Bennett, Bulldogs Sharp Before And During Opener
February 18, 2022 | Baseball, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Whether it's Little League, high school or taking the field for the Georgia Bulldogs, baseball's opening day always feels the same.
"You always get super excited and kind of nervous no matter how many times it happens," said Georgia graduate outfielder Ben Anderson following the Bulldogs' 4-2 season-opening win over Albany on Friday afternoon at Foley Field.
Anderson and Josh McAllister both hit home runs and starting pitcher Jonathan Cannon pitched six scoreless innings to lead the Bulldogs to their first win of the season.
"It was awesome to get out here in front of the fans and everything," Cannon said. "Last year being 50% capacity just wasn't the same — just a lot of excitement around this season and I was really excited to get out in front of a great crowd today and just get out there and get an opening day 'W.'"
Before the game began, the crowd got a chance to roar as Georgia football quarterback Stetson Bennett IV came out to throw the ceremonial first pitch. Before the game, Bennett took batting practice with the team and even hit a home run. "That was impressive," Anderson said.
Wearing a black No. 13 jersey, Bennett loosened up his right arm a bit before toeing the rubber and delivering what looked like a low fastball down the middle to senior pitcher Jack Gowen behind the plate. It may not have been a strike, but a generous umpire might have given him the call.
"He had some good velo on there," Anderson of Bennett's velocity. "Almost took Jack's ankles out but Jack was ready for it. I think Stetson told him beforehand, 'I'm going to let it go a little bit,' so it was pretty cool to see Stetson do that."
Georgia's team returns 29 lettermen from last season, including eight starters in the field and 13 pitchers that took the mound in 2021, when the Bulldogs, hammered and hampered by injuries and illness, went 31-25.
Cannon, a junior right-hander and preseason All-SEC pitcher along with sophomore left-hander Jaden Woods, got the start. Cannon and the Bulldogs sent the Great Danes down 1-2-3 in the first, with the big Cannon, all 6-foot-6 of him, ending the frame with a strikeout.
Offensively, the Bulldogs got off to a nice start against Albany pitcher Ray Weber when leadoff hitter Anderson sent the third pitch he saw just over the wall in right field for Georgia's first leadoff home run since Tucker Maxwell did it in 2019. Cory Acton then followed that with a standup double to left, but Anderson's run was the only one of the inning.
"It was awesome," Anderson said of starting the season off with a homer. "At first I wasn't sure if it was going out or not, I knew I hit it well, and once it went out it was just kind of a relief to start the season off good for the Dawgs and just feel good at the plate."
Cannon gave up a couple of one-out singles in the second before the Bulldogs ended the inning with a double play. In the fourth, the Great Danes managed to get runners on second and third with one out, but the Bulldog defense got out of the jam with a throw out at the plate and then an infield pop-up.
The Bulldogs' next runs also came via the long ball. In the bottom of the fourth, designated hitter Corey Collins reached on a one-out walk. Two batters later, McAllister, who went deep nine times last season, sent a Weber pitch over the wall in left field, putting Georgia ahead 3-0 with their third hit of the game.
Cannon not only kept the Great Danes under wraps at the plate through six innings, he also helped himself in the field, twice snagging ground balls and beginning double plays to end an inning. Cannon's day ended after the double play in the sixth, finishing with four strikeouts, two hits allowed and no walks.
Woods took over on the mound in the seventh and immediately found himself in a jam, starting with a hit batter and a walk. No worries, though. A fielder's choice, a strikeout and an easy fly ball ended the inning with the Bulldogs still up 3-0.
Georgia added to its lead in the bottom of the seventh when Acton belted a two-out single up the middle to score catcher Fernando Gonzalez from second base and make it 4-0 Bulldogs. That extra run proved valuable after the Great Danes got a two-run homer off of Woods in the top of the eighth, making it 4-2. Woods then struck out the next two batters to end the frame.
After snagging Bennett's ceremonial pitch before the game, Gowan was back on the field in the ninth. He took over for Woods on the mound and soon after the Bulldogs were celebrating their first win of the season. Georgia finished with eight hits to Albany's four, and Bulldog pitchers recorded nine strikeouts while walking just one batter.
