University of Georgia Athletics
2018 Season Review and MLB Draft Summary
June 07, 2018 | Baseball
ATHENS --- Georgia's 2018 season ended in the NCAA Athens Regional Final as the No. 8 national seed Bulldogs tallied an overall record of 39-21.
When the season began, Southeastern Conference coaches picked the Bulldogs to finish FIFTH in the Eastern Division. The Bulldogs posted an 18-12 SEC mark, which tied for the second best record behind league champion Florida. The Western Division co-champions were Arkansas and Ole Miss and they finished 18-12, and the Bulldogs ended the regular season by taking a series over the Razorbacks.
With an impressive SEC finish, strength of schedule and RPI, Georgia earned a national seed for the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2008 and only the fourth time in school history. However, the Bulldogs would be one of four national seeds to be upset at home during a Regional, joining No. 2 Stanford, No. 4 Ole Miss and No. 7 Florida State. Overall, eight of the 16 hosts did not advance out of their regional this year. Still, Georgia showed it had returned to national prominence. With seven starting position players and a majority of the pitching staff set to return plus a talented incoming recruiting class, the 2019 season should be another good one for the Bulldogs.
During the recent Major League Baseball Draft, a trio of Bulldogs were selected in pitcher Kevin Smith (7thRound, New York Mets), outfielder Keegan McGovern (9thRound, Seattle Mariners) and catcher/designated hitter Michael Curry (16thround, San Diego Padres). Additionally, a pair of Georgia signees were selected in Cole Wilcox (RHP, Heritage HS, Chickamauga, Ga.) and Caberea Weaver (OF, South Gwinnett HS, Decatur, Ga.). Wilcox was a projected first round pick who informed teams after the first day of the draft of his intentions to attend Georgia. Still, he was selected in the 37thround by the Washington Nationals while Weaver went in the seventh round to the Chicago White Sox. The MLB signing deadline for underclassmen and high school seniors selected in this year's draft is July 6 at 5 pm ET.
With the aforementioned trio now playing Minor League baseball, Georgia now has extended its string to 46 straight seasons with at least one player signing a professional contract. Under Georgia's Ike Cousins head baseball coach Scott Stricklin, 21 Bulldogs have embarked on a professional career.
Here now is a brief look at noteworthy accomplishments by the 2018 Bulldogs.
Team Honors (Final Record: 39-21, 18-12 SEC)
*Consensus Top 25 Final Ranking: No. 19 in D1Baseball.com and Perfect Game; No. 20 in USA Today Coaches and Collegiate Baseball; No. 21 in Baseball America
*39 Wins was most since 2008 when the College World Series Finalists had 45
*Earned a National Seed for NCAA Championships for the first time since 2008 and only fourth overall for the program
*18 SEC Wins was the most since 2008 (SEC Champions went 20-9-1), 2nd in East and T2nd best overall SEC Record (18-12)
*Earned top 10 National Ranking during the season, highest since 2009 (when that club reached No. 1)
*School record .979 Fielding Percentage (old mark was .978 in 2012)
*School record .236 Opponent Batting Average (old mark was .241 in 2016)
*School record 532 strikeouts by staff (old mark was 530 in 2001 by the CWS squad that played in 69 games)
*School record 7 Grand Slams (old mark was 6 by 1982, '85 and 2001 teams)
*18 Saves ranks 3rd best in school history
*.282 Batting Average was best since 2010 (.301)
*64 Home Runs was best since a record 109 in 2009
Individual Honors (As of June 21, 2018)
Michael Curry: 16thRound Draft Pick of the San Diego Padres; Second-Team All-SEC
Mason Meadows: SEC All-Freshman Team
Keegan McGovern: 9th Round Draft Pick of the Seattle Mariners; Third-Team All-American by ABCA, Baseball America and D1Baseball.com,
1st Team All-SEC, SEC Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, SEC Community Service Team, National Player of the Week, SEC Player of the Week, NCAA Athens Regional All-Tournament Team
Adam Sasser: Second-Team All-SEC, National Player of the Week, SEC Player of the Week, NCAA Athens
Regional All-Tournament Team
Aaron Schunk: Olerud Award Finalist as Nation's Top 2-Way Player given by College Baseball Foundation {one of
only 3 nationally); Third Team All-American by NCBWA
C.J. Smith: Second Team Freshman All-American by NCBWA
Kevin Smith: 7th Round Draft Pick of the New York Mets; SEC Pitcher of the Week
When the season began, Southeastern Conference coaches picked the Bulldogs to finish FIFTH in the Eastern Division. The Bulldogs posted an 18-12 SEC mark, which tied for the second best record behind league champion Florida. The Western Division co-champions were Arkansas and Ole Miss and they finished 18-12, and the Bulldogs ended the regular season by taking a series over the Razorbacks.
