University of Georgia Athletics
Season Opener A Week Away
February 09, 2024 | Baseball
The Bulldogs will have new faces around the diamond and in the dugout in 2024 as the Wes Johnson era begins at the University of Georgia and Foley Field with the season opener on Feb. 16. The NCAA Transfer Portal allows teams to overhaul rosters annually, and coupled with 10 Bulldog freshmen, Georgia's latest squad will feature 28 newcomers.
The Lineup and Defense  Â
   In 2023, Georgia hit .283 with a .505 slugging percentage, a .380 on base percentage and blasted 101 home runs in 56 games. Georgia's lineup boasts one of the nation's top returning players in consensus All-American Charlie Condon. He is projected to be a premium pick in the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft.Â
   After spirited competition in the fall, the Opening Day lineup could feature the following with more battles on tap in the early part of the campaign.Â
   "We know it's about run creation, and we have the ability for power and speed in the lineup," said Ike Cousins head coach Wes Johnson.Â
Potential Starters: Bulldog, Cl., (2023 Avg.-HR-RBI)
C: Fernando Gonzalez, Sr., (.232-6-18)
1B/OF: Charlie Condon, RSo., (.386-25-67)
2B: Paul Toetz, Gr., (.335-10-53 @ Purdue)
3B: Slate Alford, Jr., (.248-9-36 @ Miss. State)
SS: Kolby Branch, So., (.325-6-41 @ Baylor)
CF: Dillon Carter, Gr., (.267-6-23 @ Texas Tech)
OF: Clayton Chadwick, Gr., (.294-10-49 @ Sam Houston St.)
OF: Dylan Goldstein, Gr., (.297-13-62 @ Fla. Atlantic)
DH/OF/C/1B: Corey Collins, Sr., (.267-6-20)
   Additionally, Bulldogs to watch who can contribute at multiple positions include veterans Josh Stinson, Sebastian Murillo, Henry Hunter, Logan Jordan plus freshmen Trey King and Tre Phelps.
   Georgia posted a school record .981 fielding percentage in 2023 and once again has the versatility to boast one of the league's top defenses.
   "We will have an elite defense, and we have a lot of lineup flexibility," said Johnson. "The challenge will be matching up the right guys versus certain pitchers."
Pitching
   The Bulldogs have a bevy of arms that will compete for innings and solidfy roles on the staff. Georgia brought in an array of experienced pitchers to round out the returning members of the 2023 staff.  Â
   The Bulldogs return right-handers Leighton Finley, Blake Gillespie, Matthew Hoskins and Kolten Smith plus left-handers Charlie Goldstein, Jarvis Evans who have experience as starters. Chandler Marsh could move from the bullpen to a starting role in 2024. Finley earned All-Star honors this past summer in the Cape Cod League.Â
   The newcomers that should have an immediate impact include Brian Zeldin (Penn), Brandt Pancer (Stanford), Josh Roberge (Southern New Hampshire), Daniel Padysak (Charleston Southern), Zach Harris (Georgia Southern) and Christian Mracna (George Mason). A couple of freshman pitchers aiming to make their mark this season are right-handers Ethan Sutton and James Hays.
   "In a perfect world, we have a four-man rotation," said Johnson. "We will use a lot of matchups and rely on our analytics too. We have pieces on the mound and will have to stay healthy. We want to put all our guys in the best position for success."
The Schedule
   Georgia's schedule features 35 contests at Foley Field. The 30-game Southeastern Conference slate includes SEC home series with Alabama. Missouri, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Florida. Georgia's SEC road trips will be against Kentucky, Tennessee, Miss. State, Texas A&M and South Carolina. The Bulldogs will play a three-game series with in-state rival Georgia Tech (one game each on campus and at Coolray Field in Lawrenceville) to highlight the non-conference action.Â
   The season begins Feb. 16 with a three-game series at Foley Field against UNC Asheville.
   The top 12 teams in the league will advance to the SEC Tournament slated for May 21-26 in Hoover, Ala. NCAA Regional and Super Regional action gets underway in June, and the final eight teams standing will battle it out at the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., from June 14-24.
   Â
  Make plans now to support your Georgia Bulldogs! Single game tickets and SEC special packages are now on sale. For ticket or group info questions, please call (706) 542-1231 or 877-542-1231. Ticket sales are available online here: https://gado.gs/bba
    Prices range from as low as $5 for general admission non-conference games (excluding Georgia Tech and Clemson), $10 for SEC games plus Georgia Tech and Clemson. Fans can save 20 percent with a "Flex Plan" when purchasing three games or more while group tickets are an option too.
    A limited number of free roster cards will be available each series at Foley Field. The 2024 Georgia Baseball Digital yearbook will be released before the season at www.georgiadogs.com/digital
    All 56 regular season Bulldog games along with the postseason will be available on the Georgia Bulldog Sports Network from JMI/Learfield. All Georgia baseball games will be carried locally on WRFC 960 AM as it will serve as the primary home for all broadcasts. Fans can listen to every game online for free through the official website of the Bulldogs, georgiadogs.com and the Georgia Bulldogs app, https://georgiadogs.com/feature/nextgen-app.  For a complete look at the affiliates that will carry Georgia Baseball, click here: https://affiliateresources.learfield.com/georgia-bulldogs-2/.
For the latest Georgia baseball news, visit www.georgiadogs.com and follow the Bulldogs on X (@BaseballUGA), Facebook (@GeorgiaBaseball) and Instagram (@baseballuga).
Â
