Georgia Southern baseball team building on success of 2022 season

STATESBORO — For the Georgia Southern baseball workforce’s graduating seniors, Rodney Hennon is transitioning from their head coach to a job reference.

“For many of them, their taking part in days are most likely via,” Hennon mentioned Sunday. “These guys are coming into the work drive proper now. This group of seniors which can be leaving right here, name me. I will be glad to be a reference for any of them as a result of these guys are going to exit and do huge issues in the true world for wherever they work, for no matter group they’re part of, no matter group that they dwell in.

“That is the factor I am most pleased with. These guys are winners.”

The 2022 Eagles squad gained 41 video games — this system’s most since 42 in 2009. Georgia Southern (41-20) desperately wished to match that quantity with a victory Sunday, however No. 24 Texas Tech (39-21) had different concepts with a 3-1 win to get rid of host and Twenty first-ranked GS within the Statesboro Regional.

Recreation recap:Georgia Southern eradicated from NCAA baseball regional by Texas Tech

Up to date:Georgia Southern’s Fisher flirts with no-hitter in win; Notre Dame downs Eagles

Get Eagles information in your inbox:Signal-up for our free, weekly e-newsletter on all issues Georgia Southern sports activities

Georgia Southern’s first time internet hosting a regional was a milestone for the athletics program, together with making the NCAA baseball match for the 14th time total and first since 2014.

“We’ll look again after we’re older and say that was our 12 months, first time internet hosting in Statesboro,” mentioned GS fifth-year first baseman Jason Swan.

The highest-seeded Eagles gained their opener within the double-elimination match Saturday morning, an 8-0 shutout of fourth seed UNC Greensboro. 

On Saturday evening, the Eagles have been dealt a 6-4 defeat within the winners’ bracket to second seed and No. 17 Notre Dame, which is increased ranked throughout nationwide polls and will have felt snubbed by the NCAA in not internet hosting a regional in South Bend, Indiana.

The sport was emotionally charged — the environment heightened by the most important attendance (3,533) for a baseball sport at J.I. Clements Stadium, breaking the mark of three,435 set for a GS matchup in opposition to UGA in 2017.

Notre Dame scored on three residence runs, and Georgia Southern’s Noah Ledford crushed one in every of his personal. A day later, Texas Tech and GS have been reined in by a ballpark whose outfield partitions felt farther away than regular. Nothing was getting out.

“Any ball hit within the air was going to be caught,” GS proper fielder Christian Avant mentioned. “We hit some balls onerous. (Parker Biederer) within the eighth, that ball’s going (over the fence) at another area, and another day it is going at our place. It simply wasn’t carrying. … The wind was blowing in. Thick air. All day we have been hitting balls onerous — simply wasn’t falling. That is the secret in baseball.

“You have to hit when the alternatives are there and we did not at the moment,” Avant continued. “We hit it onerous however they caught it. They made good performs and performed good protection. I tip my cap to them.”

In reward of Statesboro, GS

Texas Tech head coach Tim Tadlock — whose squad misplaced 2-1 to regional champion Notre Dame (38-14) on Sunday evening — praised Georgia Southern and the town of Statesboro and known as J.I. Clements Stadium “a cool place to play.”

He was rather a lot happier than the Eagles as a result of the victorious Purple Raiders had scored their three runs in a single inning on two singles, a stroll, a bases-loaded stroll, a sacrifice fly and an RBI-single for a 3-1 rating within the fourth.

“Hitting is available in spurts,” mentioned Tadlock, whose workforce totaled 4 hits for the sport. “Actually, I am glad we bought three in a single inning.”

The Eagles had seven hits and have been undermined by a lack of well timed hitting and the Purple Raiders’ knack for denying hits with excellent protection in addition to making routine performs and pitchers throwing strikes.

“We did a great job of that many of the 12 months,” Hennon mentioned. “We did a fairly good job of that at the moment. Texas Tech was just a bit bit higher than us at the moment.” 

Preview:Georgia Southern baseball seeks to make the most of residence area at NCAA Statesboro Regional

Soccer:These Georgia Southern gamers have stood out most, says new coach Clay Helton

Extra soccer:Georgia Southern kickoff instances, TV assignments set for 4 video games in 2022 season

The Eagles have been in a battle — nothing new there, Hennon mentioned, noting that they gained much more than they misplaced by taking part in onerous.

“On the finish of every 12 months, you wish to search for and really feel such as you had a bunch that purchased into one another, performed collectively and competed as onerous as they may each day,” mentioned the coach, in his twenty third season at Georgia Southern. “This group did that. There’s plenty of belief inside this workforce.”

Swan known as the workforce “like a brotherhood” and the rationale why he got here again for a fifth season in Statesboro and “beloved each minute of it.”

Avant mentioned he and the opposite fifth-year seniors bonded as quickly as they arrived as freshmen. He additionally referred to them as like brothers.

“That is why I like Georgia Southern as a result of it is a workforce facet,” Avant mentioned. “It is not about one single particular person. It is household.” 

Exiting the regional with out the title and advancing to an excellent regional, after which maybe attending to Omaha, was disappointing, Hennon mentioned, however each different workforce besides the one which wins the School World Collection will really feel the identical means. He is wanting on the season from one other perspective.

“I can actually say day-after-day was a pleasure to teach these guys,” he mentioned. “They have been a blessing to me. I feel these guys have a been a blessing to lots of people. There’s lots of people who’ve actually loved watching the best way this workforce has competed. We have got plenty of momentum with our program proper now because of their efforts.”

Nathan Dominitz is the Sports activities Content material Editor of the Savannah Morning Information and savannahnow.com. E mail him at ndominitz@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @NathanDominitz