Football season and national signing day are behind us, and we’re still almost three weeks away from the start of spring practice, but, believe it or not, this is one of the busiest times of the year for Bulldog athletics, so much so that the best way to update you on every event of note is to run it down for you quickly. Here now, the bullet points comprising your Sunday summary:
- Jack Bauerle, who has been named SEC coach of the year 13 times and who may or may not have 24 hours to save the world, led the Georgia women’s swimming and diving team to its second straight conference championship. The title represents the eighth SEC crown in program history, and the championship was won in Gainesville, Fla., against the hated Gators. Georgia defeated Florida by a 720-678 margin, led by Commissioner’s Trophy winner Morgan Scroggy.
- The second-ranked Georgia women’s softball squad is kicking the crap out of people at a ridiculous rate. Saturday’s victims included North Dakota State and Marshall, both of whom fell by double-digit margins in five-inning games, and the Red and Black carded another run-rule victory on Sunday by beating N.C. State by a 13-4 final margin. The Bulldogs now stand at 10-0 for the season so far. If this keeps up, we may get the softball team to switch schedules with the baseball team.
- Speaking of the baseball team, the Diamond Dogs entered Sunday’s series finale against Stetson hoping to avoid a season-opening sweep, but even that meager achievement proved beyond the Bulldogs’ capacity, as the Hatters overcame three errors to register an 8-4 victory over Georgia. The Red and Black were doubled up on the scoreboard despite being out-hit only by a 10-9 margin. The Classic City Canines cut into a 7-1 deficit with a three-run eighth inning, but it was too little, too late. Those looking for a silver lining for the Athenians are encouraged to note the performances at the plate of designated hitter Chase Davidson and first baseman Jonathan Hester, who together went five for eight and scored a pair of runs from the fifth and sixth spots in the order. Likewise, starting pitcher Alex Wood worked five frames, striking out four and conceding only two earned runs, while closer Patrick Boling fanned three of the nine batters he faced, surrendering a lone hit and a single earned run. Any such attempts to find hidden positives in the Diamond Dogs’ woeful start, though, must overlook the obvious fact that, after a disastrous 2010 campaign, Georgia is 0-3 in 2011.
- After crushing Kentucky to ensure the 26th 20-win season of Andy Landers’s 32-year tenure in the Classic City, the Lady Bulldogs find themselves in second place in the SEC in the women’s basketball standings. Georgia travels to Knoxville on Monday night looking to take down the first-place Lady Volunteers at "The Summitt." Maybe Mark Fox can give Coach Landers a few pointers.
You are now up to speed and ready to begin the work week. Don’t say I never did anything for you.
Go ‘Dawgs!