ATHENS, Ga. — The first games of the College Baseball Super Regional kick off on Friday. 48 players from Georgia are fighting for their respective teams to make it to Omaha, Nebraska for the College Baseball World Series.
Central Georgia has three players still in the race, all pitchers and all playing for the Georgia Bulldogs. Hawkinsville native and freshman James Hays is joined by former Houston County pitchers redshirt sophomore Coleman Willis and freshman Ryker Chavis.
The Bulldogs lead the way with the highest number of Georgia natives at 30. Clemson places second with five.
Below is a full breakdown of the Peach State natives in the Super Regional.
No. 1 Tennessee vs Evansville
Evansville - N/A
Tennessee - Two
Redshirt junior catcher Charlie Taylor
Dunwoody (Wesleyan School)
Four starts, 20 appearances, .130 batting average, one home run and six RBI’s
Senior pitcher Zander Sechrist
Buford (Flowery Branch High School)
16 starts, 17 appearances, 3.60 earned run average, 3-1 record, 60 strikeouts (third on the team), 27 runs allowed
While Taylor hasn’t been the most impactful player, only having four starts on the season, Sechrist has been one of the team’s starters all season. His 3.60 ERA ranks toward the top of the team and his 60 strikeouts are third. Expect to see the Buford native starting at some point against Evansville.
No. 8 Florida State vs UConn
UConn - N/A
Florida State - Two
Junior outfield/first baseman James Tibbs III
Marietta (Pope High School)
Started all 60 games, .362 batting average (second best on the team), 25 home runs and 84 RBI’s (both best on the team)
Senior pitcher Andrew Armstrong
Flowery Branch (Flowery Branch High School)
Eight starts, 22 appearances, 6.98 earned run average, 5-0 record, 32 strikeouts, 33 runs allowed
Tibbs is one of the best hitters in college baseball this season. He’s started every game, has a strong .362 batting average and his 25 home runs are tied for 13th with Georgia Tech’s Drew Burress in all of college baseball.
Armstrong, who was teammates with Sechrist at Flowery Branch High School, doesn’t see the field as much as his former teammate but has still been effective. He’s made 22 appearances as a reliever and eight starts. His 32 strikeouts this season are solid, but his ability to win games — he holds a 5-0 record, is his most impressive stat.
No. 12 Virginia vs Kansas State
Virginia - N/A
Kansas State - Two
Freshman pitcher Blake Dean
Acworth (North Cobb Christian High School)
Three starts, 28 appearances, 4.48 earned runs average, 4-3 record, 63 strikeouts (third on the team), 42 runs allowed
Junior infielder David Bishop (TCU transfer)
Marietta (Fellowship Christian High School)
50 starts, 57 appearances, .260 batting average, three home runs and 28 RBI’s
While Virginia is closer to the Peach State than Kansas, Kansas State has both Georgia players in this series. Dean is a very solid reliever, as he’s earned a 4.48 ERA, and a 4-3 record and his 63 strikeouts is third on the team. While he’s only got three starts on the season, he’s made the most appearances in the team’s bullpen with 28.
Bishop, formerly with TCU, has been the team’s starting first baseman for the season. He’s started 50 games and has been a solid hitter. His .260 batting average and three home runs don’t jump off the page, but the Marietta native has been a solid hitter in the seventh spot.
No. 4 North Carolina vs West Virginia
North Carolina - Three
Senior infielder Parks Harber (UGA transfer)
Atlanta (Westminster High School)
56 starts (only missed three games), .343 batting average, 20 home runs (second on the team), 60 RBI’s (third on the team)
Freshman outfielder Kaleb Cost
Atlanta (Sandy Creek High School)
Appeared in nine games, .000 batting average, two at-bats, no hits
Freshman pitcher Francesco Capocci
Cumming (Denmark)
Five appearances, 3.2 innings pitched, 12.27 earned run average, 0-0 record, seven strikeouts, five runs allowed
While the Tar Heels’ freshmen haven’t made major impacts this season, a former Bulldog has. Harber, who spent three seasons with UGA, transferred to UNC this past season and has served a similar role. He’s hit in the third spot in the batting order all season and has started in all, but three games this year. His 20 home runs and 60 RBI’s are second and third on the team respectively, and his .343 batting average is one of the best on the team.
