Guidry answered the call

Georgia at Georgia Southern

WHEN: Tuesday, 5:02 p.m.

WHERE: J.I. Clements Stadium, Statesboro.

RECORD: Georgia 9-3; Georgia Southern 6-5

RADIO: Georgia Bulldog Radio Network (Jeff Dantzler, David Johnston)

Of all the storylines that came out of Georgia’s series victory over North Florida, the emergence of redshirt freshman Kameron Guidry was certainly an eye-opener.

With injuries to essentially the top three shortstops on the Bulldogs’ roster, Guidry, out of necessity, found himself in the lineup for the first time in his young career for Saturday’s second game against the visiting Ospreys.

Two games later, the former Redan star is making it hard for head coach Scott Stricklin to take him out of the lineup, after going 3 for 6 in his first at-bats. Guidry would score two runs and hit three RBIs out of the nine-hole in Georgia’s victories Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

“I’ve always been prepared for the opportunity. We’ve got a really deep team, a lot of good players,” Guidry said. “It’s the next man up, and I’m happy I could be ready for my team.”

Stricklin could not have been more pleased.

“Kam did about everything in the last few games; I’m so happy for him. I know Mom and Dad were in the stands and had huge smiles on their faces,” he said. “The kid has been here for a year and a half. He’s worked his tail off.”

Although injuries are common, having one position hit as hard as shortstop 12 games into the season definitely qualifies as unusual.

Georgia’s issues started when starter and senior Cole Tate tweaked a hamstring in a game against Gardner Webb. That turned out to be just the beginning.

Josh McAllister (hamstring) and Buddy Floyd (bruised forearm) were also unable to go, leaving the job to Guidry, who drove in two of Georgia’s six runs Saturday with a booming triple that almost left the park for a home run.

Sunday, it was Guidry’s double in the bottom of the seventh on an 0-2 pitch that allowed Georgia to tie the game 4-4 before winning in the bottom of the ninth on Chaney Rogers’ three-run homer.

Defensively, the Snellville native made a couple of nice picks, including one on a throw with the bases loaded from catcher Shane Marshall to catch a runner who had wandered too far off base for a huge third out.

“You put him in the nine hole, put him at short, and say, 'Hey, just make the routine plays, maybe get a bunt and move a runner over, have a productive at-bat—and here he comes hitting balls off the wall, hitting doubles and triples and getting big RBIs,” Stricklin said. “He made some unbelievable plays defensively. On the pickoff on the throw from Chaney, it was a really tough hop, but he picked it and made the tag. The same thing from Shane Marshall—when they had the bases loaded, he picked the ball and made the tag at second base.”

With Tate, McAllister, and Floyd each expected to return soon, Guidry’s hold on shortstop is likely short-lived.

However, with his performance last weekend, don’t look for him to have to wait long should another opportunity arise.

When called, Guidry said he’ll be ready to perform and succeed.

“A lot of visualization has to go into it,” he said. “You don’t get those reps all the time, so it’s just thinking about what to do in those situations, and mentally to already have an outcome if you want, and just make it happen.”

Stricklin said some of his other players can take a cue from Guidry, whose hard work and patience have put him in a favorable light.

“We knew we were going to redshirt him last year. He knew that, he worked hard, he stuck with it. He knew he was behind some guys this year, but he’s always there early, he always takes extra ground balls, he always hits more, and he always hustles,” Stricklin said. “We told all the guys (Saturday), 'That’s a lesson for all you guys who are not playing right now. You never know when you're going to get your chance. It didn’t look like Kam would get the chance—then some guys go down, but here he is, and man, am I really happy for him.”

NOTES: Jonathan Cannon makes his season debut on the mound for the Bulldogs after missing the first three weekends recovering from mononucleosis. A preseason All-American, Cannon went 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA in five relief appearances, striking out 12. A draft-eligible sophomore, Cannon is projected to be a first-round pick in the July Major League Draft. … Chaney Rogers, McAllister, and Randon Jernigan enter Tuesday’s contest on six-game hitting streaks.