Newcomers Shine During Bulldogs’ Home Debut
February 25, 2025 | Baseball
By Kyle Tatelbaum
Georgia Sports Communications
Foley Field felt drastically different during the Georgia baseball team's home opening weekend, but not so much from the $45 million renovation that has added new turf and numerous other features to the ballpark. Rather, it's the product on the field that looks a lot different from last season.
The No. 6-ranked Bulldogs saw production from 18 newcomers en route to a four-game sweep over the University of Illinois-Chicago in which the Bulldogs outscored the Flames 51-11.
Robbie Burnett, a transfer from UNC-Asheville, was a force at the top of the lineup, blasting three home runs and a triple while scoring eight times on the weekend. The sound of Burnett's bat put fans at Foley on their feet all weekend, especially in game three Saturday when he blasted a 3-1 fastball 404 feet for a go-ahead three-run home run. Despite stealing just two bases this weekend, Burnett still ranks first in the SEC and sixth nationally with eight steals, tying a program record with four steals in a single game in the season opener vs. Quinnipiac.
"Robbie works really, really hard on his game and takes thousands of swings," Ike Cousins Head Baseball Coach Wes Johnson said postgame. "He had told me the same thing yesterday, he's like, 'Skip, I just pulled just a tick off on that one.' I go, 'Hey, just stay back to the middle of the field.' And when that ball left, I mean, that thing was high, and he hammered it. I mean, that ball was hit hard, but that's what he can do when he stays in the middle of the field."
Hard-throwing Alabama transfer Alton Davis II was dominant in his Foley debut, shutting down the UIC offense in relief. Davis lifted the Bulldogs out of a precarious situation in game three of the series, stranding two runners after four already scored in the inning. Davis II would remain effective, scattering five hits through three shutout innings of work while striking out five batters and earning the win courtesy of Burnett's go-ahead jack. Davis has been one of the most effective arms for Georgia thus far, allowing just one run through 6.2 innings pitched while holding a team-best 5.5 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Ryland Zaborowski needed no time to acclimate to Foley Field, as he had about the best home-opening performance possible, going 4-for-4, scoring three runs and driving in six. With the bases juiced in the first inning, the Miami (Ohio) transfer attacked the first pitch he saw and sent it well over the left-center field fence for his first home run in a Georgia uniform. Zaborowski extended the lead to 15 in the fifth inning on his second double of the game, driving in two.
"Coming in today, my goal was to just hit the ball high and far — high line drives," Zaborowski said. "As a team, we had a lot of confidence coming into the season. A little bit of a slow start at first, but I think we finally found it today, and being at home also helped."
Kentucky graduate transfer Nolan McCarthy delivered consistent production this weekend, recording at least one hit in all four games while scoring five times and knocking two doubles. McCarthy now has hits in seven out of nine games and has played flawless defense. McCarthy's addition adds a substantial experience factor to the lineup, having played a large role in Kentucky's first College World Series appearance last season.
McCarthy sent the Wildcats to Omaha after scoring the go-ahead run from second base on a wild pitch in a 3-2 win over Oregon State in the Corvallis Super Regional. McCarthy also blasted a two-run home run in the fourth inning of Kentucky's 5-4 10-inning opening-round win over N.C. State, the team that ended Georgia's CWS run.
Georgia is 8-1 heading into Wednesday's game at Georgia State; the Bulldogs return to Foley Field this weekend for a four-game series against Florida Gulf Coast.
Georgia Sports Communications
Foley Field felt drastically different during the Georgia baseball team's home opening weekend, but not so much from the $45 million renovation that has added new turf and numerous other features to the ballpark. Rather, it's the product on the field that looks a lot different from last season.
The No. 6-ranked Bulldogs saw production from 18 newcomers en route to a four-game sweep over the University of Illinois-Chicago in which the Bulldogs outscored the Flames 51-11.
Robbie Burnett, a transfer from UNC-Asheville, was a force at the top of the lineup, blasting three home runs and a triple while scoring eight times on the weekend. The sound of Burnett's bat put fans at Foley on their feet all weekend, especially in game three Saturday when he blasted a 3-1 fastball 404 feet for a go-ahead three-run home run. Despite stealing just two bases this weekend, Burnett still ranks first in the SEC and sixth nationally with eight steals, tying a program record with four steals in a single game in the season opener vs. Quinnipiac.
"Robbie works really, really hard on his game and takes thousands of swings," Ike Cousins Head Baseball Coach Wes Johnson said postgame. "He had told me the same thing yesterday, he's like, 'Skip, I just pulled just a tick off on that one.' I go, 'Hey, just stay back to the middle of the field.' And when that ball left, I mean, that thing was high, and he hammered it. I mean, that ball was hit hard, but that's what he can do when he stays in the middle of the field."
Hard-throwing Alabama transfer Alton Davis II was dominant in his Foley debut, shutting down the UIC offense in relief. Davis lifted the Bulldogs out of a precarious situation in game three of the series, stranding two runners after four already scored in the inning. Davis II would remain effective, scattering five hits through three shutout innings of work while striking out five batters and earning the win courtesy of Burnett's go-ahead jack. Davis has been one of the most effective arms for Georgia thus far, allowing just one run through 6.2 innings pitched while holding a team-best 5.5 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Ryland Zaborowski needed no time to acclimate to Foley Field, as he had about the best home-opening performance possible, going 4-for-4, scoring three runs and driving in six. With the bases juiced in the first inning, the Miami (Ohio) transfer attacked the first pitch he saw and sent it well over the left-center field fence for his first home run in a Georgia uniform. Zaborowski extended the lead to 15 in the fifth inning on his second double of the game, driving in two.
"Coming in today, my goal was to just hit the ball high and far — high line drives," Zaborowski said. "As a team, we had a lot of confidence coming into the season. A little bit of a slow start at first, but I think we finally found it today, and being at home also helped."
Kentucky graduate transfer Nolan McCarthy delivered consistent production this weekend, recording at least one hit in all four games while scoring five times and knocking two doubles. McCarthy now has hits in seven out of nine games and has played flawless defense. McCarthy's addition adds a substantial experience factor to the lineup, having played a large role in Kentucky's first College World Series appearance last season.
McCarthy sent the Wildcats to Omaha after scoring the go-ahead run from second base on a wild pitch in a 3-2 win over Oregon State in the Corvallis Super Regional. McCarthy also blasted a two-run home run in the fourth inning of Kentucky's 5-4 10-inning opening-round win over N.C. State, the team that ended Georgia's CWS run.
Georgia is 8-1 heading into Wednesday's game at Georgia State; the Bulldogs return to Foley Field this weekend for a four-game series against Florida Gulf Coast.
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