MVN - Most Valuable Network

Cancel The Season!

Okay, that was a bit drastic, but nonetheless Georgia fell to Arizona 7-1. It’s too late for me to write a post, so I’ll just do today’s game and sunday’s all in one post tomorrow. Pray for a win!

One Down, Fiftey-five to Go

When you open a season against the numero uno ranked team in the nation with a roadtrip out west to Oregon State following, you best have a hero. Returning senior Josh Fields proved to be that hero. Our long time asset scored on a homer then retired the side in the ninth for a save as Georgia held off #1 Arizona 9-7 in Athens.

We just relaxed out there and had fun tonight,” said Fields. “We didn’t want to start out 0-6 like last year, we wanted to come out and get a W and we did. Everyone contributed and I was able to help so I’m excited about that.”

The Dawgs didn’t wait to long to make their statement. I’m talking, first inning early, as they jumped ahead with four runs off Arizona starting pitcher, Preston Guilmet. By the third inning they padded their lead to the tune of 6-2 before the Wildcats returned the favor and scored three runs of their own to make it 6-5 in the fourth off of starter Trevor Holder.

Guilmet was lifted after four innings, marking his shortest stint in two seasons but his defense let him down at times. He toughed it out for a loss, giving up eight runs in the process, only half of which were earned. Holder earned the win, going five innings and saw five runs (three earned) on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

In the fifth, Georgia took an 8-5 lead. After back-to-back walks to Rich Poythress and Matt Olson, the impromptu hero Fields put down a bunt and reached safely for his first hit as a designated hitter this season. Sophomore Joey Lewis earned an RBI with a bases-loaded walk (kinda cheap, but it’s still an RBI) and junior Adam Fuller picked one up on a fielder’s choice. Read the rest of this entry »

One Week Away

In one week Foley Field will be filled with a whopping six people who actually care enough to watch college baseball.

And who could ask for a better first pitch? Our Diamond Dogs open against the top rated foe in the nation in Arizona. The series kicks off on Friday and runs until Sunday (Feb. 22-24). Opening day will kickoff at 5 pm, followed by Saturday at 2 pm, and Sunday at 12:30.

But before all of that gets here we have scimmages to finish. On Friday, six Bulldog pitchers will see action. They include: junior Trevor Holder and freshman Justin Grimm will start with Justin Earls, Joshua Fields, Steve Esmonde and Ryan Woolley appearing in relief.

The SEC’s 12 coaches took a vote on Thursday and Vandy was the predicted favorite to repeat as 2008 SEC baseball champions. The Commodores, ranked as high as No. 3 nationally in the preseason polls, are returning eight of their starters and four pitchers from their 2007 team that earned the numero uno seed in the NCAA Tournament but fell short in making it to the College World Series.

In addition to picking a preseason SEC champion, the league’s head coaches voted a predicted order of finish in the SEC Eastern and Western Divisions. In the East, Vanderbilt was the favorite followed by South Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee. Ole Miss was the favorite in the West followed by Mississippi State, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU and Alabama. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team. Read the rest of this entry »

Better Late Than Never

Sorry, for my extended hiatus. Gawd, it’s about time, Dave. Gosh! So anyways just a reminder my baseball coverage is starting mid-February so we still have a while to go.

In the meantime, another college baseball poll was released recently. And, God Almighty! We actually made it past the 40’s this time. In fact 24th in Perfect Game Crosschecker’s preseason ranking of the nation’s top 100 college teams for 2008. And just like in the previous poll, Arizona, the Bulldogs season-opening opponent, earned the No. 1 spot in the poll.

PG Crosschecker is the on-line scouting wing of Perfect Game USA, the world’s largest independent baseball scouting service. Crosschecker will continue to rank the nation’s top Division I college teams throughout the 2008 season by providing weekly rankings of the top 50 teams, beginning Feb. 25.

Georgia will resume preparations for the 2008 season on Feb. 1. The Bulldogs have one of their most challenging schedules ever as they open the season on Feb. 22 in Athens at Foley Field against the top-ranked Wildcats. After the Arizona series, Georgia will face the Atlanta Braves in an exhibition contest in Orlando at Champion Stadium on Feb. 27 at 1:05 p.m. After the Braves game, Georgia travels to Portland, Ore., for a three-game series against two-time defending national champion Oregon State.