It has largely been a throw-away season for the Georgia Bulldogs. Yes, hope remains for an SEC tournament berth and, consequently, NCAA regional bids remain a long-shot possibility. But between pitching injuries and batting deficiencies, the theme and tone of 2015 seem to have been set.
But there has been some sunshine peeking through the clouds for the Bulldogs of late. Their decimated pitching staff has finally gotten healthy and they won an SEC series for the first time in six weeks this past weekend at Kentucky. Between that and the prospect of playing rival Georgia Tech at Turner Field on Tuesday, some welcomed warmth is being breathed into Georgia’s season.
“It’s momentum, that’s the biggest thing,” Bulldogs coach Scott Stricklin said of winning the last two against the Wildcats. “Having Robert Tyler out there giving us five innings allowed us to get a little rest going into the middle of the week. Not having Robert and David Sosebee (back), our pitching was so thin we’d get into the middle of the week and it was just really tough. … It just allows us to spread our innings out a little more.”
Tyler, the Bulldogs’ ace right-hander, had been out since early February with a forearm injury. He returned to the mound against Florida May 3 and pitched two innings. He went five on Sunday against the Wildcats and limited them to a run on two hits with no walks and four strikeouts in a no-decision.
That will make a difference Tuesday in that Georgia will be able to start Jared Walsh against the Yellow Jackets in the annual Spring Classic for Kids benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Walsh, who also plays first base, had been forced into weekend rotation role with Tyler and Sosebee sidelined. Now the Bulldogs can utilize him more as the midweek secret weapon he was intended to be.
Walsh enters Tuesday’s contest with 4-2 record and 2.86 ERA in 13 appearances including seven starts. He’s also batting .306-3-21 in 39 games including 37 starts as either a designated hitter, first baseman or outfielder. Walsh also hit the game-tying home run in the ninth inning that sent the Kentucky game into extra innings, where the Bulldogs won 6-1.
“He didn’t throw at all this weekend and it was great having him back 100 percent,” Stricklin said. “He’s been battling a back issue, but he was able to play first base every single game in Lexington. So he’s fresh and he’ll get the start.”
It’ll be a “staff day” for both the Bulldogs and the Yellow Jackets. Georgia will have pitchers Mike Mancuso, Taylor Hicks, Bo Tucker, Zach Waters and Jared Cheek at the ready. Georgia Tech will start junior right-hander Cole Pitts (0-5, 6.98 ERA) and then turn liberally to the bullpen.
Which is not to say either team is “saving up for later.” The Yellow Jackets (32-18, 13-14 ACC) are playing for seeding in the ACC Tournament with an eye on NCAA regional play. Tech presently sports a healthy RPI of 27 and, barring a momentous collapse, can look forward to extended postseason play.
Georgia, meanwhile, is more desperate. At 24-26 overall and 9-17 (.346) in the SEC, the Bulldogs currently occupy the 12th spot for the 12-team conference tournament. They finish at home against 20th-ranked Arkansas starting Thursday at Foley Field. Tennessee (8-18, .308) plays host to Mississippi State (8-19, .296) and they are 13th and 14th. Thus, Georgia needs to stay ahead of them to earn the final spot.
If Georgia wins two or three games against Arkansas, the Bulldogs will be in the SEC Tournament (Georgia holds the tiebreaker with UT after sweeping the Vols). If Georgia wins only one game, either UT or MSU would have to sweep to pass Georgia.
But Tech is all that will be on the Bulldogs’ minds on Tuesday. They lost to the Yellow Jackets 13-6 in Athens back and March and the April 14th date in Atlanta was rained out and won’t be replayed. So this is it for the season.
“Every game for us is a must-win,” Stricklin said. “That’s the way we’ve got to play it. Certainly Georgia Tech is our rival and we’re going to do everything we can to win that game. It’s a huge game for us.”
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