Tag: Georgia Baseball

UGA football player card: TE Jarrett Freeland

Jarrett Freeland signed with Georgia baseball in 2013, but pursued a MLB career after the Cincinnati Reds drafted him in 2013 MLB Draft

Jarrett Freeland, Tight End (#48):

Class: Redshirt sophomore

Height: 6-7

Weight: 258 pounds

Hometown: Liburn, Georgia

High School: Parkview

Georgia Bulldogs tight end Jarrett Freeland has one of the more unique stories of any player on the University of Georgia roster. Freeland signed with Georgia baseball in 2013, but elected to pursue an MLB career after the Cincinnati Reds drafted him in the 15th round of the 2013 MLB Amateur Draft.

Injuries and positional changes took their toll on Freeland, who was released by the Arizona Reds in late 2017. Following this, Freeland decided to return to Georgia. Freeland, who is turning 26 in June of 2020, is one of the oldest players on the Georgia roster.

Freeland has excellent size and could be utilized as a blocking tight end at some point. For now, he’s adjusting back to football and looking to help the team anyway he can.

His father, Buddy Freeland, graduated from the University of Georgia as well.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1]

 

Former Georgia baseball commit flips to play QB for Clemson Tigers

Bubba Chandler, who was recently committed to Georgia baseball, has announced his commitment to Clemson, where he’ll play QB and baseball.

On Wednesday, Clemson football added a commitment from quarterback Bubba Chandler, who until recently was committed to play baseball at Georgia.

Clemson offered Chandler on May 7. On May 11, he announced he’d be reopening his recruitment and that he wanted to play both baseball and football in college.

Chandler announced his decision to play both sports for Clemson via Twitter on May 20.

Out of North Oconee High School in Bogart, Georgia, Chandler is a right-handed pitcher and shortstop. He originally committed to play baseball at UGA in June. With Georgia not being able to offer him a football scholarship, he’s decided to attend Clemson, where he can pursue both sports.

Chandler originally did not expect to receive interest from Clemson, a school that he’s never actually taken a recruiting visit to. But when Clemson quarterback target Christian Veilleux committed to Penn State a few weeks ago, it left the Tigers looking for a signal-caller in their 2021 class. So Clemson took a swing at a two-for-one deal and it paid off.

He did, however, visit Clemson in 2018 when his friend on the football team got him to tickets to see a game in Death Valley.

“[The Clemson coaches] just watched my film, a lot of my Twitter videos, and I talked with the coaches pretty much every day on the phone,” Chandler told ESPN. “Then, of course, our high school head coach knows [Clemson safeties coach] Mickey Conn pretty well. Clemson’s coaches asked our head coach about me, my character, and I guess they liked what they heard.”

Chandler has been playing both sports for nearly his entire life, and will continue that at Clemson.

“They’re going to develop me into the best player I can be in both sports,” Chandler said. “They have a chance to compete for a national championship every year. I’ve always wanted to play football in college, and what better place to play football than at Clemson?”

As for Georgia, the Bulldogs already have another quarterback committed in the 2021 class who also happens to be from Bogart. That’s 5-star dual-threat Brock Vandagriff.

[vertical-gallery id=28511]

Clemson football coaches coming for Georgia baseball commit

Clemson football coaches are recruiting Georgia baseball commit Bubba Chandler to play QB for the Tigers.

Clemson quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter and offensive coordinator Tony Elliott have been in touch with 2021 Georgia baseball commit Bubba Chandler.

Out of North Oconee High School in Bogart, Georgia, Chandler is a right-handed pitcher and shortstop. He committed to play baseball at UGA last June.

Clemson quarterback target Christian Veilleux committed to Penn State last week, leaving the Tigers looking for a signal caller in their 2021 class.

Though Chandler is committed to play baseball at Georgia, he has been picking up football offers lately from schools like UNC-Charlotte, Western Kentucky and Troy.

He said that the Auburn football program has also been recruiting him heavily.

Clemson is yet to offer Chandler, but the two sport star told TigerNet that if they do offer he would certainly give them a chance. He said he would love to play both sports in college.

Chandler has not yet been able to visit the Clemson campus, but it appears he is excited to do so when the lockdown is lifted.

