WHERE: UFCU Disch-Falk Field, Austin, Tex.

WHEN: Friday 7:30 p.m., Saturday 3 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m.

RECORDS: Georgia 29-2, 8-1; Texas 23-4, 8-1

STARTING PITCHERS: Friday - LH Charlie Goldstein (0-2, 6.92) vs LH Jared Spencer (3-1, 3.62); Saturday - RH Brian Curley (2-0, 3.42) vs LH Luke Harrison (2-0, 2.12); Sunday - RH Leighton Finley (2-0, 6.66) vs TBA.

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

Game Notes

When Texas and Oklahoma joined the SEC, what was already considered the toughest conference for baseball became even more difficult.

This weekend in Austin, the third-ranked Bulldogs have an opportunity to see just how good they are.

Georgia’s baseball team will be making its first-ever pilgrimage to Austin, Texas this weekend, facing a Longhorn program that historically has been one of the best in all the game.

The two teams have met just four times before, the previous two at the 2004 College World Series, with Texas taking a pair of games and ultimately eliminating the Bulldogs, by the scores of 9-3 and 7-6.

Although Bulldog skipper Wes Johnson has been careful not to place too much emphasis on one SEC series over another, he knows from experience the challenge that awaits his Bulldogs (29-2, 8-1) at Disch-Falk Field in Austin.

“It's a raucous crowd. It's going to be wild,” said Johnson, who has coached games at Texas while serving as the pitching coach at both Dallas Baptist and LSU.

“You got to play really good baseball. It's a very, very big ballpark, and the weather doesn't look good for homers this weekend,” Johnson said. “Even if the weather is good for homers, you typically don't hit a lot of homers at that ballpark, so you better be ready to play good. You gotta play really good defense. You can't walk, guys. You’ve got to get timely hits.”

The matchup is an intriguing one.

Georgia leads the SEC with 84 home runs, but the Bulldogs will be going against a Texas pitching staff that’s allowed only 14 in 27 games.

Combine that with the fact that the park in Texas doesn’t allow many long balls to begin with, Johnson said his Bulldogs will have their work cut out.

“I don't want to not respect their pitching staff, but I’ve played games at that ballpark where (Shohei) Ohtani couldn't hit it out,” Johnson said. “That’s how big it'll play. The way their stadium is actually constructed, the south wind comes over and shoots back toward center. You can still get it out down the lines, but there’s a northwest wind on Saturday and Sunday, and it will be hard, really hard to get it out.”

Infielder Ryan Black can attest to playing at Texas and the conditions the Bulldogs could encounter.

As a freshman at UT-Arlington, Black saw first-hand what playing in Austin is like.

“I think if we just continue to do what we do, we'll be fine,” Black said. “The wind can do really whatever. It can go out, it can go in. So, I think just playing our brand of baseball will be important.”

Johnson hopes his senior-laded team will help make a difference.

“Yeah, the great thing about seniors is they've been in the game a long time, right, at this level. And they know that if you get too high for a series or you make too much out of it, the outcome can cause you to spiral,” Johnson said. “That can cause you to start to panic, start to try too much, start to hit five run homers, or strike out six guys with one inning. And you just can't, you gotta stay here in the now. That’s why it's good to have these older guys who've been around this league to understand, hey, you know what? The most important game that we're gonna play all year is Friday. It's the only one on the schedule. It's no different than when we play next Friday against Arkansas. They're all really good.”

Tre Phelps will travel with the team to Austin, Johnson confirmed.

The sophomore has missed the previous four games after injuring his hamstring in practice a week ago.

“Yeah, Tre’s going,” Johnson said. “He sees the Doc against today, and we’ll have another update then.”

UPDATE: According to Thursday night's SEC Availability Report, Phelps is out for the weekend.

The Bulldogs could have used him.

Phelps (.305-5-26) has reached base safely in the first 27 games he played this year.

Although it will not be this week, Johnson said Kolten Smith is closer to rejoining the rotation.

“We’ll eventually work Colton back into starting at some point. It won't be this weekend. I think he's probably another weekend away,” Johnson said. “We’ve got to continue to build his count and get him back into the weight room. When he got sick, he lost like 10 or 12 pounds, I think it was. He’s about back up to the weight he was to start the season, so once we get there, then I'll feel better about a good, solid weekly plan.”

Smith appears to be rounding back into shape.

His last two relief appearances have seen Smith pitch six scoreless innings of no-hit ball with three walks and 10 strikeouts, eight coming in a four-inning effort last weekend against Auburn.

Although the statistics may not show it, Johnson likes the progression being shown by lefty Charlie Goldstein.

“One of the things I'm really excited about is his off-speed. His sliders are better now than they were last year. Now, obviously, last year he had fastball command before he got hurt, and he had the changeup to go with it,” Johnson said. “Now, one of the things that have come out of his struggles with his fastball has been, he's really commanding the slider, like really good, and the curveball has become a weapon, a true, true weapon for him now.”

Once Goldstein (0-0, 6.92) – who has allowed four homers among his nine hits allowed – starts locating his fastball, Johnson expects his overall results to return.

“If he can get his fastball command back, he's gonna be a different guy than he was last year,” said Johnson.

The Bulldogs are batting .324 with a .629 slugging percentage and 84 home runs. They have a .466 on-base percentage with 204 walks, have been hit 81 times, plus are 45-for-50 in SB. The team’s leading hitters are roommates Ryland Zaborowski (.448-14-48, NCAA-best 1.011 slugging percentage) and Robbie Burnett (.365-15-47, 27 BB, 17 HBP, 11 stolen bases). Zaborowski ranks among the NCAA leaders in home runs, slugging percentage, and RBI. Burnett ranks third nationally with a .564 OB% and is in the top 10 in hit-by-pitches, home runs, and runs.

…Florida native Christian Adams (.318-4-16) posted a 1.429 slugging percentage, batted .571 (8-for-14), and tallied three doubles, three home runs, and seven RBI. Georgia has scored at least six runs in 28 of 31 games this year and 10+ runs in 15 games, going 15-0 in those contests.

...Texas is batting .299 with 47 home runs, a .537 slugging percentage, and .400 on base percentage. The leading hitter for Texas is Ethan Mendoza (.373-4-17), while reigning National/SEC Player of the Week Will Gasparino is batting .284 with 10 home runs and 32 RBI. Gasparino’s father, Billy, played his freshman season (1996) for Georgia before transferring to Oklahoma State.