College Baseball
The Baseball Celebration Epidemic
By: Ron Reagin
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
In the heat of the Athens Regional final, University of Georgia third baseman Tre Phelps delivered a massive two-run home run that flipped the script against Liberty in a must-win game.
It was definitely a huge momentum swing. But as Phelps rounded the bases, what should have been a moment of pure athletic accomplishment turned into controversy.
Phelps gestured toward the Liberty dugout on the first-base side and, after rounding first, waved again toward the first baseman and other players as he rounded the bases.
Umpire Javerro January saw it as taunting and unsportsmanlike conduct directed at an opponent. The crew promptly ejected the junior standout under NCAA Baseball Rule 2.26.f.
Head coach Wes Johnson, fiercely defending his player, was tossed as well. Georgia won the game 6-1 and advanced, but Phelps sat out Game 1 of the Super Regional.
The Call, the Debate, and the Rulebook: Social media exploded. Some called it a soft ejection, typical of over-sensitive umpires trying to kill emotion in today’s game.
Others praised the enforcement, arguing that bat flips, chest-thumping, and directed gestures cross into disrespect that has no place in baseball.
Coach Johnson later explained that Phelps was waving to family in the stands, but the umps interpreted the actions as taunting the opposition.
Most found that explanation laughable from Johnson. However, he had to do something, and trying to justify taunting is a tough spot for him. All of this could have been avoided if he had prepared his team for success.
The NCAA has drawn a clear line here. Rule 2.26 and related unsportsmanlike conduct provisions (including 5-17 in the rulebook) prohibit actions designed to intimidate, distract, or show poor sportsmanship toward opponents or umpires.
A player (non-pitcher) ejected gets an automatic one-game suspension on top of the ejection. The goal? Keep the game moving cleanly without escalating into benches-clearing brawls or turning every big play into a personal showdown.
Not an Isolated Incident: Ejections Across the Regionals: This wasn’t the only high-profile ejection during the 2026 NCAA Regionals. Tensions boiled over in multiple brackets, with six players and coaches tossed across three different regionals (Athens, Hattiesburg, and Lincoln).
In the Hattiesburg Regional elimination game, Virginia pitcher John Paone was ejected for verbal taunting against Southern Miss.
Teammate Kyle Johnson was also ejected during that same chaotic contest, tied to emotions on a home run trot (possibly involving profanity or similar unsportsmanlike language). Virginia still pulled out a wild 15-11 victory in 10 innings to eliminate the Golden Eagles.
In the Lincoln Regional, Arizona State’s Landon Hairston, the Big 12 Player of the Year, was ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct after flipping his bat dramatically following a strikeout. These incidents underscore how quickly emotions can spill over in postseason play.
Preserving the Game’s Integrity: This isn’t about killing joy. Home run trots, high-fives, and dugout celebrations are part of the excitement that makes college baseball special.
But there’s a difference between celebrating your success and directing mockery and verbal jabs at the other team.
Baseball has long prided itself on a certain decorum that separates it from sports where trash-talk and in-your-face antics have become somewhat normalized. We can hope that other sports take notice and make changes accordingly for fans, players, coaches, and officials.
Critics argue the rule is inconsistently applied or overly punitive, especially with the automatic suspension (and harsher penalties for pitchers). Supporters counter that without a significant penalty, we risk a slippery slope where every big moment becomes an immature taunting contest.
Umpires have discretion but they’re expected to maintain order, especially in highly competitive moments.
Georgia moved on without Phelps in Game 1, proving depth and resilience. But the incident, along with the others, sparked broader, tougher conversations: How much emotion is too much? Where’s the line between emotion and disrespect?
My Take as a Baseball Fan: Across the SEC and all of baseball, we love loud and competitive games. We cheer the big swings and the comebacks.
But we also respect the game’s traditions, the post-game handshake line, and the idea that you let your bat do the talking.
All these players are talented athletes who will have plenty more moments to shine and celebrate accordingly. These incidents served as a reminder that even in victory or defeat, how you carry yourself matters. We can all learn from that.
The NCAA isn’t trying to turn college baseball into a library. They’re trying to prevent it from becoming a sideshow.
By upholding the rules firmly across multiple regionals, the NCAA is sending a message that the game’s integrity comes first, no matter how big the moment, how heated the at-bat, or how passionate the player.
Here’s hoping these high-profile players and events help coaches, players, and officials make better decisions in tense moments. Baseball needs its stars playing, not sitting. Baseball and other sports as a whole benefit when the focus stays on competition, not confrontation.
Who Are The 2026 Diamond Dawgs?
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
For Georgia baseball fans, the wait is finally over. For the first time since 2008, the Bulldogs are headed back to Omaha and the College World Series.