As for Georgia, the Bulldogs already have another quarterback from Bogart committed in the 2021 class. That’s 5-star dual-threat Brock Vandagriff.

“I love UGA. But I love football as well,” Chandler told Clemson Insider. “I’m going to look over and consider any opportunity, such as Clemson.”

Finebaum: NCAA president Emmert’s handling of cancellations “inexcusable”

Cancellation was always going to be the safe decision, but the NCAA’s lack of communication left conference leaders in the dark.

Last week, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey appeared on The Paul Finebaum Show to disclose that he learned secondhand of NCAA President Mark Emmert’s decision to cancel spring and winter sports amid COVID-19 concerns.

As per Sankey, he learned of the cancellation from a journalist. He received no prior notification from NCAA officials.

Though it was always going to be the safe decision to make, the communication (or lack thereof) related to the NCAA’s cancellation plans left conference leaders in the dark.

Following Sankey’s revelation, Finebaum, in an appearance on Birmingham’s WJOX, let loose on his perceptions of the issue.

“I know this is the wrong time to make absolute statements but I’m going to make one anyway. That moment was the end of the NCAA as we know it. It may have power in existence for some times but that was an existential moment in the history of the NCAA where knowing the commissioners like we do, they are going to band together at some point, when the storm clears, and are going to say, ‘You know what, we’re not going to take that anymore.’”

Finebaum continued regarding the communication breakdown:

“For Mark Emmert, not to have more consultation with the people that feed the system was inexcusable. And what was interesting is we all praised him on Wednesday afternoon, ‘What a great decision to go ahead and announce that there would be no fans (for the 2020 NCAA Tournament)’ and in the moment it did look good, but once again no consultation with anyone.”

The necessary precautions for the general public’s safety never came into question for Finebaum.

“Quit praising him for making the right call…it wasn’t a difficult call.”

He concluded:

“Let’s not give him too much credit or give anyone too much credit. This was this a domino effect, which we all know was caused by the NBA (being the first major American sporting league to suspend play due to coronavirus concerns).”

For other inquiries into how the global health pandemic affects the world of college sports:

Coronavirus forces NCAA to make big decisions regarding eligibility, recruiting

SEC cancels its men’s basketball tournament due to coronavirus

NCAA grants spring season athletes an extra year of eligibility

Will Georgia football cancel G-Day due to coronavirus?

Georgia football Pro Day postponed amid coronavirus outbreak

Georgia baseball’s Tucker Bradley leads the SEC in home runs

With a fat dinger and a subsequent bat flip, Georgia’s Tucker Bradley sank the hopes of in-state rival Georgia Tech.

With a fat dinger and a subsequent (and well-earned) bat flip, Georgia’s Tucker Bradley sank the hopes of in-state rival Georgia Tech.

His sixth home run of the still-young 2020 college baseball season places him atop the list of the Southeasten Conference’s home run hitters.

Fourth-ranked Georgia didn’t need any more homers from Bradley today when topped Tech 12-0, ranked No. 17 but likely sinking in next week’s polls following two consecutive losses.

Bulldog Garrett Blaylock is close to the top with four home runs.

In the previous matchup, Georgia outlasted Georgia Tech in the series opener by a score of 6-5 at Foley Field.

As part of a neutral series between in-state foes, the three-game stand features one game at Georgia’s Foley Field, another at Tech’s stadium at 255 Ferst Drive in Atlanta, and a third contest at Coolray Field, the home of Atlanta Braves AAA affiliate Gwinnett Stripers.

Georgia baseball blanks Georgia Tech 12-0, wins season series

Tech needed a miracle entering the ninth, but the away team scored eight runs in the inning’s top half to put the game away for good.

Who runs this state?

In the past three months, the Georgia Bulldogs have clinched victories over the in-state Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in football, men’s basketball, and baseball.

Following last night’s dramatic victory at Foley Field in Athens, the Dawgs ensured that the next contest, held on Tech’s campus, would be less of a nail-biter for Georgia baseball fans.

Scott Stricklin’s fourth-ranked Bulldogs built an early 4-0 lead across the first five innings. Tech already needed a miracle entering the ninth, but the away team scored eight runs in the inning’s top half to put the game away for good.

The Bulldogs improve to 10-1 on the season.

