Season Review

Ben Anderson

Pandemic Halts Potential Special Speason

The 2020 Bulldogs featured one of the deepest pitching staffs in the country, and coupled with a veteran lineup, Georgia was poised to have a special campaign.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, spring sports around the country ended in mid-March. The Bulldogs were on their way to Florida for a No. 1 versus No. 2 matchup with the Gators to open the SEC schedule. The 2020 Bulldogs finished with a 14-4 record, and the final USA TODAY Sports Top 25 poll of the season placed Georgia in the No. 2 spot. Georgia ended a season at No. 2 for the first time since the 2008 squad was a consensus No. 2 after advancing to the CWS Finals. There’s only been one Bulldog squad to do better, the 1990 national champions.

2020 Highlights

*During the fall,Georgia teamed up with Vs. Cancer in a fundraising campaign to support child life programs at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and for Pediatric Brain Cancer research. Then, their “Star” Nicholas Chaclan and his family were recognized before the Santa Clara doubleheader on Feb. 22, and the Bulldogs presented a $10,000 check to the Vs. Cancer organization. Also, the team wore gold shoelaces in their cleats as it’s the signature color for childhood cancer to bring awareness to the disease.

*For the first time in school history, Georgia sold out its season tickets. Georgia’s 11-1 start was the best by the Bulldogs since 2009 when they began the year 14-0.

*Emerson Hancock (RHP), a consensus preseason All-America pick, along with Riley King (2B) were 2020 SEC Coaches Preseason All-SEC selections. Cole Wilcox (RHP) was named to the Baseball America preseason All-America Third Team. Hancock and Wilcox were among the players on the watch list for USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award.

*From Feb. 28-March 1, Georgia swept No. 17 Ga. Tech, winning 6-5 in Athens, 12-0 in Atlanta and 9-3 at Coolray Field, the Triple-A home of the Gwinnett Stripers. Proceeds of the final game went to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) as this was the 18th annual Farmview Market Spring Baseball Classic For Kids. All three games were sellouts. This was the first three-game consecutive weekend series during the regular season with Tech in 59 years.

Memorable Performances

*Junior RHP Emerson Hancock (2-0, 3.75 ERA) matched his career high with 12 strikeouts and no walks in just 7.1 innings of a combined shutout of UMASS in what turned out to be his final start as a Bulldog. He became only the fourth student-athlete in the history of UGA to earn First Team Academic AllAmerica honors and be a First Round draft pick in his sport. *Sophomore RHP Cole Wilcox (3-0, 1.57 ERA) was dominating in 2020 with 32 strikeouts and just two walks in 23 innings over a span of four starts. Wilcox’s 1.57 ERA ranks third in school history for a season and is the best since 1966 (Tom Jordan, 1.57). He earned 2nd Team All-America honors by Collegiate Baseball and received the highest bonus in MLB Draft history for a third round pick, a reported $3.3 million. *Junior OF/LHP Tucker Bradley (.397-6-23; 0-0, 0.00, 1 SV, 4.1 IP, 6K) enjoyed one of the finest starts. He ranked among the SEC leaders in multiple categories. He reached base safely in all 18 games. Also, he picked up one save with six strikeouts and one walk. Senior SS Cam Shepherd tallied 21 RBI, four home runs and was 7-for-7 in stolen bases, all which ranked second on the squad to Bradley.

*On March 2, Tucker Bradley and Cole Wilcox were named SEC Player and Co-Pitcher of the Week. They were instrumental in Georgia sweeping No. 17 Georgia Tech for the third time in the past four years. Bradley batted .412 (7-for-17) with eight runs scored, three home runs and nine RBI. Wilcox was brilliant in clinching the series over Tech in Atlanta, firing seven shutout innings and had a career-high 11 strikeouts. He allowed just three hits with no walks. Wilcox, along with senior Justin Glover who took care of the final two frames, led Georgia to its first shutout on Tech’s campus since 1964.

*Sophomore CF Ben Anderson, who earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors, led the team with a .414 average, 24 runs scored and ended the season on a 17-game on base streak. He became the first Bulldog since Gordon Beckham (.411) in 2008 to finish a season with a batting average over .400, and it’s the highest mark since Buck Belue’s .447 average in 1982. Junior INF Cole Tate (.339-2-14) had a stretch where he batted .615 (8-for-13) with a pair of doubles, a home run and eight RBI. Tate provided the game-winner on Opening Day over Richmond.

