SEC Preview: Georgia at Vanderbilt, hitting and pitching breakdown, probable starters
- Info CBC
- Apr 16
- 3 min read
By Jake Mastroianni
With just five weeks left in the regular season, Vanderbilt (28-10, 8-7) is trying to find its way to the top of the conference where Georgia (33-6, 10-5) currently resides after a huge series win at home over Arkansas.
The last time the Bulldogs faced a good pitching team on the road, Texas swept them. Vanderbilt is hoping their pitching staff can make that happen again in a more pitcher-friendly environment in Nashville for the Thursday-Friday-Saturday SEC series.
Offensive Preview
While the starting rotation for the Bulldogs is coming into form, the team is built on its offense. They’re going to try and force the other team to make a mistake or two, and then bury you with a three-run homer.
They’re fourth in the conference in average, first in home runs, second in slugging, they’ve drawn the third-most walks, and have been hit by pitches the second-most.
The only negative for the Georgia offense is that they will strike out a good bit.
Generating offense has been a big issue for Vanderbilt this year, and they rank dead last in the conference over the entire season in batting average (14th during conference play).
They don’t hit for power or average, they don’t take a lot of walks, and they don’t steal a lot of bases. It’s going to be hard to compete at the top if you can’t excel in at least one of those areas.
Hitters to Watch
Georgia
Ryland Zaborowski leads the team with a .409 average, 16 home runs, and 55 RBI.
Robbie Burnett is tied with Zaborowski with 16 home runs to go along with 46 runs scored and 53 RBI. He’s also walked 31 times and stolen 12 bases.
Slate Alford, Kolby Branch, and Tre Phelps are also having good seasons for this dangerous Georgia offense.
Vanderbilt
Riley Nelson leads the team with a .350 average and 25 walks.
Freshman Brodie Johnston leads the team with 6 home runs and 31 RBI, but he’s hitting just .262.
RJ Austin hasn’t taken the step forward many hoped with just 1 home run this year and a .273 average. He is tied with Jacob Humphrey for the team lead in steals with 16.
Pitching Preview
The Vanderbilt pitching staff has kept them alive in the SEC as they have the fifth-best ERA in conference play, striking out 146 batters in 128 innings. What worries you here, if you’re a Vanderbilt fan, is that they’ve walked the sixth most batters during conference play.
One of the pitching staffs that has walked more batters during conference play is Georgia. But they also combat that with big strikeout rates.
Vanderbilt has allowed just 19 home runs to Georgia’s 27, but a big part of that is their respective home ballpark factors.
The starting rotation is finally gaining some stability for Georgia, but as a result, their bullpen has suffered with guys like Brian Curley and Kolten Smith moving from the bullpen to the rotation.
Pitchers to Watch
Georgia
Kolten Smith is back in the rotation and has been really good. On the season, he has a 4.18 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts in 23.2 innings.
Brian Curley has been huge since joining the starting staff. He has a 3.48 ERA and 0.95 WHIP on the season with 43 strikeouts in 33.2 innings pitched.
JT Quinn and DJ Radtke are two of their most trusted arms out of the pen.
Vanderbilt
Cody Bowker has been huge for Vanderbilt this year in the rotation, posting a 3.32 ERA and .209 average against in 43.1 innings with 55 strikeouts.
JD Thompson has 56 strikeouts in 46.2 innings with a 4.44 ERA.
Sawkyer Hawks is their ringer out of the bullpen with a 1.47 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 30.2 innings with 4 saves. Batters are hitting just .147 against him.
Weekend schedule and probables (not confirmed)
Thu., April 17 at 6 pm CDT
Brian Curley (3.48 ERA, 43 Ks, 33.2 IP) vs. JD Thompson (4.44 ERA, 56 Ks, 46.2 IP)
Fri, April 18 at 6 pm CDT
Kolten Smith (4.18 ERA, 36 Ks, 23.2 IP) vs. Cody Bowker (3.32 ERA, 55 Ks, 43.1 IP)
Sat, April 19 at 2 pm CDT
Leighton Finley (5.66 ERA, 40 Ks, 35 IP) vs. Connor Fennell (2.95 ERA, 40 Ks, 21.1 IP)
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