Home runs haven’t exactly been a forte of Georgia the four previous years under skipper Scott Stricklin.
Could that be about to change? The early signs are promising.
Friday, the Bulldogs used a trio of homers run to roll past Charlotte 12-2, the fifth, sixth and seventh time the Bulldogs have left the park in five games.
Left fielder Keegan McGovern was again part of the fun. The senior homered for the third time, a solo shot in the first inning, surpassing the two he had all last year.
A three-run shot by LJ Talley and a two-run homer by Tucker Bradley - the first of his career - also helped account for the damage for Georgia which led 10-0 after three innings.
"Every single guy's a threat," Stricklin said. "LJ Talley did that all fall. It's fun, in the fall Coach (Sean) Kenny was like who's that guy, he's unbelievable, he was that good, hitting four or five home runs. But yeah, one through nine I think we've got a chance to hit some home runs."
Bradley agreed.
After the Bulldogs hit just 40 home runs in 57 games last spring, the sophomore said Georgia's experience will help that number grow exponentially.
"I think it's just more maturity, compared to last year when it was a bunch of freshmen," Bradley said. "We didn't really know what to look for, now we understand the game a little bit more and we've got guys with more muscle, are stronger and really driving the ball. We feel our offense is pretty lethal right now."
Junior starter Kevin Smith (1-0) was the grateful beneficiary of all the support.
Smith – who was touched for six runs in the opener against Georgia Southern – was more on point against the 49ers.
The former Dunwoody High standout went 5.1 innings, giving up seven hits, one run, with one walk and five strikeouts.
"I just tried to slow things down, take it pitch by pitch, and trust that we'll play good defense," said Smith, whose teammates have scored 33 runs in the two games he's pitched this year.
"It's nice knowing that even if we're down like we were last weekend that they're going to put together good at-bats," Smith said. "They do a great job of putting up some good run support for us."
He was followed by Christian Ryder who gave up an unearned run in 1.2 innings and freshman Josh Smith who finished off the game with a scoreless eighth and ninth.
Offensively, the Bulldogs (4-1) outhit Charlotte (3-2) 14-10, led by McGovern (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI), Talley (1-for-4, HR, 4 RBI) and Bradley (2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI).
Eleven of Georgia's runs and 11 of the hits were charged to 49er starter Matt Brooks (0-1), who went five innings for the 49ers, who fell behind early in the game.
McGovern accounted for three of Georgia’s first five runs, first with a solo homer in the first, followed by a two-RBI single in the Bulldogs’ four-run second.
Back-to-back bunts by Tucker Maxwell and Bradley – both with the bases loaded - drove in the inning’s other two runs.
"They can really run, they can really handle the bat and when you think about it, last year, when those two guys were in the lineup they were still trying to find themselves as hitters," Stricklin said. "We were losing early and it's tough to bunt when you're losing, but early in the game, it's tied up or you've got a lead, you can really put some pressure on teams because that's tough to defend."
Talley’s three-run homer and Bradley’s two-run shot keyed Georgia’s five-run third before the Bulldogs closed out the game with single runs in the fifth and seventh.
NOTES: With Sunday’s threat of rain, Georgia and Charlotte will play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. Emerson Hancock (0-0, 0.00) and Chase Adkins (0-0, 0.00) will pitch for the Bulldogs. Game 2 will start 45 minutes after completion of Game 1. … McGovern’s home run was his third of the year. He had two all of last season.