*Junior Ryan Webb was on the watch list for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year, which goes to the nation’s top relief pitcher. Webb (2-0, 1.20 ERA, 1 SV) posted 26 strikeouts and five walks in 15 innings.

*Freshman Jonathan Cannon (3-0, 0.00 ERA) picked up three wins in five relief appearances. He did not allow a run in 11.1 innings with 12 strikeouts and two walks. Cannon’s final victory came at Coolray Field on March 1st, tossing 4.2 scoreless innings with five strikeouts to complete a sweep of No. 17 Ga. Tech. Freshman Will Childers enjoyed a nice start to his career, going 1-0 with a 0.79 ERA in five appearances covering 11.1 innings with 13 strikeouts. Cannon and Childers were named Freshman AllAmericans by Collegiate Baseball.

2020 RESULTS (14-4)

Final Rankings: #2 USA Today; #3 Baseball America; D1Baseball.com; #5 Perfect Game; #7 NCBWA; #10 Collegeiate Baseball

Date Opponent Time/Res. Rec. (SEC) Feb. 14 Richmond (SECN+) W, 7-6 1-0 Feb. 15 Richmond (SECN+) W, 9-3 2-0 Feb. 16 Richond (SECN+) W, 5-4 3-0

Feb. 19 @ Kennesaw State W, 10-3 4-0

Feb. 21 Santa Clara (SECN+) W, 9-0 5-0 Feb. 22 Santa Clara (SECN+) W, 5-4(12) 6-0 Feb. 22 Santa Clara (SECN+) W, 6-1 7-0 Feb. 23 Santa Clara (SECN+) L, 8-4 7-1 Feb. 25 Kennesaw State (SECN+) W, 15-1 8-1 Feb. 28 #17 Ga. Tech (SECN+) W, 6-5 9-1

Feb. 29 @ #17 Ga. Tech (ACCNX) W, 12-0 10-1 March 1 vs. %#17 Ga. Tech W, 9-3 11-1

March 3 Ga. Southern (SECN+) L, 6-3 11-2 March 6 UMASS (SECN+) W, 5-0 12-2 March 7 UMASS (SECN+) W, 16-2 13-2 March 8 UMASS (SECN+) W, 6-0 14-2

March 10 vs. &Ga. Southern L, 1-0 14-3 March 11 @ Ga. Southern (ESPN+) L, 6-1 14-4 Remainder of season canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic Home games in Bold. %Coolray Field, Lawrenceville, Ga.; &SRP Park, N. Augusta, S.C.

Bulldogs In The MLB Draft

Due to the pandemic, Major League Baseball shortened the draft to just five rounds. Emerson Hancock was a first round pick (sixth overall), going to Seattle. He was the highest Bulldog draft pick since 1987 (Derek Lilliquist, No. 6 to Atlanta). Cole Wilcox went in the 3rd round to San Diego.

Tucker Bradley (Kansas City) and Cam Shepherd (Atlanta) signed as free agents. The Bulldogs extended their string to 48 straight seasons with at least one player signing a contract as all four of the aofrementioned Bulldogs began their professional career.

Record 26 Bulldogs Earn Academic Honors

A total of 18 Bulldogs earned a spot on the SEC Academic Spring Honor Roll and eight made the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll to give Georgia a school record 26 baseball honorees. These Bulldogs were: Ben Anderson, Tucker

Bradley, Jonathan Cannon, Will Childers, Justin Glover, Charles Goldstein, Jack Gowen, Emerson Hancock, Ben Harris, Randon Jernigan, Spencer Keefe, Riley King, Mason Meadows, Bryce Melear, Darryn Pasqua, Michael Polk, Will Proctor, Chaney Rogers, Cam Shepherd, C.J. Smith, Josh Stinson, Patrick Sullivan, Cole Tate, Connor Tate , Ryan Webb

and Cole Wilcox. Also, Georgia was the only SEC baseball team to receive NCAA APR Recognition for outstanding achievement. Ten Bulldogs earned a degree, and the team posted a record 3.14 GPA for the spring semester.

Team Captains And Scholar-Athlete

The Jim Whatley Captain Awards went to senior Cam Shepherd (SS) and juniors Emerson Hancock (RHP) and Riley King (INF/OF) as they served as the team captains. The Scholar-Athlete Award for the player with the highest GPA and best year was earned by pitcher Cole Wilcox (3.67 GPA in Accounting). With the shortened season, Georgia did not name any other individual award winners. Most national awards and All-America teams were not chosen either.