One day after former Diamond Dog Jeff Keppinger was called up to The Show by the Cincinnati Reds, the Red and Black resumed S.E.C. play by hosting former coach Ron Polk's Mississippi State squad. The visiting Bulldogs came into the game sporting a 13-9 ledger in conference play.
The Classic City Canines' last homestand of the 2007 campaign got underway with Stephen Dodson on the mound. Although the Georgia hurler allowed a leadoff single to Jeffrey Rea in the top of the first inning, this inauspicious start was rectified when Brandon Turner grounded into a double play. Dodson almost immediately got himself back into trouble, walking Edward Easley and permitting Mitch Moreland to drop a base hit into right field, but he got out of the jam by coaxing a flyout from Brian LaNinfa.
It is debatable whether a photograph of Kristin Davis really brings luck to the Georgia baseball team and, clearly, her image in no way affects the weather for the better, but, hey, do I really need an excuse at this point?
The Red and Black did a better job of taking advantage of their opportunities in the home half of the frame. After Ryan Peisel grounded out, Jonathan Wyatt belted a base hit to left field. A Gordon Beckham triple scored the Georgia center fielder and a Rich Poythress groundout brought the Bulldog shortstop home, as well. When Matt Olson was sent back to the dugout on a called third strike, the hits were even at two apiece, but the Diamond Dogs held a 2-0 advantage.
Unfortunately, after such a positive start, play was suspended due to rain in the top of the second inning. The game will resume tomorrow at 2:00 p.m., with the second outing of the series to follow immediately thereafter.
Maybe it's just all those years of watching Atlanta Braves games on TBS, but, whenever I hear the words "rain delay," I immediately think of reruns of "The Andy Griffith Show."
Our respective Friday evenings having been freed up so unexpectedly, now is as good an opportunity as any to get you caught up on what is going on in the world of University of Georgia athletics; viz.:
- World-class hammer-hurler Jennifer Dahlgren captured a second straight hammer throw title at the S.E.C. Outdoor Championships this afternoon. Dahlgren holds conference, collegiate, and continental records and her top toss today was a 227-foot effort that outdistanced the second-place finisher by better than 37 feet. All six of her throws in Friday's competition broke the previously existing record at Sam Bailey Stadium in Tuscaloosa. I mean, dang.
- The Georgia men's tennis team claimed a 4-0 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round of the N.C.A.A. tournament. The Bulldogs improved to 27-0 and will advance to face Auburn in the second round.
- Doubtless distracted by the abrupt departure of recently resigned head coach Todd McCorkle, the Red and Black women's golf team finished the second round of the N.C.A.A. Central Regional in sixth place. After shooting a 588, the Bulldogs trail Southern California (571), Texas Christian (580), Indiana (584), Vanderbilt (585), and Tennessee (587). (Note that, if Georgia makes up just five shots on the teams immediately above the Red and Black, the top-seeded squad from the Classic City will move into third place.) The top eight teams in the regional round will advance.
- Saturday's undergraduate commencement will see degrees granted to 90 students who compete or work for the athletic association, including four baseball players and 11 football players. Our congratulations go out to Marquis Elmore, Gordon Ely-Kelso, Daniel Inman, Kregg Lumpkin, Zeb McKinzey, Matt Olson, Matt Robbins, Michael Turner, Des Williams, Jonathan Wyatt, and the many other fine young men and women who will be receiving their University of Georgia degrees tomorrow.
- According to Athlon Sports, the 'Dawgs are the No. 16 football team in the country. Yeah, that's about where I'd like to see us start the autumn.
In other news:
- There's some good stuff out there about two-platoon football, the triple option, and the cover two (for the latter of which, I am most grateful to Senator Blutarsky).
- Brian Cook responded to Jim Harbaugh's comments with a forthright assessment that included a reference to bacon . . . and you know how I feel about bacon!
- Orson Swindle posted a "picture from reader Eric, a Bulldog fan who evidently holds no grudges against a blog run by Florida fans." Here's the wacky part . . . Eric is an old friend of mine. No, seriously, I've known Eric for almost 15 years and we are fellow alumni of the Phi Kappa Literary Society. Clearly, I have to get some Dawg Sports T-shirts printed pronto so my well-traveled buddies can send me pictures of themselves giving free advertising to my weblog from exotic locales around the globe.
My old pals are going around the world and sending back pictures of themselves wearing other bloggers' T-shirts. I think I'm going to go drown my sorrows in some bacon!
That should be quite enough to tide you over for the evening as we await tomorrow afternoon's baseball double-header. Have a good night, everyone.
Go 'Dawgs!