Junior pitcher Kevin Smith is ready to take the momentum he gained the final three weeks of 2017 and use it as a springboard to a strong start this spring.
Assuming the big left-hander is able to accomplish that, the Bulldogs might have something special on their hands.
Last May, Smith closed out the season for the Bulldogs by going 3-0 with a 1.89 ERA the final three weeks of the 2017 season by beating a trio of ranked teams – No. 4 Kentucky, No. 6 Mississippi State and No. 30 South Carolina - to help the Bulldogs clinch a spot in the SEC Tournament.
“It’s something I certainly hope to carry over,” said Smith, who will be on the mound when Georgia opens its season Friday night at Foley Field against Georgia Southern.
“I just got in a rhythm and started trusting every pitch," he said. "I went to my change-up more often in the latter half of the season, and just started working my fastball inside and out.”
Smith’s didn't stop there.
After an impressive showing in the Cape Cod League over the summer, it didn’t take long for Smith to impress new pitching coach Sean Kenny.
“I got to see him in the Cape this year which was really helpful. The thing that stuck out to me was that he belonged. He walked around like he was one of the better guys there and he walked around like he knew he was going to get guys out,” Kenny said. “It wasn’t too much for him, he was comfortable on that stage, and that’s what you’ve got to have, certainly in our league. It’s a big stage. He fits the demeanor of a Friday night starter.”
It’s a role Smith – who went 5-5 with a 4.87 ERA last spring – is anxious to once again fill.
“Just being that guy, it’s really humbling because you’re the one who’s got to set the tone,” he said. “Every pitch you throw, you might want to think you want to blow it by them, but in this league its tough. You’ve got to throw every pitch with conviction.”
Hence, what Smith’s feels is one of the biggest improvements he’s made since the end of last season.
“I’ve worked on all my off-speed pitches, my change-up, basically all my pitches,” said Smith, who added that Kenny – in his first year as Georgia’s pitching coach – has also helped tweak his mental approach to the game.
Bulldog pitchers have been urged to attack the strike zone more, don’t let opposing hitters dictate at-bats, and use the same approach every time out without fear of failure.
“The biggest thing is to stay consistent, not get too high or two low,” Smith said. “Just go out each time and do the best you can.”
