University of Georgia Athletics
Baseball Fall Practice Begins Sunday With Scrimmage
September 13, 2007 | Baseball
ATHENS, Ga. --- The University of Georgia Bulldog baseball team opens fall practice Sunday at Foley Field with a 10-inning scrimmage at 3 p.m. It will be free and open to the public.
The Bulldogs, under the leadership of David Perno, begin their quest for a third trip to the College World Series since 2004. Perno, who enters his seventh season at the helm, welcomes back 21 lettermen and 15 newcomers.
After having one of the youngest pitching staffs in the SEC last year, Georgia has one of its deepest staffs ever. The Bulldogs return 97 percent of the innings pitched in 2007, losing only senior reliever Adam McDaniel (16 IP) who was a 19th round draft pick by San Diego. Offensively, Georgia has Bulldogs returning that accounted for 76 percent of the home runs and 72 percent of the RBI. Freshmen compiled 717 at bats last season.
The Bulldogs return their Southeastern Conference rotation in juniors Stephen Dodson, Nathan Moreau and Trevor Holder plus senior Joshua Fields, an All-America closer with 23 career saves. Fields was a second round pick of the Atlanta Braves this past June and opted to return for his final year. Dodson turned down a chance to sign in the early rounds too and still got drafted by Kansas City in the 18th round. Also, Georgia added right-handers Justin Grimm, a 13th-round pick by Boston, Will Harvil, a 17th round selection of Tampa Bay and Stephen Brock, a 14th round pick of the Angels in 2005.
On Sunday, Dodson and Holder will get the start and pitch the first two innings. After them, Moreau and Jason Leaver will be next followed by Brock, Stephen Ochs, Iain Sebastian, Harvil, Nick Montgomery and Fields. Also, Fields will bat sixth as a DH with each team batting 10 players.
A total of five starters return around the diamond in senior third baseman Ryan Peisel, senior right fielder Matt Olson, junior shortstop Gordon Beckham, sophomore first baseman Rich Poythress and sophomore catcher Joey Lewis. Beckham is Georgia’s top offensive threat after connecting for a team-best 13 home runs and 51 RBI last year.
During fall practice, Georgia will look to solidify a few spots in the lineup. The options at second base for the Bulldogs include sophomore transfer Michael Demperio (University of Texas) and freshman Jeff Bissell, a product of Mountain Brook High School in Birmingham. Freshmen Edmond Sparks, a 23rd round draft pick of Atlanta out of Lovejoy High School, and All-State Stratford Academy standout Carson Schilling join Lewis and senior Jake Crane to provide depth at catcher/designated hitter. In the outfield, sophomores Matt Cerione and Clayton Cain, redshirt freshman Kurt Waid, junior transfer Adam Fuller (Andrew College) and freshman Lyle Allen will compete for the centerfield and left field spots. Allen was a 22nd round pick of the Atlanta Braves coming out of Cartersville (Ga.) High School.
“We expect a very competitive fall, and we’re ready to get started,” said Perno.
The lineups for Sunday’s 10-inning scrimmage will be the following:
During the fall, Georgia will hold scrimmages at Foley Field on Sept. 16-17, 21-23, 26, 28, 30, Oct. 1-3, 5-7, 9-10 and 12-13. The scrimmages from Oct. 1-3 will be the “Dawgs-Pups” series where freshmen and sophomores will team up against the juniors and seniors. Then, the squad will be evenly divided for the annual Fall World Series (Oct. 15-18 and Oct. 20-22). The scrimmages are free and open to the public. The Bulldogs open the season Feb. 22 in Athens with a three-game series against Arizona.
The Bulldogs, under the leadership of David Perno, begin their quest for a third trip to the College World Series since 2004. Perno, who enters his seventh season at the helm, welcomes back 21 lettermen and 15 newcomers.