The Bulldogs and Great Danes will be back at Foley for the second game of the three-game series at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Staff Writer
Whether it's Little League, high school or taking the field for the Georgia Bulldogs, baseball's opening day always feels the same.
"You always get super excited and kind of nervous no matter how many times it happens," said Georgia graduate outfielder Ben Anderson following the Bulldogs' 4-2 season-opening win over Albany on Friday afternoon at Foley Field.
Anderson and Josh McAllister both hit home runs and starting pitcher Jonathan Cannon pitched six scoreless innings to lead the Bulldogs to their first win of the season.
"It was awesome to get out here in front of the fans and everything," Cannon said. "Last year being 50% capacity just wasn't the same — just a lot of excitement around this season and I was really excited to get out in front of a great crowd today and just get out there and get an opening day 'W.'"
Before the game began, the crowd got a chance to roar as Georgia football quarterback Stetson Bennett IV came out to throw the ceremonial first pitch. Before the game, Bennett took batting practice with the team and even hit a home run. "That was impressive," Anderson said.
Wearing a black No. 13 jersey, Bennett loosened up his right arm a bit before toeing the rubber and delivering what looked like a low fastball down the middle to senior pitcher Jack Gowen behind the plate. It may not have been a strike, but a generous umpire might have given him the call.
"He had some good velo on there," Anderson of Bennett's velocity. "Almost took Jack's ankles out but Jack was ready for it. I think Stetson told him beforehand, 'I'm going to let it go a little bit,' so it was pretty cool to see Stetson do that."
Georgia's team returns 29 lettermen from last season, including eight starters in the field and 13 pitchers that took the mound in 2021, when the Bulldogs, hammered and hampered by injuries and illness, went 31-25.
Cannon, a junior right-hander and preseason All-SEC pitcher along with sophomore left-hander Jaden Woods, got the start. Cannon and the Bulldogs sent the Great Danes down 1-2-3 in the first, with the big Cannon, all 6-foot-6 of him, ending the frame with a strikeout.
Offensively, the Bulldogs got off to a nice start against Albany pitcher Ray Weber when leadoff hitter Anderson sent the third pitch he saw just over the wall in right field for Georgia's first leadoff home run since Tucker Maxwell did it in 2019. Cory Acton then followed that with a standup double to left, but Anderson's run was the only one of the inning.
"It was awesome," Anderson said of starting the season off with a homer. "At first I wasn't sure if it was going out or not, I knew I hit it well, and once it went out it was just kind of a relief to start the season off good for the Dawgs and just feel good at the plate."
Cannon gave up a couple of one-out singles in the second before the Bulldogs ended the inning with a double play. In the fourth, the Great Danes managed to get runners on second and third with one out, but the Bulldog defense got out of the jam with a throw out at the plate and then an infield pop-up.
The Bulldogs' next runs also came via the long ball. In the bottom of the fourth, designated hitter Corey Collins reached on a one-out walk. Two batters later, McAllister, who went deep nine times last season, sent a Weber pitch over the wall in left field, putting Georgia ahead 3-0 with their third hit of the game.
Cannon not only kept the Great Danes under wraps at the plate through six innings, he also helped himself in the field, twice snagging ground balls and beginning double plays to end an inning. Cannon's day ended after the double play in the sixth, finishing with four strikeouts, two hits allowed and no walks.
Woods took over on the mound in the seventh and immediately found himself in a jam, starting with a hit batter and a walk. No worries, though. A fielder's choice, a strikeout and an easy fly ball ended the inning with the Bulldogs still up 3-0.
Georgia added to its lead in the bottom of the seventh when Acton belted a two-out single up the middle to score catcher Fernando Gonzalez from second base and make it 4-0 Bulldogs. That extra run proved valuable after the Great Danes got a two-run homer off of Woods in the top of the eighth, making it 4-2. Woods then struck out the next two batters to end the frame.
After snagging Bennett's ceremonial pitch before the game, Gowan was back on the field in the ninth. He took over for Woods on the mound and soon after the Bulldogs were celebrating their first win of the season. Georgia finished with eight hits to Albany's four, and Bulldog pitchers recorded nine strikeouts while walking just one batter.
The Bulldogs and Great Danes will be back at Foley for the second game of the three-game series at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