As part of a neutral series between in-state foes, the three-game stand features one game at Georgia’s Foley Field, today’s game at Grant Field in Atlanta, and a third contest at Coolray Field, the home of Atlanta Braves AAA affiliate Gwinnett Stripers.

Georgia baseball downs Georgia Tech in series opener

Georgia’s Webb oversaw the final ten outs and earned his first save of the season.

Scott Stricklin’s fourth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs swatted the No. 17 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the first of three games the rivals will play this season.

After the Jackets put the first run on the board in the top of the fourth inning, the Dawgs answered in the bottom half of the inning with a five-run outburst.

Tech chipped away at their most hated rivals’ lead, scoring three runs and blanking the home team in the fifth and sixth innings.

Still maintaining a one-run lead in the bottom of the seventh, pinch hitter Patrick Sullivan sent Cole Tate home from second base, giving the Bulldogs an insurance run that would prove to be vital.

The Yellow Jackets loaded the bases down two runs in the bottom of the ninth and scored one with a sacrifice fly. Junior reliever Ryan Webb, despite the immense pressure of the game’s ending, struck out similarly-named Jackson Webb (both billed from Roswell, strangely enough) to end the game.

Georgia’s Webb oversaw the final ten outs and earned his first save of the season.

Webb told reporters after the game:

“I just love being in when the game is on the line and this just means more to me because its Tech. I have a lot of friends on that team and last year I kind of laid an egg against them at Suntrust.”

Bulldawg Illustrated posted Webb’s post-game interview.

As part of a neutral series between in-state foes, the three-game stand features one game at Georgia’s Foley Field, another at Tech’s stadium at 255 Ferst Drive in Atlanta, and a third contest at Coolray Field, the home of Atlanta Braves AAA affiliate Gwinnett Stripers.

Georgia baseball opens 2020 season with walk-off win

Feeling the love from a full home crowd on a beautiful Valentine’s Day evening, Georgia rallied in the bottom of the ninth inning.

The Georgia Bulldogs welcomed the Richmond Spiders to Foley Field for college baseball season’s opening day.

Scott Stricklin’s fourth-ranked Dawgs took an early lead, scoring one run in each of the first two innings. In the first, a Tucker Bradley single sent Ben Anderson home. The following inning, junior Cole Tate knocked a solo homer to left field, giving the home team a two-to-nothing lead.

Richmond answered immediately, scoring three runs in each the third and fourth innings, the latter of which featured a pair of two-run home runs. The Spiders’ scoring would end there.

The Bulldogs proceeded to answer Richmond’s answer, tallying one run in each the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. Both teams failed to score in the eighth, and Georgia entered the bottom of the ninth inning trailing by one run.

Feeling the love from a full crowd on a beautiful Valentine’s Day evening, Georgia rallied in the ninth. Junior Garrett Blaylock (not to be confused with redshirt freshman Garrett Brown, not to be confused with me) evened the score with a solo home run to center, and a crucial dropped fly ball gave the Dawgs their chance to end the game.

With senior Randon Jernigan on base, Tate knocked in his third RBI of the night with a single to center, solidifying a dramatic first win of the season.

The Bulldogs and Spiders play a three-game weekend series. Saturday’s first pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. local time. Sunday’s is scheduled for 1:00. Both will air on SEC Network+.

Georgia-Georgia Tech baseball game moved out of SunTrust Park

The Georgia-Georgia Tech baseball game has been moved out of SunTrust Park for 2020

The Georgia-Georgia Tech baseball game has unfortunately been moved out of SunTrust Park for 2020.

Though the Bulldogs and Yellow Jackets will have a three-game series this season all in one weekend, they will not be playing at the home of the Braves. This decision comes after SunTrust Park hosted a two-day ski and snowboard event last weekend called Visa Big Air.

The event featured a massive snow-filled ramp on the playing field, which has made conditions unplayable until the Braves’ season starts.

Now, Georgia and Georgia Tech will play the final game in their series at CoolRay Field in Lawrenceville, rather than at SunTrust. The two teams open up their weekend series in Athens, before concluding the games in Atlanta at Russ-Chandler Stadium on Saturday and CoolRay on Sunday.

What a weekend it will be for baseball in the Peach State.