West Virginia - One
Senior pitcher Hayden Cooper (SIU Edwardsville transfer)
Richmond Hill (Gynn Academy High School)
Eight starts, 17 appearances, 6.40 earned run average, 1-4 record, 32 strikeouts, 40 runs allowed
Cooper has been a solid reliever for the Mountaineers. While his 1-4 record isn’t stellar, his 17 appearances and 32 strikeouts place him in a solid position to be an effective reliever at some point. He’s also made eight starts this year and could start for West Virginia in a pinch.
No. 2 Kentucky vs No. 15 Oregon State
Kentucky - N/A
Oregon State - N/A
No. 7 Georgia vs No. 10 N.C. State
NC State - N/A
Georgia - 30
Redshirt senior outfielder Josh Stinson
Lawrenceville (Grayson High School)
Four starts, 25 appearances, .105 batting average, one RBI, defensive stalwart
Sophomore pitcher Zach Harris (Georgia Southern transfer)
Milton (Cambridge High School)
Six starts, 19 appearances, 5-1 record, 6.69 earned run average, 42 strikeouts, 34 runs allowed
Sophomore Jarvis Evans
Buford (Georgia Premier Academy)
Eight starts, 15 appearances, 3-2 record, 5.45 earned run average, 46 strikeouts, 22 runs allowed
Senior first baseman Corey Collins
Suwanee (North Gwinnett)
43 starts, 49 appearances, .361 batting average, 19 home runs (second best on the team), 55 RBI’s, .583 on-base percentage (best in college baseball)
Redshirt junior outfielder John Marant (College of Central Florida transfer)
Tyrone (Sandy Creek High School)
Seven starts, 11 appearances, .200 batting average
Junior catcher Henry Hunter (UAB transfer)
Grayson (Grayson High School)
19 starts, 28 appearances, .271 batting average, four home runs, 12 RBI’s
Sophomore pitcher Leighton Finley
Richmond Hill (Richmond Hill High School)
Game one starter has started nearly every game, 5-1 record, 71 strikeouts, 39 runs allowed
Senior catcher Fernando Gonzalez
Panama City, Panama (North Cobb Christian)
42 starts, 45 appearances, .284 batting average, nine home runs, 51 RBI's
Freshman infielder Trey King
Peachtree City (McIntosh High School)
Six starts, 17 appearances. one RBI
Sophomore pitcher Matthew Hoskins
Duluth (Peachtree Ridge High School)
Two starts, five appearances, 0-0 record, 19.64 earned run average, four strikeouts, eight runs allowed
Freshman pitcher James Hays*
Hawkinsville (The Westfield School)
Two appearances, 21.00 earned run average, three strikeouts, seven runs allowed
Freshman pitcher Ethan Sutton
Acworth (Allatoona)
Three appearances, 3.37 earned run average, two strikeouts, four runs allowed
Redshirt sophomore pitcher Coleman Willis*
Warner Robins (Houston County High School)
Six appearances, 0.00 earned run average, no runs allowed, five strikeouts, four innings pitched
Redshirt sophomore third baseman Charlie Condon
Marietta (The Walker School)
Started every game this year, .445 batting average (best in college baseball), 77 RBI's (11th in college baseball), 36 home runs (NCAA record)
Graduate pitcher Brian Zeldin (Penn)
Atlanta (Pace Academy High School)
21 appearances, 5.68 earned run average, 3-3 record, six saves (best on the team), 49 strikeouts, 33 runs allowed
Sophomore outfielder/first base Lukas Farris
Acworth (North Cobb Christian High School)
Six starts, 11 appearances, .125 batting average, one home run, one RBI
Graduate pitcher Charlie Goldstein
Alpharetta (Alpharetta High School)
Seven starts, 11 appearances (has battled injury all season), 4-1 record, 3.72 earned run average, 43 strikeouts, 18 runs allowed
Senior pitcher Brandt Pancer (Stanford transfer)
Suwanee (North Gwinnett High School)
One starts, 10 appearances, 10.80 earned run average, 11 strikeouts, 12 runs allowed
Junior pitcher Max DeJong
Powder Springs (Hillgrove High School)
Nine appearances, 6.00 earned run average, seven strikeouts, six runs allowed