After nearly two decades of watching other programs celebrate on college baseball’s biggest stage, Georgia has earned its place among the final eight teams standing. Now comes the exciting part. The Dawgs must finish the job.
Just getting to Omaha is an accomplishment. The College World Series is one of the most difficult events in sports to reach, requiring teams to survive the grind of the regular season, the SEC schedule, conference tournaments, regionals, and super regionals. Georgia has done all of that and enters Omaha as the highest remaining national seed.
What makes this run even more special is how complete it has been. These Bulldogs didn’t sneak into the field or catch lightning in a bottle at the right time.
They won the SEC regular season championship. They captured the SEC Tournament title for the first time in program history. They rolled through both the regional and super regional rounds with five consecutive postseason victories.
This team has earned every bit of the national attention it’s receiving.
For longtime Georgia fans, reaching Omaha brings back memories of the program’s proud history. The Bulldogs won the national championship in 1990 and made several College World Series appearances during the 2000s. But since the heartbreaking runner-up finish in 2008, Omaha has felt frustratingly distant.
That is why this trip feels different. There is a sense that Georgia isn’t simply happy to be invited. Head coach Wes Johnson and his players have consistently carried themselves with confidence and purpose throughout the season.
The message has been clear. This is not a celebration trip. This is a championship pursuit.
The Bulldogs certainly have the offensive firepower to make that dream a reality. Georgia enters the College World Series leading the nation with 174 home runs.
Every inning feels dangerous for opposing pitchers because there are threats throughout the lineup. One swing can change a game, and Georgia has produced those swings all season long.
Led by veteran stars and an experienced lineup, the Bulldogs have demonstrated an ability to score in bunches and deliver in pressure situations. Their offense has become one of the most feared units in college baseball.
Of course, Omaha is never easy. Georgia opens against a talented Texas team that has its own championship aspirations.
The Longhorns are making their 39th College World Series appearance and have played some of their best baseball during the postseason.
A victory over Texas would immediately position Georgia as a serious favorite to reach the championship series.
The road beyond that won’t get any easier. Alabama, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Ole Miss, West Virginia, and Troy all arrive in Omaha believing they can win the national title. Nobody gets this far by accident.
Still, there is plenty of reason for Bulldog fans to believe. This team has already accomplished things that few Georgia squads ever have. The Bulldogs have shown resilience, confidence, and the ability to rise to every challenge placed before them. They have excelled under pressure and embraced the expectations that come with being one of the nation’s best teams.
Most importantly, they have given Georgia fans something priceless. Hope.
Hope that the championship drought that stretches back to 1990 is nearing its end.
Hope that the celebration that slipped away in 2008 can finally be completed in 2026.
Hope that when the final out of the College World Series is recorded, it will be Georgia players dogpiling on the field.
Omaha is where champions are made. The Bulldogs have waited 18 years for another chance. Now they have it. And Bulldog Nation cannot wait to see what happens next.
Sam Hubbard Stays Home
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Statesboro is buzzing over the recent hometown commitment of left-handed pitcher Sam Hubbard.
The Georgia Southern Eagles recently received a verbal commitment from the Bulloch Academy standout pitcher in the class of 2027.
Of course, both Bulloch Academy and Georgia Southern are located in Statesboro, Georgia, with the campuses less than 5 minutes apart from each other.
The rising senior is listed at 5 feet 10 inches and 178 pounds, which is an ideal frame for a developing pitcher. Anytime there is a GSU Eagle from Bulloch County or one of the surrounding counties, it really gets the fanbase excited in Statesboro.
An added bonus for GSU, being the hometown team, the Eagles are considered a baseball factory and have produced numerous MLB draft picks over the years.
The Eagles compete in the Sun Belt Conference, which is quickly becoming a power conference in college baseball, with GSU alongside teams like Southern Miss and Coastal Carolina.
The program has a strong reputation for developing players and consistently fields competitive teams in the Sun Belt Conference. Just a few years ago, the Eagles were a top 16 seed in the College World Series and hosted a regional in Statesboro. I say all of that to reiterate my point of how Hubbard staying home may turn out to be one of the best decisions he could make to continue his baseball career.
Hubbard is a multi-sport athlete who plays football in the fall and baseball in the springtime. He was the quarterback who helped lead Bulloch Academy football to its 2024 GIAA 4-A State Championship, which coincidentally was held under the lights at GSU’s Paulson Stadium.
Under his tenure as quarterback, the team claimed a Region Championship (2024), hosted an Elite-8 appearance at the swamp in Statesboro (2025), and, of course, the aforementioned State Championship (2024).
Hubbard can throw the deep ball to the Gators’ arsenal of receivers, but his true weapon on the football field is his ability to scramble when needed.
