April is here and that means spring and summer are beginning. Georgia has had a busy last week and a half since I last updated the goings on outside the hedges, so with football focused on spring practice let’s see what the sports that are actually playing games right now are up to.
SOFTBALL
An excellent non-conference run has hit issues now that SEC play has begun with sweeps at the hands of top 5-ranked Auburn and top 10-ranked LSU the last two weekends. The schedule stays cruel, as another top 5 opponent in Florida is on tap this weekend in Gainesville.
TENNIS
A 4-0 win in Knoxville made up the ladies weekend as they take their 14-3 record (8-1 in conference) back on the road again to Arkansas and Missouri this coming weekend. Elena Christofi earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors for her performances against the two Magnolia State schools in late March.
The men had a pair of 4-0 victories to their credit this past weekend, taking down Mississippi St and Auburn, while Nathan Ponwith made it a clean sweep for Dawgs in Freshman of the Week honors coming in to those matches. Next up for the men are matches in Athens, with Florida on Friday evening and South Carolina on Sunday afternoon making visits to the Dan Magill complex.
GOLF
I think something is going on near the central Savannah River area this weekend, but am not quite certain. Last week saw a Dawg come out on top of the PGA event in Houston.
On the collegiate courses, the ladies were looking a lot better in North Carolina in a second place finish at the Bryan National. They’ll be right back at it this weekend, hosting the 45th annual Liz Murphey just off Riverbend Road in Athens where 12 of the nation’s best teams will prep for the NCAAs that will occur next month.
Meanwhile the men just left Augusta, and Forest Hills Country Club, 20 strokes behind winner Central Florida to finish 8th. The men won’t return to competitve golf until later this month in St. Simon’s at the SEC Championships.
GYMNASTICS
A trio of All-Americans will help Georgia compete for a Super Six appearance after drawing the Group of Death at this year’s national championships.
SWIMMING AND DIVING
Last time, we were able to tell you about the ladies finishing in the top 5 at the NCAA Championships for the ninth consecutive season. Well, for the ninth time in the last ten years (2012 is the exception), the men finished in the top 10 at the NCAA Championships. Olympian Chase Kalisz won his third title in the 400m individual medley
TRACK AND FIELD
Georgia went down to Texas last week, where sophomore Kendal Williams won the 100m with a wind-aided 9.99 second sprint. In distance runs, the Dawgs also were victorious in the 1500m, thanks to junior Bryan Kamau, and the 5000m, thanks to senior Sid Vaughn.
There won’t be much rest for any weary, as the Bulldog Decathlon/Heptathlon starts Wednesday with the Spec Towns Invitational going on over the weekend off South Lumpkin Street.
EQUESTRIAN
SEC CHAMPIONS IN SOMETHING! Next week, they head to Texas to shoot for a national title where they’ll enter as the 2 seed.
BASEBALL
The Diamond Dawgs topped Tennessee twice over the weekend for their first SEC series win, and a road series win to boot. SS and Peachtree Ridge product Cam Shepherd played well enough for SEC Freshman of the Week honors, as those three games combined with a mid week win over Savannah St saw him go 10 for 19 at the plate with three doubles, a triple, and four RBI. Some big games are coming up on the docket too, with Clemson in town tonight at 7. The game will be on the SEC Network live from Foley Fill. Then Missouri comes to town for a pair Friday and Saturday, then the two met one more time for a Sunday affair at new SunTrust Park in Atlanta at 1:30. Georgia Tech will also be at Foley Field next Tuesday at 7, also televised by the SEC Network.
And in case you were curious, a few former Diamond Dawgs were back at it in big league action the last two days. Pitcher Justin Grimm is back for the World Series champion Chicago Cubs, although he missed their season opener Sunday due to a death in the family, where he looks to take back a key role in their bullpen. Josh Fields missed the cut for the Dodger bullpen, in a bad way. Alex Wood will be in the Los Angeles bullpen though, after missing out to Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu for their final rotation spots. Joining Fields in the minor leagues will be Gordon Beckham, after catching on with the Mariners, and several others looking to work their way up to the big leagues as those four have done, once those games get underway later this week and next.
And as always, GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DAWGS!