Athens ———Tuesday at Foley Field, Georgia takes against Kennesaw State. First pitch is scheduled at 5:02 p.m. The Georgia Bulldog Sports Network and SECN+ will also offer live streaming of the game.
Under first-year Ike Cousins head coach Wes Johnson, the Bulldogs are 24-8. Georgia’s home record this season is 19-1, with a 16-1 record versus non-conference opponents. Michigan State was the victim of the only loss at Foley Field on February 28. This season, the Owls (17-13) have defeated teams currently rated in the top 10 on the road in several thrilling victories. They have victories against 27-4 overall Kentucky, 11-1 in the SEC and ranked 10th, and 1-2 versus Clemson, which is now ranked second (28-3).
The Bulldogs had their third SEC road series in a row and their second in a row this past weekend. The Bulldogs lost 2-1 in a series against Mississippi State, ranked 19th. At Stetson, the Owls dropped a road series 2-1. At Foley Field on March 6, the Bulldogs defeated Stetson 11–5.
Hitters To Watch: According to D1Baseball.com and Perfect Game USA, Charlie Condon, a redshirt sophomore infielder/outfielder for Georgia (.458-20-42, 1.067 SLG%,.570 OB%,.990 FLDG%), is the Midseason Player of the Year. He is expected to be selected in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft and has led the nation in up to six offensive categories this year. He has had a difficult time after going 5-for-6 with two home runs and three RBI against No. 5 Tennessee on March 30. His average has dropped to a pitiful.458 after going 3-for-21 with one home run and two RBI in his last five games. Condon is ranked third in batting average, fourth in hits, sixth in on base %, and still leads the NCAA in home runs, slugging percentage, and total bases this week according to the latest NCAA statistics rankings.
Tre Phelps, a rookie, batted.500 in the most recent road series against No. 19 Mississippi State, going 5-for-10 with two doubles and an RBI. Senior Corey Collins (.381-12-32) has hit safely in 20 straight games, tying Condon’s record for the team’s longest run from earlier in the season.
Senior Isaac Bouton (.322-8-26) is KSU’s best power hitter and RBI producer, while senior Brayden Eidson (.375-3-24) leads the team in hitting.
History of the Series: Since 2006, Georgia has dominated the all-time series 22-11. Georgia has won the series five times running, with KSU’s previous victory occurring in Kennesaw, Georgia, in 2021 (6-4). The Bulldogs triumphed 10-9 at Foley Field and 6-4 at KSU the previous season.
Tuesday’s pitching matchup sees Blake Gillespie, a sophomore right-hander with a 0.00 ERA, start for Georgia. This season, he has made seven relief appearances totaling 6.1 innings; this will be his first start. This past Sunday against No. 19 MSU, he threw 0.2 scoreless innings, giving up one hit, one walk, and one strikeout. Last season, Gillespie made three starts and went 0-1 in 11.2 innings with a 14.66 ERA.
KSU’s junior right-hander Halton Hardy (0-0, 2.16 ERA), an Athens native and East Jackson High School alum, will oppose. Having appeared in seven relief appearances totaling 8.1 innings, this will be his first start. In their midweek games, the majority of clubs adopt a staff strategy, using seven to nine pitchers.
Rutherford Street Closure: This season, please be aware that Rutherford Street, which is next to Foley Field, will be blocked to vehicular traffic one hour prior to kickoff and remain closed for thirty minutes after the game.
