3 early keys for Bulldogs’ ahead of Saturday’s matchup vs. Texas

Despite not facing any of them this season, the Bulldogs faced all three last year and said they feel they have a good understanding of each one.

“You know what Skip (Johnson’s) style is. You know what Jim (Schlossnagle’s) style (is) at Texas. And then Rob (Vaughn) at Alabama, you know how they all coach,” UGA coach Wes Johnson said. “You know their tendencies, just like they know ours. And that’s what you’ll coach off of.”

UGA is 0-5 all-time against Texas, with the most recent downfall coming in 2025 when Georgia made its first trip to Austin and was swept.

Before that, you have to go back to the 2004 College World Series, where the Longhorns defeated the Bulldogs twice.

Texas (45-13, 19-10 SEC) is one of the most complete teams left in the tournament, making this game so intriguing given the talent level on both sides.

Here are three early keys for Georgia ahead of this weekend’s primetime matchup.

Can the Bulldogs get to Dylan Volantis?

Texas starting pitcher Dylan Volantis is one of the toughest pitchers in college baseball.

After serving as Texas’ closer last season, where Volantis earned SEC Freshman of the Year and Baseball America National Freshman of the Year honors, the left-hander has been just as good in the starting rotation this year.

Volantis was arguably the best pitcher in the SEC despite not winning conference Pitcher of the Year.

He posted a 10-1 overall record with a 2.03 ERA (first in SEC); a 126-to-27 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 88.2 innings pitched; a 1.02 WHIP (second in SEC); 12.79 strikeouts per nine innings; and, more importantly, has allowed only two home runs all season.

Although Georgia can manufacture runs in a multitude of ways, it thrives on hitting home runs — a Division I-leading 174 to be exact.

The Bulldogs saw Volantis twice last season and were put in their place. In those two appearances, Volantis tossed a combined 5.1 shutout innings, allowed just two hits, one walk and struck out nine.

“He’s got a high release height,” Johnson said. “He does a really good job of tunneling his fastball and curveball down in the strike zone, which makes it tough.”

On Tuesday, Johnson noted the team would be simulating that high release point in practice before they take off for Omaha, Nebraska, on Wednesday.

Watch out for Texas’ top-two hitters

Similar to Georgia’s, Texas’ batting order is one of the best in baseball, with no weaknesses in hitters 1-9.

But two players Georgia must not let beat them reside at the top of the order.

“They’ve got the two guys at the top, (Aiden) Robbins and (Carson) Tinney, (who) have a lot of power and don’t swing and miss a lot. It will be a good challenge,” Johnson said. “I see that their first two hitters are real.”

Robbins and Tinney are each hitting over .330 with a combined 147 hits, 46 home runs — nearly 45% of all of Texas’ homer — and 122 RBIs.

Both do a great job at setting the tone early in games and are not afraid of doing some damage in the process. In Game 2 of the Austin Super Regional, the duo began the game with back-to-back long balls.

Georgia must get off to a fast start

Feeding off that last point, Georgia needs to be able to get off to a fast start. Texas does such a great job at building a lead and then handing the ball over to its lights-out bullpen. But in a game where UGA will face Texas’ ace, it becomes even more critical to strike first.

In five postseason games, Texas has failed to score first just one time. When Volantis starts, Texas has scored first in 12 of his 15 starts.

The only blemish on his resume came May 8 vs. Tennessee when the Vols scored three runs in the first two innings and would go on to win 5-1.