Senior pitcher Tyler McLoughlin (Emory transfer)
Milton (Milton High School)
Six appearances, 6.00 earned run average, seven strikeouts, five runs allowed
Freshman pitcher Paul Farley
Kennesaw (Mount Paran Christian School)
No games played
Freshman DH Tre Phelps
Kennesaw (Georgia Premier Academy)
31 starts, 39 appearances, .355 batting average (third best on the team), 10 home runs, 34 RBI's
Redshirt sophomore pitcher DJ Radtke
Marietta (Blessed Trinity High School)
17 appearances, 3.45 earned run average, 1-0 record, 20 strikeouts, six runs allowed
Freshman pitcher Wyatt Land
Bishop (North Oconee High School)
Three appearances, 6.75 earned run average, four strikeouts, two runs allowed
Freshman outfielder Cooper Milford
Cumming (Blessed Trinity Catholic High School)
No games played
Freshman pitcher Luke Wiltrakis
Sandy Springs (St. Pius X Catholic High School)
Five appearances, 0-1 record, 1.93 earned run average, nine strikeouts, one run allowed
Senior pitcher Collin Caldwell
Hiram (Harrison High School)
No games played
Freshman pitcher Ryker Chavis*
Warner Robins (Houston County High School)
No games played
Junior catcher Josh Katz (Emory transfer)
Sandy Springs (Riverwood International Charter School)
No games played
Freshman pitcher Ryan Gold
Smyrna (Campbell High School)
Two appearances, 4.50 earned run average, one strikeout, one run allowed
It shouldn’t be a surprise that the team in Georgia has the most Georgia-based players. Some notable names in the list include starters Charlie Condon, Corey Collins, Tre Phelps and Leighton Finley. Condon and Collins lead college baseball in several categories, while Phelps has been one of the best freshmen in the country.
Fernando Gonzalez, while from Panama City, Panama, played high school baseball at North Cobb Christian and is listed as a result.
No. 6 Clemson vs Florida
Clemson - Five
Sophomore outfielder Lleyton Lackey
Evans (Evans High School)
Seven appearances
Freshman infielder Cooper Blauser
Johns Creek (Wesleyan School)
Eight starts, 12 appearances, .103 batting average one home run, three RBI’s
Junior pitcher Casey Tallent
Hartwell (Hart County)
No games played
Sophomore pitcher Nathan Dvorsky
Suwanee (Lambert High School)
Three appearances, 3.2 innings pitched, four strikeouts
Freshman infielder/outfielder Tryston McCladdie
Harlem (Harlem High School)
Two starts, 14 appearances, .231 batting average, no home runs, two RBI’s
McCladdie and Blauser are the only two players from Georgia on Clemson’s roster who have made much of an impact. The pair have made a few appearances, with Blauser starting eight games. However, neither made much of an impact aside from a few RBI’s.
Florida - Three
Sophomore pitcher Cade Fisher
Dalton (Northwest Whitfield County High School)
Nine starts, 23 appearances, 7.08 earned run average, 3-3 record, 73 strikeouts (third on the team), 46 runs allowed (most on the team)
Freshman pitcher Luke McNeillie
Milton (Milton High School)
Two starts, 24 appearances, 7.36 earned run average, 3-6 record, 42 strikeouts, 27 runs allowed
Freshman pitcher Grayson Smith
Rocky Face (McCallie School)
15 appearances, 8.66 earned run average, 0-1 record, 25 strikeouts. 17 runs allowed
All three pitchers on Florida’s roster that are from Georgia have been solid relievers for the team. McNellie has made the most reliever appearances and has amassed 42 strikeouts in that time. While Smith’s 8.66 ERA isn’t stellar, his 25 strikeouts make him a solid player to turn to in relief settings.
Fisher has been the best player out of the three. He’s earned nine starts and has totaled 73 strikeouts, which is third on the team. While he has allowed a team-high 46 runs this season, he could be an impactful player in this series.
No. 3 Texas A&M vs Oregon
Oregon - N/A
Texas A&M - N/A