Loaded No. 14 Georgia baseball opens season Friday: ‘It’s time to go’

ATHENS —Georgia baseball is ready to take its turn among the school’s championship programs, loaded with talent, depth, and direction from ninth-year coach Scott Stricklin.

“There’s reason to be excited when you have this much experience and depth and talent,” Stricklin said, previewing the season on 960 The Ref. “You put all those things together, and I think we’ve got a chance to be a really, really good team.”

The No. 14-ranked Bulldogs play their season-opening game against America East conference member Albany at 2 p.m. on Friday, with games scheduled at 3 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday against the Great Danes at Foley Field.

Stricklin’s Georgia program looks to get back into the NCAA tournament after narrowly missing the field last season, with a 31-25 record, and having COVID wipe out spring sports in 2020.

It wasn’t so long ago Stricklin was telling a disappointed group of players to internalize their feelings after falling short last season.

“I wanted them to remember this feeling and how much it hurt,” Stricklin said after the 2021 team faded out of contention. “Have a chip on the shoulder and not put ourselves in this position again.”

Similar to football coach Kirby Smart, Stricklin is setting the bar high for his program and stressing the need for the Bulldogs to aim for the top.

“That’s what we’ve talked about,” Stricklin said. “Do we want to be really good, or do we want to be great? There’s a difference.”

Stricklin said the Bulldogs, who return eight starting position players and 13 pitchers with experience, have drilled down deep into the offseason.

“It’s having better at-bats, not having two-out walks, getting bunts down those little things that win close games,” Strickin said. “We all know in this league and with our non-conference schedule, there aren’t any gimmes.”

Vanderbilt opens the season ranked No. 2 in the most recent Baseball America poll, while Mississippi State is No. 3, Florida is No. 6, Arkansas No. 8, Ole Miss No. 9 and LSU No. 10.

Just behind No. 14 Georgia is No. 17 Tennessee and No. 21 Georgia Tech.

Stricklin plans on the Bulldogs winning more than their fair share.

“I don’t want to be really good,” he said, “I want to be great.”

Georgia comes off the Albany series with a 5 p.m. game on Tuesday against Wofford, in Athens followed by a three-game home series with Akron (Feb. 25-27) and a March 1 trip to Wofford.

Stricklin hopes to have ironed out his lineup and rotation after the first nine games to have the Bulldogs’ at their best for their three-game series against Georgia Tech in Atlanta March 4-6.

Georgia’s losses to the Yellow Jackets last season — 7-5 in Athens, and 7-6 in Atlanta — likely kept Stricklin’s program out of the NCAA tournament last season while Georgia Tech got in despite the Bulldogs having a better RPI rank, 41 to 46.

Georgia, its pitching staff depleted last season, also dropped 12 of its final 17 games to end the season as its NCAA tournament bubble hopes burst.

Stricklin and the Bulldogs are hungry to get started this season.

“You’re tired of intrasquad scrimmages,” Stricklin said. “You’ve played against each other all year long, and it’s time to play someone else.

“It’s just time to go, and we’re excited,”

Pitching Matchups: UGA vs. Albany

Game 1 Friday at 2 pm: Jonathan Cannon (4-2, 3.98 ERA, RHP, Jr.) vs. Ray Weber (7-2, 3.69, RHP, RSr.)

Game 2 Saturday at 3 pm: Liam Sullivan (1-2, 3.99, LHP, So.) vs. Anthony Germinerio (3-5, 3.97 ERA, RHP, RSo.)

Game 3 Sunday at 1 pm: Dylan Ross (6-2, 3.88 ERA, RHP, Jr.) vs. Cregg Scherrer (4-4, 4.92 ERA, LHP, RSo.)