Recipe for success: Bulldog relievers excelling in SEC play

Georgia Tech at No. 22 Georgia

WHERE: Foley Field

WHEN: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

RECORDS: Georgia 26-13; Georgia Tech 19-16

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

A deep dive into Georgia’s pitching stats reveals a trio of relievers you probably wouldn't have pegged for quite the success they're enjoying thus far.

The impact Ben Harris, Jaden Woods, and Darryn Pasqua continue to make certainly stands out. That’s particularly true in SEC action, where the trio has posted some impressive numbers.

For example:

In 16.1 innings, Harris has allowed only three hits in conference play. He has notched 30 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting a mere .057 against him.

Pasqua’s forte is his control. In 26 innings, he’s only walked one batter—none in SEC play.

Then there’s Woods, the true freshman left-hander, who boasts one of the top spin rates on the team. The former Houston County standout has become a key figure on Sunday “staff day” for the Bulldogs, boasting a league ERA of 3.33, but with just two earned runs over his past 8.1 innings.

Together, the three have given the Bulldogs’ bullpen a boost that even head coach Scott Stricklin admits he didn’t necessarily see coming.

“I hoped they would. Ben Harris—we knew how talented he was; we all saw it in intra-squads, but you just didn’t know. There was some inconsistency there in intra-squads. He did walk some guys in some of the games. There was some feast and famine. He’d strike a guy out, then walk a guy early on. But once we got in the league, he’s been lights out,” Stricklin said. “(Pasqua) hasn’t walked a guy all year. That’s like Cam Shepherd not making an error in the league last year. Thirty-one strikeouts and one walk; When you’ve got guys that throw strikes and compete in the strike zone, it really helps.”

Pasqua joked that he wasn't sure what his role would be, either.

“I think with that, it was a question mark for me, too. I didn’t have too much experience coming in. I’m just happy to get to play. I just love coming in, and whatever the coaches tell me to do, I’m happy to go in there and do the best I can,” he said. “It’s been fun coming in, whatever role they’ve asked.”

Woods, meanwhile, began the season in the rotation for the Bulldogs, due to illnesses to Ryan Webb and Jonathan Cannon.

But once they returned, the former Houston County star was moved to the bullpen, where he’s started to blossom into a reliable option for pitching coach Sean Kenny.

“The first couple of weeks were kind of tough for me, but that was more on the mental side,” Woods said. “Over the years I’ve just been so used to routine, knowing when I was going to throw and everything, so having to go out and prepare for moments like these has really helped.”

Since an arm injury to CJ Smith, the Bulldogs have opted for a “staff day” behind Cannon and Webb. Typically, it’s been fellow freshman Luke Wagner getting the start, with Woods coming into the game around the fifth and the sixth.

So far, the strategy has worked as Georgia has won its past four “staff days” heading into this weekend’s series against Auburn.

Stricklin acknowledged he hasn't ruled out ultimately working Woods back into the rotation. Right now, however, he does not feel the need.

“It’s been successful for us. Jaden Woods is obviously a candidate to move into the rotation. But when you look at it, Jaden's been going into the game in the sixth and seventh inning, when the game is really close, and a lot of times it’s been Game 3,” Stricklin said. “When you get Game 3 bullpens in the SEC, the bullpens have been beat-up. So, you put a fresh Jaden Woods out there and let him finish up; it’s just kind of worked.”

Woods’ penchant for being able to get out of jams has also caught Stricklin’s eye.

In the fifth inning of Sunday’s game at Missouri, the Tigers had runners at second and third with just one out of what at the time was just a 5-3 Georgia lead. Woods struck out the next two batters to escape the threat, and Georgia went on to take the series with a 9-4 win.

Saturday, it was Harris’ turn.

Up 5-4 in the ninth, Georgia was one out away from a win until a high fly to right was dropped by Buddy Floyd, allowing the tying run to score. But Harris kept his composure. Even after a questionable throw by catcher Corey Collins gave the Tigers one more opportunity to win, Harris, a transfer from Virginia, recorded the final out. In the top of the 10th, Cole Tate singled in the go-ahead runs for the Bulldogs, who won, 7-5.

“With Ben, we knew it was there,” Stricklin said of the role he envisioned Harris playing. “We just didn’t know it was going to happen. But he’s been phenomenal.”

Pasqua’s consistency has been his key.

The right-hander won’t break the radar gun, but thanks to an improved slider, he's become someone Stricklin has not hesitated to put in when the game is still on the line.

“Friday night in the SEC, ninth inning, it’s exciting; it’s a big spot,” Pasqua said. “But that doesn’t change what you have to do. You’ve still got to throw strikes, command two pitches, if not more, just to be able to get outs in this league. The approach doesn’t change, but the emotion sure does.”

For Stricklin, whose Bulldogs debuted at No. 22 in this week’s Baseball America poll, and who host Georgia Tech Tuesday night (7 p.m., SEC Network), it’s a recipe for success he hopes will continue the rest of the year.

“That was the message to our team (Sunday)—hey, our bullpen is better than their bullpen. We need to score runs for our pitchers, but our bullpen is going to win it for us,” he said. “We gave Jaden the ball in the fifth; that was a little earlier than what we wanted to do, but he got us through it, and it allowed us to be in the lead. If you start him, he gets to the fifth or sixth. Having Jaden Woods, Ben Harris, and Darryn Pasqua, those three guys and the bullpen for us has been the formula that’s worked.”