Woods loves the pressure

No. 24 Mississippi State at No. 18 Georgia

WHERE: Foley Field

WHEN: Friday 7 p.m., Saturday 2 p.m., Sunday Noon

RECORDS: Georgia 14-3; Mississippi State 10-7

STARTING PITCHERS: Friday – RHP Jonathan Cannon (3-1, 2.39) vs RHP Preston Johnson (2-0, 2.82); Saturday – LH Cole Wagner (5-0, 0.73) vs RHP Parker Stinnett (3-0, 3.57); Sunday – RH Garrett Brown (0-0, 5.40) vs RH Cade Smith (3-0, 2.05)

TV/RADIO: Friday & Sunday (SEC Network: Dave Neal, Kyle Peterson): Saturday (SEC Network+: Matt Stewart and Jason Jacobs); Georgia Bulldog Radio Network (Jeff Dantzler, David Johnston).

Pressure situations do not faze sophomore left-hander Jaden Woods. In fact, he believes that’s an area he thrives in.

So, while some wonder why the former Houston County standout has yet to move into the weekend rotation, Woods said Thursday he has absolutely no problem being that shutdown arm to carry the Bulldogs through the middle of a game, or whenever the situation calls.

No. 18 Georgia (14-4) opens SEC play Friday against defending national champion Mississippi State (11-7), a series that will see Woods once again play an integral role.

“I’ve really bought into the role, because again, it’s very pressurized. I like being out there throwing pitches when you’re either going to lose or win the game,” Woods said. “I really love those situations. It really fuels and fires me up to be that guy to be trusted during the game.”

It’s a role Woods (0-0, 3.94) has excelled in before.

Need a bridge from the starter to the back end of the bullpen? Need someone to pitch the seventh or eighth? That’s Woods’ time to shine.

“He’s a team guy. He knows he’s getting the ball in pressure situations. The only thing that makes that job difficult is you don’t really know when it’s going to be your turn,” head coach Scott Stricklin said. “You could even go through a weekend where you don’t need him. That’s the uncertainty. But you also know that every time you’re going to pitch it’s going to be game on the line and that’s what we need. We need him in the pen to do that right now.

"We do think he is a future starter, but having him, even in the middle of the game, if it’s the fifth inning and it’s tight, it might be Jaden Woods’ time. The game will dictate it, but he will be in the game when it matters.”

Woods, who has struck out 22 batters in 16 innings, said he’s learned to adapt a reliever’s mentality that he could pitch at any time.

When the game’s on the line, he’s ready.

“It starts with me just being so passionate about my team and doing what I can do to help them win. That’s everything to me,” Woods said. “That’s my main goal when I came to Georgia, to not only pitch well but be the best teammate that I can be.”

Ultimately, Woods does figure to slide in the rotation, perhaps as one of Georgia’s weekend guys.

He has a major league arm with the ability to run his fastball as high as 94 mph. However, to do that, he ultimately has to develop a third pitch, something Woods acknowledge has been a challenge.

But he’s working on it.

“All three pitchers are coming along really well right now, better than I would have expected them to come,” Woods said. “My slider is coming along, my curveball is coming along. The slider needs a little bit more work, but I think I’ll be there.”

A grip change at the behest of pitching coach Sean Kenny is making a difference.

“I used to throw a curveball, and my fingers were pretty close together. I went down to Florida and Coach Kenny discovered this “whirlybird” slider, as he calls it,” Wood said. “My fingers are kind of spread out on the ball now, and I throw it like a curveball. I thought it was weird at first, but after I saw it, I had no problems.”

Saturday starter Liam Sullivan will not pitch this weekend while he rests what Stricklin describes as a sore arm. Fellow sophomore Luke Wagner (5-0, 0.73) will take his place in the rotation.

Stricklin insists the decision is only a precaution and Sullivan will be back on the mound soon, perhaps as early as next week’s series at Kentucky.

“It’s just soreness. Nothing major,” Stricklin said. “We’re optimistic that he is going to be ready for the following weekend and he’s made progress But it’s one of those things we don’t want to push. He feels good. There was just a little bit of extra soreness, so we just decided we’re going to bump him.”

