University of Georgia Athletics
Georgia Baseball Ranked No. 24 In Preseason Poll
January 17, 2008 | Baseball
ATHENS-----The University of Georgia baseball team checks in at No. 24 in Perfect Game Crosschecker’s preseason ranking of the nation’s top 100 college teams for 2008. 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.
Due to stadium renovations on the OSU campus, the Bulldogs will face the Beavers at PGE Park in Portland. Fans wanting to purchase tickets for this series must go through Ticketmaster. They can be bought at Ticketmaster.com or by calling (503) 224-4400. Georgia’s 56-game schedule this season features 31 home games and 25 on the road. To order Georgia baseball season tickets, please contact the UGA Ticket Office at 706-542-1231 or toll free at 1-877-542-1231 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or go on-line anytime at www.georgiadogs.com.
In other Bulldog baseball news, junior shortstop Gordon Beckham has been named to the 2008 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award Watch List, the College Baseball Foundation announced recently.
The Wallace Award is presented to the nation’s top collegiate baseball player in conjunction with the College Baseball Hall of Fame’s annual induction festivities. The Wallace Award is a dedication to the memory of the former Texas Tech player and assistant coach Brooks Wallace who died at the age of 27.
Beckham, a two-year starter, is one of 19 returning lettermen. He has started all 126 consecutive games in his career. He led the team with 13 home runs and 51 RBI in 2007.
Last year’s Brooks Wallace award went to Vanderbilt pitcher, David Price. Price was the first overall pick in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft and is currently pitching in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. The 2006 winner was standout pitcher/designated hitter Brad Lincoln of Houston. Nebraska’s Alex Gordon, now with the Kansas City Royals, took home the 2005 trophy. The inaugural award was given in 2004 to Kurt Suzuki of Cal State Fullerton, who is now catching for the Oakland A’s.
--get PGC Preseason Top 25 Poll--
PERFECT GAME CROSSCHECKER PRESEASON TOP 25
2007 record
1. ARIZONA 42-17
2. ARIZONA STATE 49-15
3. TEXAS 46-17
4. MIAMI (Fla.) 37-24
5. VANDERBILT 54-13
6. SOUTH CAROLINA 46-20
7. UCLA 33-28
8. SAN DIEGO 43-18
9. MISSISSIPPI 40-25
10. MISSOURI 42-18
11. NORTH CAROLINA 57-16
12. WICHITA STATE 53-22
13. FLORIDA STATE 49-13
14. OKLAHOMA STATE 42-21
15. MICHIGAN 42-19
16. OREGON STATE 49-18
17. BAYLOR 35-27
18. VIRGINIA 45-16
19. RICE 56-14
20. AUBURN 31-25
21. LONG BEACH STATE 39-20
22. CLEMSON 41-23
23. CALIFORNIA 29-26
24. GEORGIA 23-33
25. CAL STATE FULLERTON 38-25
