WHERE: Sewell-Thomas Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
WHEN: Friday 7 p.m., Saturday 5 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m.
RECORDS: Georgia 39-11, 15-9; Alabama 37-12, 13-11
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS: Friday – RH Brian Curley (3-2, 2.96) vs RH Tyler Fay (0-1, 4.63); Saturday – TBA (likely Kolten Smith) vs RH Riley Quick (7-2, 3.47); Sunday – RH Leighton Finley (2-1, 4.82) vs LH Zane Adams (6-2, 4.87)
TV/RADIO: Friday and Saturday: SEC Network+; Sunday: SEC Network; Georgia Bulldog Radio Network (Jeff Dantzler and David Johnston).
With rotation providing length, Georgia's bullpen falling into place
Wes Johnson figured it was just a matter of time before his weekend rotation would begin giving him the length needed for the rest of his pitching staff to settle into specific roles.
Remember when there was concern early in the season if that would ever occur?
Well, it has.
Since being inserted into the starting rotation, Brian Curley (3-2, 2.96) enters Friday night’s game at Alabama on a streak of five straight games of going five-plus innings, including last week’s seven-inning effort at Missouri.
Meanwhile, Kolten Smith (4-2, 5.00) has gone at least five innings in two of his last four starts, allowing just two runs each in games against Arkansas and Missouri.
Sunday starter Leighton Finley (2-1, 4.82) has also found his groove.
Like Curley, Finley has five-plus innings in his last five games, including last week’s season-high 7.1 at Missouri. Finley’s ERA over those games is 3.21 with 38 strikeouts in 28 innings.
“Curley's not been a starter, so throwing him out there and just thinking, yeah, he's got great stuff, but he was used to going through a lineup one and a half times,” Johnson said. “Now we're pushing through a lineup three times and that's not as easy as it sounds. They’re preparing for him, too, and understand he's got a good cutter and a good …and so his learning how to maneuver through those lineups that second, third time has helped.”
Smith’s improvement can be tied to better health.
After not throwing at all in the fall, Smith was sidelined with a back issue ahead of the opening weekend at UNC-Wilmington, before illness sidetracked him once again.
“I think you're just seeing him get back to where he probably should have started the season,” Johnson said. “I think where he's at right now is what you’d have if he went through a fall and everything else is where you would have seen him weekend.”
Finley’s consistency can be traced back to confidence.
“With Leighton, we did so much with him all season on the slider, which has been a really good pitch for him,” Johnson said. “Again, these guys are not robots and getting comfortable, getting confidence with all your pitches is big. I think that's what you're seeing with him now. He’s got true confidence in what he's doing with the baseball.”
More innings have allowed Georgia’s relievers to settle into more specific roles.
As a result, outcomes have been more consistent, and Johnson has been more strategic with his moves, which has benefited several relievers, including JT Quinn and Alton Davis Jr.
“Oh yeah, it takes a ton of pressure off of you. Not only that particular player, but your starters. Then, as we make moves and we're looking at our grids and going, ‘OK yeah, man, right here is screaming to put Alton Davis in the game’ and we've already talked to Alton about you're coming in to get this guy. Here's what you need to do.”
Other pitchers like Zach Harris have also reaped the benefits.
The transfer from Georgia Southern saved the last two games in the sweep of Missouri and appears set as Georgia’s closer with a fastball that reaches 96-97 mph.
“With Zach, it’s the same thing. We can tell him to just come in and do what you do; throw the ball hard and mix three pitches,” Johnson said. “Another guy who’s got good league numbers is (Quinn). You look at JT's numbers in the league, and they've been really good, and that just lets you continue to match those guys up and use them.”
This and that
• The Bulldogs are batting .287 with a .562 slugging percentage and an NCAA-leading 119 home runs. They have a .417 on-base percentage, have been hit 110 times, plus are 61-for-69 in stolen bases. The team’s leading hitters are Ryland Zaborowski (.372-16-58), Slate Alford (.338-15-55), and Robbie Burnett (.315, SEC-leading 19 home runs plus 61 RBI). However, Zaborowski’s status for the weekend is questionable after missing the past four games following an elbow injury against Oklahoma.
Alford, a senior native of Madison, Ala., is the team’s top hitter in SEC action at .340-9-20. Alford has a team-best 33-game on-base streak and has reached base in 49 of 50 games this season. He is one of two Bulldogs (Kolby Branch-SS) who have started all 50 games this year.
• Alabama is batting .289 with a .504 slugging percentage and 82 home runs. The leading hitters for the Crimson Tide are Kade Snell (.394-9-44), Richie Bonomolo Jr. (.326-6-41, 15 SB), and Justin Lebron (.309-16-62, 14 SB). Snell went 4-for-5 with five RBI in the Tuesday road win over Troy.
• The Bulldogs have posted a 4.72 ERA with 522 strikeouts and 220 walks. Opponents are batting .227 against Georgia. Last week, the pitching staff posted an SEC-best 1.75 ERA, going 4-0 and allowing just seven earned runs in that stretch. UA has a 4.74 ERA with 447 strikeouts and 186 walks this season. Opponents are batting .253 against Alabama with 45 home runs. Georgia’s fielding percentage is among the nation’s best at .982, while UA is fielding .978.
