Spring Break
Beckham comes on strong in last games
CWS NOTEBOOK
Online Editor
Issue date: 6/26/08 Section: Sports
OMAHA, Neb - When the Georgia baseball team arrived in Omaha June 12, the Diamond Dog with the most pressure was undoubtedly shortstop Gordon Beckham.
The eighth overall selection of the Chicago White Sox came to Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium as the team leader in almost every statistical category, and tied or was within reach of several school records.
However, after advancing through the bracket in three games to reach the Championship Series, Beckham only had one extra base hit, four runs scored and zero RBI.
"Some of the guys were getting on me during the Stanford game about not hitting a home run, and I told coach that I would hit one when we needed it the most," Beckham said.
And that is just what he did, hitting a two-run home run in Monday's Game 1, with his team down 6-3. With the homer, he passed Josh Morris' (2004-'06) record of 51 for a career.
In the first inning of Wednesday's game, Beckham got his 112th hit of the year, eclipsing Joey Side's record of 111, set in 2006. He also set new single-season marks in home runs (28), total bases (221), RBI (77), runs scored (97) and finished with 201 career runs scored, second to Doug Radziewicz's 207.
Beckham hit his 28th round-tripper of the season in the eighth inning of last night's game, to tie him with LSU's Matt Clark for the NCAA lead.
Beckham finished the season with a .411, only the 10th Bulldog to ever accomplish the trick.
A Disappearing Act
After hitting the cover off the ball during the Athens Regional and Super Regional, senior right fielder Matt Olson and junior catcher Bryce Massanari's bats went silent under Rosenblatt's bright lights.
The undrafted senior went 3-for-29 (.103) with seven strikeouts, while only driving in one and made the final out on Wednesday. Massanari didn't fare much better, hitting 3-for-22 (.136).
The eighth overall selection of the Chicago White Sox came to Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium as the team leader in almost every statistical category, and tied or was within reach of several school records.
However, after advancing through the bracket in three games to reach the Championship Series, Beckham only had one extra base hit, four runs scored and zero RBI.
"Some of the guys were getting on me during the Stanford game about not hitting a home run, and I told coach that I would hit one when we needed it the most," Beckham said.
And that is just what he did, hitting a two-run home run in Monday's Game 1, with his team down 6-3. With the homer, he passed Josh Morris' (2004-'06) record of 51 for a career.
In the first inning of Wednesday's game, Beckham got his 112th hit of the year, eclipsing Joey Side's record of 111, set in 2006. He also set new single-season marks in home runs (28), total bases (221), RBI (77), runs scored (97) and finished with 201 career runs scored, second to Doug Radziewicz's 207.
Beckham hit his 28th round-tripper of the season in the eighth inning of last night's game, to tie him with LSU's Matt Clark for the NCAA lead.
Beckham finished the season with a .411, only the 10th Bulldog to ever accomplish the trick.
A Disappearing Act
After hitting the cover off the ball during the Athens Regional and Super Regional, senior right fielder Matt Olson and junior catcher Bryce Massanari's bats went silent under Rosenblatt's bright lights.
The undrafted senior went 3-for-29 (.103) with seven strikeouts, while only driving in one and made the final out on Wednesday. Massanari didn't fare much better, hitting 3-for-22 (.136).
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