College baseball is a month into the season, and the Diamond Dawgs are on a roll. Georgia is the winner of 16 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in the country. Tennessee currently holds the longest, with 19 straight wins.
This weekend, conference play starts in the gauntlet, which is the SEC. In the latest NCAA Rankings, 12 teams from the SEC ranked in the Top 25, including all four top spots. The Bulldogs are currently ranked No. 4.
Head coach Wes Johnson is no stranger to the competitiveness of the SEC as a former pitching coach for LSU and a second-year head coach of Georgia. He’s ready for the Kentucky Wildcats.
“We have ways that we prepare for what we see their pitchers do with their stuff,” Johnson said. “We have some guys that have a chance to hit their stuff better than other guys, so you’ll see them in the lineup.”
Kentucky’s pitching has been a pillar of its team this season, posting a 1.89 ERA through the first 15 games of the season.
Charlie Goldstein will kick off the series against the Wildcats on the bump Friday night, a series he is more than ready for.
“Going to Kentucky and losing three straight definitely wasn’t fun,” the left-hander said. “I think we’re ready to be back in SEC play.”
Georgia added to its pitching staff, mainly this offseason, with additions such as Brian Curley and Zach Brown. The veteran pitcher thinks the staff already looks better this season, citing an improvement in demeanor and confidence.
Goldstein hopes that those qualities power the Dawgs to a series win.
“It sets the tone for the SEC play,” he said. “We’re going to try to win every weekend.”
The Dawgs kick off their conference play against the Kentucky Wildcats at 6 p.m. ET Friday at Foley Field.