With an impressive SEC finish, strength of schedule and RPI, Georgia earned a national seed for the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2008 and only the fourth time in school history. However, the Bulldogs would be one of four national seeds to be upset at home during a Regional, joining No. 2 Stanford, No. 4 Ole Miss and No. 7 Florida State. Overall, eight of the 16 hosts did not advance out of their regional this year. Still, Georgia showed it had returned to national prominence. With seven starting position players and a majority of the pitching staff set to return plus a talented incoming recruiting class, the 2019 season should be another good one for the Bulldogs.
During the recent Major League Baseball Draft, a trio of Bulldogs were selected in pitcher Kevin Smith (7thRound, New York Mets), outfielder Keegan McGovern (9thRound, Seattle Mariners) and catcher/designated hitter Michael Curry (16thround, San Diego Padres). Additionally, a pair of Georgia signees were selected in Cole Wilcox (RHP, Heritage HS, Chickamauga, Ga.) and Caberea Weaver (OF, South Gwinnett HS, Decatur, Ga.). Wilcox was a projected first round pick who informed teams after the first day of the draft of his intentions to attend Georgia. Still, he was selected in the 37thround by the Washington Nationals while Weaver went in the seventh round to the Chicago White Sox. The MLB signing deadline for underclassmen and high school seniors selected in this year's draft is July 6 at 5 pm ET.
With the aforementioned trio now playing Minor League baseball, Georgia now has extended its string to 46 straight seasons with at least one player signing a professional contract. Under Georgia's Ike Cousins head baseball coach Scott Stricklin, 21 Bulldogs have embarked on a professional career.
Here now is a brief look at noteworthy accomplishments by the 2018 Bulldogs.
Team Honors (Final Record: 39-21, 18-12 SEC)
*Consensus Top 25 Final Ranking: No. 19 in D1Baseball.com and Perfect Game; No. 20 in USA Today Coaches and Collegiate Baseball; No. 21 in Baseball America
*39 Wins was most since 2008 when the College World Series Finalists had 45
*Earned a National Seed for NCAA Championships for the first time since 2008 and only fourth overall for the program
*18 SEC Wins was the most since 2008 (SEC Champions went 20-9-1), 2nd in East and T2nd best overall SEC Record (18-12)
*Earned top 10 National Ranking during the season, highest since 2009 (when that club reached No. 1)
*School record .979 Fielding Percentage (old mark was .978 in 2012)
*School record .236 Opponent Batting Average (old mark was .241 in 2016)
*School record 532 strikeouts by staff (old mark was 530 in 2001 by the CWS squad that played in 69 games)
*School record 7 Grand Slams (old mark was 6 by 1982, '85 and 2001 teams)
*18 Saves ranks 3rd best in school history
*.282 Batting Average was best since 2010 (.301)
*64 Home Runs was best since a record 109 in 2009
Individual Honors (As of June 21, 2018)
Michael Curry: 16thRound Draft Pick of the San Diego Padres; Second-Team All-SEC
Mason Meadows: SEC All-Freshman Team
Keegan McGovern: 9th Round Draft Pick of the Seattle Mariners; Third-Team All-American by ABCA, Baseball America and D1Baseball.com,
1st Team All-SEC, SEC Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, SEC Community Service Team, National Player of the Week, SEC Player of the Week, NCAA Athens Regional All-Tournament Team
Adam Sasser: Second-Team All-SEC, National Player of the Week, SEC Player of the Week, NCAA Athens
Regional All-Tournament Team
Aaron Schunk: Olerud Award Finalist as Nation's Top 2-Way Player given by College Baseball Foundation {one of
only 3 nationally); Third Team All-American by NCBWA
C.J. Smith: Second Team Freshman All-American by NCBWA
Kevin Smith: 7th Round Draft Pick of the New York Mets; SEC Pitcher of the Week
Players Mentioned
OF/C
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
1B
/ Baseball
INF/RHP
/ Baseball
LHP/OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballGeorgia Baseball vs Georgia State - Kolby Branch and Tre Phelps Postgame Interview
Tuesday, March 31
Georgia Baseball vs Georgia State - Coach Johnson Postgame Interview
Tuesday, March 31
Georgia Baseball vs Georgia State - Postgame Highlights
Tuesday, March 31
Georgia Baseball vs. South Carolina - Sunday Postgame Highlights
Sunday, March 29