I feel like this? It’s game week. You still get excited. I know our players are excited," Stricklin said. "This week has kind of crawled. But we’ve had some good practices, we’re prepared, and we’re ready to get Opening Day underway."

2023 Schedule

Catcher News and Notes

· Look for Fernando Gonzalez to start Friday's opener and Sunday's finale, with Collins going behind the plate on Saturday.

Per Stricklin, this will likely be the rotation through at least the early part of the year. Collins will primarily be the designated hitter when he does not catch, although he played right field over the summer and could see action there for Georgia this spring.

Don't be shocked if Will David gets an opportunity or two or well throughout the course of the year.

Infield News and Notes

· Due to a nagging lat injury, Stricklin said left fielder Connor Tate will play first base this weekend with Charlie Condon moving from first to left.

· Mason LaPlante and Sebastian are both expected to get looks at shortstop, with Will David getting a start at second at least once during the weekend series

Outfield News and Notes

· Although Tate will start at first base this weekend due to his minor lat injury, look for the sixth-year player to play left field most of the year, with Ben Anderson in center.

· Right field, however, could be a revolving door of sorts, with Cole Wagner, Garrett Spikes, and Corey Collins each getting opportunities.

· Freshman Justin Thomas is also going to get some opportunities in the outfield.

Pitcher News and Notes

· Graduate transfer Dalton Rhadans will start the year as the closer.

"Dalton Rhadans right now will be the guy who gets the ball. Chandler Marsh is back there, Luke Wagner has made a jump, and he’s going to kind of be our left-handed go-to guy, and also Kyle Greenler," Stricklin said. "All four of those guys can do it, but if it comes down 3-2 in the ninth, Dalton Rhadans will be the guy."

· Stricklin said freshman Blake Gillespie's consistency is what ultimately earned him the role as the Bulldogs' Sunday starter.

"He's just been steady, steady consistent. He’s been really good. Nolan Crisp was the guy we had talked about, but he came back from a pretty significant injury. He didn’t pitch in the fall, so it’s a matter of trying to build him up," Stricklin said. "We just didn’t feel like it was fair to put him out to start. He’s going to pitch, we don’t know if it’s going to be this weekend, but he's going to be in a big role."

· Transfer Zach DeVito is building arm strength but probably is a couple of weeks away.

"(Tuesday) was his second time out. Again, he had major surgery last spring after an injury at Tulane, but he’s close. He’ll probably throw two more times before we get him out there, but his velocity got up to 91, and he’s a guy who is 95-96 last year," Stricklin said. "We’re starting to get a velo jump; He’s getting close."

Lineup Notes

· The Bulldogs are expected to use three different starting lineups against Jacksonville State.

"I think we’re going to see three different lineups this weekend for sure. There are guys who deserve to get some opportunities. You’re going to see Will David in there, you’re going to see Garrett Spikes in there, you’re going to see Justin Thomas in there. That’s at least 12 different guys who will start," Stricklin said. "Josh Stinson has had a very good spring, D.A. Allen, and Josh Tate, too. That’s 15 guys that all can play at any time. But I’d say for sure we’re going to see 12 guys start this weekend."

· Do not look for a lot of change as far as the top part of Georgia's batting order is concerned.

Ben Anderson will leadoff and be followed by Connor Tate in the No. 2 hole, Parks Harber at No. 3, and Charlie Condon as the cleanup hitter.

They will be followed on Friday by Corey Collins in the No. 5 hole, catcher Fernando Gonzalez at No. 6 and Cole Wagner at No. 7.

"Having Wagner in the seven-hole is really a luxury because that’s a really good hitter right there," Stricklin said. "Corey and Wags could flip-flop at some point, and Garrett Spikes is pushing those guys, too for left-handed at-bats."

Sebastian Murillo and Mason LaPlante will bat 8th and 9th.