Georgia unfazed by early games this weekend: ‘We’re ready to go no matter what’

Georgia is just two wins away from booking its first trip back to Omaha since 2008. Standing in its way is a nationally seeded Mississippi State team that is seeking to avenge its four losses to Georgia this season.

When the NCAA released its super regional schedule for this weekend on Tuesday, fans of both teams were surprised and showed animosity toward the game times. This highly ranked battle of the Bulldogs series is set to play Saturday-Monday, with Game 1 on Saturday starting at 11 a.m. and Sunday’s Game 2 set for noon.

From a fan’s perspective, it can be head-scratching, considering this series is one of only three ranked matchups and the only super regional not scheduled for an evening game.

But for Georgia, it could not care less about the start time. Whether the sun is up or down, the Bulldogs will be ready to go.

“We don’t really care,” UGA shortstop Kolby Branch said. “It’s fun to play at night. But it’s another ball game. We get to show up to the field in the morning, and we’re ready to go, and that’s the way the guys like it. Yeah, we’re ready to go, no matter what.”

This will not be the first time Georgia has had an early first pitch. Four different times this year, a game has started at noon or earlier, with the earliest being an 11 a.m. series finale against Mississippi State back on April 4.

The team’s record in those four games is 3-1.

Shortly after all game times were released this week, UGA athletic director Josh Brooks took his frustration about the early first pitches to social media.

“Nothing says ‘top remaining seed’ like an 11 a.m. Saturday start for Game 1,” Brooks said on X Tuesday.

As for Bulldogs coach Wes Johnson, he seemed unfazed, as he has no control over what times the NCAA gives to teams.

“Yeah, I don’t control that. I mean, I’m neutral,” he said. I mean, we played early in Hoover; it doesn’t matter."

Regardless of what time first pitch is, Johnson has full faith that the Foley faithful will be able to show up early and often to replicate its performance during last week’s regionals.