Expectations coming into the 2002 Georgia baseball season were not optimistic. When three starting pitchers and an entire infield depart, things are supposed to look bleak for a program. Yet somehow head coach David Perno’s squad has managed an 18-10 start and stands atop the SEC East at 8-4.

This midseason report card takes a close look at Georgia’s strengths and weaknesses and what it will have to improve upon if it is to defend its SEC title.

Pitching and Defense: B-

After the loss of Jeremy Brown, Scott Murphy and Rob Moravek (43 percent of total innings from 2001), question marks abounded as to who would fill in.

Perno, regarded as one of the top recruiters in the SEC, landed some big-time talent in Mickey Westphal and Jason Fellows. Westphal (3-0) has blossomed into Georgia’s primetime Friday night starter and leads the team with six games started. Fellows, a ninth-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates, beat No. 6 Georgia Tech earlier this year and held No. 1 Clemson to three runs in six innings.

Bill Sharpton and Brandon Moorhead give Georgia experience and leadership. Moorhead is 2-0 with a 3.66 ERA, while also saving a team-high four games. Sharpton is 3-2 with a 5.79 ERA and leads the team in innings pitched with 37.1.

Jeffrey Carswell and Matt Woods are the top relievers. Carswell is a preseason All-American who has definitely lived up to the hype. He has a 0.00 ERA in 22.1 innings of work. Woods also has been an important asset, going 1-0 with a 5.16 ERA.

Georgia has committed 23 errors in its 10 losses. Nevertheless, the Bulldogs have been fairly sound in the field with a .966 fielding percentage.

Offense: A+

The biggest surprise this year has come in Georgia’s ability to manufacture runs. When super-sluggers Jeff Keppinger and Doc Brooks entered the professional draft, Perno knew that Georgia would have to resort to more aggressive base-running and contact hitting for run production.

Perno has been able to have his cake and eat it too. Chaz Lytle has been running the bases at Georgia with a charisma that hasn’t been seen around Athens since Herschel Walker broke onto campus in 1981. Lytle (.411, 1 HR, 17 RBI) is on track to surpass the single-season record of 30 stolen bases by Rodney Bellamy in 1980 with 20 under his belt at the midpoint.

The power vacuum has been filled with an assortment of players. Eight players on Georgia’s team have three or more home runs and the Bulldogs lead the SEC with 17 home runs in league play.

Senior Adam Swann (.329, 4, 20) has been phenomenal after a slow start and sophomore David Coffey (.322, 5, 22) has done nothing but impress.

Overall: A-

Simply put, the Dogs have been the epitome of multi-dimensionality this season. They lead the SEC in almost all offensive categories and need to keep this pace up if they are to defend their SEC title. Pitching stands as the Achilles heel of this team with an ERA of

5.16 and needs some improvement. Once Perno works out the kinks, the team seems primed to defy the odds and defend its league championship.