Spring Break
Diamond Dogs hope for future victories
JAMIE CWALINSKI
Issue date: 3/26/07 Section: Sports
Outfielder Jonathan Wyatt turned the first pitch of the weekend road series at Tennessee into a home run, indicating a good weekend ahead for the Diamond Dogs.
That prediction would prove to be far from the case.
Diamond Dogs Baseball (9-14, 3-3 SEC)
Friday: Lost to Tennessee 4-3
Saturday: Lost to Tennessee 10-2
Sunday: Lost to Tennessee 11-5
Next game: Against Furman, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.While Georgia was in sync in all facets of the game in sweeping Auburn last weekend, the team struggled across the board, dropping three games to the Volunteers.
"We're okay because we swept last weekend. If we didn't get that sweep, it would be a tougher situation," head coach David Perno said in his postgame radio show Sunday. "We just need to get back to doing what we've been doing before we came up here."
Save a 10-2 blowout Saturday, the Diamond Dogs (9-14, 3-3 SEC) were essentially two innings away from a potential series victory.
Leading 3-2 in the seventh Friday, Vols freshman outfielder Jeff Lockwood smashed a two-run homer off of reliever Stephen Dodson, eventually proving to be the decisive runs.
Georgia rallied to tie the contest Sunday at five in the top of the sixth only to see Tennessee (17-9, 4-2) put six runs on the board in the bottom of the seventh.
For most of the weekend, the Diamond Dogs failed to drive in runs in timely spots, leaving 24 runners on base in the last two games alone.
Most telling was the start Sunday, which saw Tennessee starter Nick Hernandez walk three Georgia players in the first but escape the inning unscathed.
"The first inning was the game today," Perno said. "We're having a tough time getting that timely hit."
After allowing a mere seven runs to Auburn last weekend, Georgia's pitchers were beat by Tennessee's hitters.
In 11 innings of work, the starting triad of Nathan Moreau, Trevor Holder and Justin Earls was tagged for 13 earned runs and 17 hits.
Nonetheless, Perno remains confident that his team will turn the corner.
"All (of my previous) teams at Georgia tend to get better as the year goes along," he said. "We need to make certain we finish (the close games) next time on the road."
Following the sweep, the Vols have now won 12 out of 15 games against Georgia.
That prediction would prove to be far from the case.
DIAMOND DOGS
Diamond Dogs Baseball (9-14, 3-3 SEC)
Friday: Lost to Tennessee 4-3
Saturday: Lost to Tennessee 10-2
Sunday: Lost to Tennessee 11-5
Next game: Against Furman, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.
"We're okay because we swept last weekend. If we didn't get that sweep, it would be a tougher situation," head coach David Perno said in his postgame radio show Sunday. "We just need to get back to doing what we've been doing before we came up here."
Save a 10-2 blowout Saturday, the Diamond Dogs (9-14, 3-3 SEC) were essentially two innings away from a potential series victory.
Leading 3-2 in the seventh Friday, Vols freshman outfielder Jeff Lockwood smashed a two-run homer off of reliever Stephen Dodson, eventually proving to be the decisive runs.
Georgia rallied to tie the contest Sunday at five in the top of the sixth only to see Tennessee (17-9, 4-2) put six runs on the board in the bottom of the seventh.
For most of the weekend, the Diamond Dogs failed to drive in runs in timely spots, leaving 24 runners on base in the last two games alone.
Most telling was the start Sunday, which saw Tennessee starter Nick Hernandez walk three Georgia players in the first but escape the inning unscathed.
"The first inning was the game today," Perno said. "We're having a tough time getting that timely hit."
After allowing a mere seven runs to Auburn last weekend, Georgia's pitchers were beat by Tennessee's hitters.
In 11 innings of work, the starting triad of Nathan Moreau, Trevor Holder and Justin Earls was tagged for 13 earned runs and 17 hits.
Nonetheless, Perno remains confident that his team will turn the corner.
"All (of my previous) teams at Georgia tend to get better as the year goes along," he said. "We need to make certain we finish (the close games) next time on the road."
Following the sweep, the Vols have now won 12 out of 15 games against Georgia.
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