It’s understandable why Stricklin and Georgia trainers are being so cautious.

There’s been an uptick in arm/elbow injuries across the country thus far, with a large number of pitchers already shut down with various ailments.

Mississippi State ace Landon Sims recently underwent surgery to repair a torn UCL. Georgia, meanwhile, has suffered season-ending injuries to Dylan Ross and Will Childers.

Stricklin was asked if he had any theories while more injuries are taking place.

“You always ask yourself that and believe me we’ve done a lot of that. We’ve done a lot of that the last couple of years looking at everything. You know what? I think the answer is bigger, stronger, faster. Kids are throwing the ball really hard,” Stricklin said. “But the regime these guys are on, the training, the nutrition, the arm care, the stuff with the physicians and trainers, it’s world class here. It’s world class everywhere in our league. But it’s just been happening everywhere.”

But Stricklin insists that’s not the case with Sullivan (2-1, 3.68), who has been Georgia’s Saturday starter this year.

“Liam is just sore. I’m not saying that just to say that, it’s the truth. It’s not coach-speak masking something bigger, you’ll see Liam sooner rather than later,” Stricklin said. “This is just out of an abundance of caution to make sure he’s ready to go for the final nine, possible eight weeks of the season. But we’re optimistic he will be able to pitch at Kentucky.”

The first pitch in Friday’s opener is set for 6 p.m. and will be televised on the SEC Network.

That is if Mother Nature allows.

The forecast for Athens on Friday calls for a 100 percent chance of rain. If the two teams cannot play, Georgia and Mississippi State would play a doubleheader Saturday starting at 2 p.m.

However, Stricklin is hopeful that will not be the case.

“It doesn’t look good when you look at the percentages, but it is the SEC Game of the Week, so we’re going to do everything we can to play,” Stricklin said. “There’s definitely going to be some rain but we’re definitely going to try and play. Nobody wants to play a double header. But if we do, we will keep everything same time.”

Third baseman Josh McAllister received a scare recently when he was hit in the face with a batted ball.

Luckily, the injuries were minor. McAllister only received a couple of minor facial fractures, but the result of the injuries has him wearing a protective mask both at the plate and in the field.

“They said four weeks, but if we get an X-ray or something,” McAllister said. “Maybe it comes off sooner. But right now, it’s four weeks.”

McAllister suffered the injury recently in a game against Georgia Southern when he attempted to push a bunt up the first base line. Unfortunately, as he lunged forward, McAllister suddenly realized that the ball was coming directly at his face.

He tried to deflect the ball with his bat, only to nick his bat and slam into the side of his face.

For Stricklin, he’d seen similar injuries before. Three years ago, catcher Mason Meadows fouled a ball off his face and was never quite the same.

McAllister knows he was lucky.

“I’ve seen the video of Mason and I was just lucky I’m not having to go through the same thing he did,” McAllister said. “My biggest thing was, 'Did I have all my teeth?" Thank goodness I did. But yeah, I saw the Mason Meadows video. I’m just super lucky. Once inch up or down, I’m probably out for a long time. It sucks, but I’m glad it hit me where it did.”

…Stricklin said infielder Buddy Floyd (HBP) is getting final clearance and should be able to play against Mississippi State.

… Georgia CF Ben Anderson (.373-3-12) and SS Cole Tate (.372-1-9) lead the regulars. Anderson has reached base in 15 straight games as he ranks among the SEC leaders with a .548 OB% plus a team-high 16 walks. Tate ranks among the SEC leaders with 28 hits.

… Sophomore C/DH Corey Collins (.352-6-15) is tied for third in the SEC with six home runs and is sixth in the league with a .796 SLG%. He enters SEC play with a 15-game on-base streak including a seven-game hitting streak. MSU’s run producers include freshman Hunter Hines (.328-5-20), sophomore Kellum Clark (.280-5-16) and junior Logan Tanner (.290-2-22).

… Junior righty Jonathan Cannon (3-1, 2.39 ERA) headlines the pitching staff and leads the SEC with 26.1 innings pitched. Wagner is the national leader in victories at 5-0. A key member of the bullpen, he has notched a victory in all five of his relief appearances while posting a 0.73 ERA in 12.1 innings with 17 Ks.