After having one of the youngest pitching staffs in the SEC last year, Georgia has one of its deepest staffs ever. The Bulldogs return 97 percent of the innings pitched in 2007, losing only senior reliever Adam McDaniel (16 IP) who was a 19th round draft pick by San Diego. Offensively, Georgia has Bulldogs returning that accounted for 76 percent of the home runs and 72 percent of the RBI. Freshmen compiled 717 at bats last season.
The Bulldogs return their Southeastern Conference rotation in juniors Stephen Dodson, Nathan Moreau and Trevor Holder plus senior Joshua Fields, an All-America closer with 23 career saves. Fields was a second round pick of the Atlanta Braves this past June and opted to return for his final year. Dodson turned down a chance to sign in the early rounds too and still got drafted by Kansas City in the 18th round. Also, Georgia added right-handers Justin Grimm, a 13th-round pick by Boston, Will Harvil, a 17th round selection of Tampa Bay and Stephen Brock, a 14th round pick of the Angels in 2005.
On Sunday, Dodson and Holder will get the start and pitch the first two innings. After them, Moreau and Jason Leaver will be next followed by Brock, Stephen Ochs, Iain Sebastian, Harvil, Nick Montgomery and Fields. Also, Fields will bat sixth as a DH with each team batting 10 players.
A total of five starters return around the diamond in senior third baseman Ryan Peisel, senior right fielder Matt Olson, junior shortstop Gordon Beckham, sophomore first baseman Rich Poythress and sophomore catcher Joey Lewis. Beckham is Georgia’s top offensive threat after connecting for a team-best 13 home runs and 51 RBI last year.
During fall practice, Georgia will look to solidify a few spots in the lineup. The options at second base for the Bulldogs include sophomore transfer Michael Demperio (University of Texas) and freshman Jeff Bissell, a product of Mountain Brook High School in Birmingham. Freshmen Edmond Sparks, a 23rd round draft pick of Atlanta out of Lovejoy High School, and All-State Stratford Academy standout Carson Schilling join Lewis and senior Jake Crane to provide depth at catcher/designated hitter. In the outfield, sophomores Matt Cerione and Clayton Cain, redshirt freshman Kurt Waid, junior transfer Adam Fuller (Andrew College) and freshman Lyle Allen will compete for the centerfield and left field spots. Allen was a 22nd round pick of the Atlanta Braves coming out of Cartersville (Ga.) High School.
“We expect a very competitive fall, and we’re ready to get started,” said Perno.
The lineups for Sunday’s 10-inning scrimmage will be the following:
| Red (Visitor) | White (Home) |
| 1. Fuller-CF | 1. Demperio-2B |
| 2. Peisel-3B | 2. Cerione-CF |
| 3. Olson-LF | 3. Beckham-SS |
| 4. Poythress-1B | 4. Lewis-C |
| 5. Crane-C | 5. O’Bryan-1B |
| 6. Cain-RF | 6. Fields-DH |
| 7. Esmonde-DH | 7. Allen-LF |
| 8. Starr-SS | 8. Waid-RF |
| 9. Sparks-C | 9. Goodbar-C |
| 10. Bissell-2B | 10. Brown-3B |
| Pitchers | Pitchers |
| Dodson 1-2 | Holder 1-2 |
| Leaver 3-4 | Moreau 3-4 |
| Brock 5-6 | Ochs 5-6 |
| Sebastian 7-8 | Harvil 7-8 |
| Montgomery 9-10 | Fields 9-10 |
During the fall, Georgia will hold scrimmages at Foley Field on Sept. 16-17, 21-23, 26, 28, 30, Oct. 1-3, 5-7, 9-10 and 12-13. The scrimmages from Oct. 1-3 will be the “Dawgs-Pups” series where freshmen and sophomores will team up against the juniors and seniors. Then, the squad will be evenly divided for the annual Fall World Series (Oct. 15-18 and Oct. 20-22). The scrimmages are free and open to the public. The Bulldogs open the season Feb. 22 in Athens with a three-game series against Arizona.
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