The Georgia baseball team opens NCAA Regional action today in Tallahassee as it takes on Ohio State at noon. Florida State and Marist are also in the regional.

DIAMOND DOG NOTES:
The Bulldogs are making their 10th NCAA postseason appearance in school history including the fifth under head coach David Perno, more than any other coach in program history.

Georgia first reached the NCAA District Playoffs in 1953 and now makes its ninth regional appearance (1987, 1990, 1992, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009).

The roster features 16 Bulldogs who have NCAA postseason experience including being a part of the 2008 College World Series teams. Georgia is 45-26 overall in the NCAA postseason including 25-10 all-time in NCAA Regionals. Georgia has won six NCAA Regionals (1987, 1990, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2008). In their last five NCAA postseason appearances, the Bulldogs have advanced to the College World Series four times.

The Bulldogs won thrilling NCAA Baseball Regionals in Athens in 2001, 2004, 2006 and 2008 on their way to the College World Series, and this marks the first time since 2002 that Georgia will go on the road for a regional.

The Bulldogs’ best finish in the postseason came it 1990 when they won the national championship. Georgia finished as the College World Series runner-up last year.

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BULLDOGS
First baseman Rich Poythress is among the SEC leaders in batting, slugging, on-base percentage, runs, hits, doubles, home runs and total bases. He needs just one RBI to break Gordon Beckham’s single season school record 77 RBI last year, and Poythress is the first player in Georgia history to record two 70 RBI seasons after driving in 75 runs a year ago. He is two home runs shy of tying Josh Morris and Andy Osbolt for second on Georgia’s single season home runs list….Freshman Colby May has started all 59 games at third base and is second on the team with a .336 average He has 22 multiple RBI games this season and has at least one hit in 13 of the last 16 games….Bryce Massanari has hit safely in eight of the last 10 games, and 13 of his 19 home runs came in SEC games, which was second most in the league. He leads the team with 24 two-out RBI….Two of Georgia’s relievers, Will Harvil and Justin Earls are ranked first and second, respectively, in the league in appearances….Dean Weaver is 4-2 with five saves in his last 12 appearances. He is fourth in the league with 10 saves including seven saves in SEC games….Joey Lewis is batting .351 with 12 home runs and 40 RBI in 34 games as a catcher this year….Georgia finished the regular season with 13 road wins, second most in the SEC….The Bulldogs are 7-3 in one-run games….The Bulldogs are 32-3 when leading after six innings and 2-18 when trailing after six innings….Georgia has hit 98 home runs this year. Entering this season, the Bulldogs were averaging 63.4 home runs per season in the David Perno era. The school record is 102 home runs in 1987….The Bulldogs’ seven home runs against Kennesaw State on April 21 is tied with LSU’s seven blasts against Illinois on March 7 for the most home runs by an SEC team this season….The Bulldogs have scored in the first inning 31 times this year, and have won 21 of those games.

Tallahassee Regional Schedule

Friday, May 29, 2009
Game 1: Georgia vs. Ohio State – 12:00 pm
Game 2: Florida State vs. Marist – 4:00 pm
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Game 3: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 – 12:00 pm
Game 4: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 – 4:00 pm
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 – 12:00 pm
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 – 4:00 pm
Monday, June 1, 2008
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (if necessary) – 7:00 pm

- Georgia Sports Communications