The Gators have really relied on him to get tough yards, and he has shown he truly has ice in his veins at times. The Bulloch Academy fanbase is really excited about this upcoming football season with Hubbard at Quarterback, along with a loaded Senior class of standout athletes.
He has also had great success on the baseball diamond. In the 2026 baseball season, he set the new single-season program record with 100 strikeouts. He also had some impressive outings this season, including the final outing of his junior year, where he recorded 14 strikeouts and allowed only walked 1 batter.
In his first 2 outings of the season, he pitched only 6 innings but struck out 15 batters. It also came out this week that Sam was selected to the District 2 All-Region team as well as the GIAA 4-A All-State team.
Hubbard has also participated in the New Balance Future Stars series, Perfect Game Georgia, and Perfect Game Florida, where his fastball has been clocked at 86-89 miles per hour.
He has also been featured on Prep Baseball Georgia during his time in high school.
With these high strikeout rates, Sam really has the potential to be a front-of-the-rotation starter in college.
With his decision to stay local and play for Georgia Southern, Sam is poised to become a hometown hero and a role model for future generations of Statesboro athletes.
As the baseball community in Statesboro looks ahead, I see Sam as a dominant force in the Sun Belt Conference over the next few years.
Georgia Diamond Dawgs National Title Contenders
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There is a different feeling surrounding University of Georgia baseball right now. Not just excitement. Not just optimism. Expectation.
For the first time in program history, the Bulldogs enter the NCAA Tournament as the No. 3 overall national seed, and honestly, it feels like this program has finally positioned itself as a legitimate national title contender again.
After years of inconsistency and postseason frustration, Georgia baseball suddenly looks built to make a serious run back to Omaha. The numbers speak for themselves.
Georgia enters the postseason at 46-12, earned a top eight national seed for the third straight season under head coach Wes Johnson, and will once again host a regional at Foley Field.
This is not some surprise Cinderella story. The Bulldogs have been one of the best teams in the country all season long. And if you are a Georgia fan, this year’s bracket feels especially intriguing.
Last season’s national champion, LSU Tigers did not even make the tournament field, guaranteeing there will be a new national champion crowned this summer.
Meanwhile, the SEC once again dominates the national landscape with seven regional hosts, including Georgia, Auburn, Texas, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi State, and Texas A&M.
That is what makes college baseball in the SEC so brutal. Simply surviving the regular season already feels like postseason preparation.
Still, Georgia’s path is far from easy. The Bulldogs will open regional play Friday night against Long Island University, a team many casual fans will immediately dismiss because of the name on the jersey. That would be a mistake.
Johnson himself pointed out that LIU has experience competing against major programs and will not be intimidated by coming to Athens.
The Sharks run aggressively, steal bases constantly, and attack offensively. In fact, this same LIU program beat Georgia 1 to 0 in Athens back in 2019.
Then there is Liberty, and honestly, the Flames may be one of the more dangerous No. 3 regional seeds anywhere in the tournament. They have power throughout the lineup and a legitimate Friday night ace capable of matching up with almost anyone in the country.
Boston College also arrives after a strong ACC season, meaning this regional is much deeper than some fans may initially realize.
But this is also where Georgia fans should feel confident about this team. The Bulldogs are not built around one star player or one hot streak. They have depth. They have power. They have experience.
And maybe most importantly, they have the kind of pitching staff capable of surviving tournament baseball.
There’s also something different about the confidence level surrounding the program right now. For years, Georgia baseball has carried the weight of history without consistently matching it on the field. This is a program with six College World Series appearances and a national championship in 1990, but too often the Bulldogs felt like a sleeping giant in the SEC baseball world. That no longer feels true.
Wes Johnson has clearly elevated the standard of the program. Hosting regionals has now become expected instead of celebrated. National seeding is no longer viewed as some once in a generation achievement. And for the first time in a long time, Georgia fans are not simply hoping to survive the first weekend of the tournament.
They are talking openly about Omaha. Of course, that is easier said than done. Winning a regional is difficult. Winning a super regional is even harder. And once teams arrive at the College World Series, anything can happen over a short stretch of games.
But this Georgia team absolutely looks capable of getting there.
And with Foley Field set to host postseason baseball once again, the atmosphere in Athens should be electric all weekend long.
For Georgia baseball fans, this is the kind of June that reminds you exactly why college baseball is so special.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Buzzing Into ACC Baseball Tournament
By: Colin Lacy
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Some (me included) would argue that Postseason Baseball is some of the best times of the year, and it begins this week.
This week the ACC flocks to Charlotte for the 2026 ACC Tournament at Truist Field, the home of the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox Charlotte Knights.
The 1-seed for the ACC is the back-to-back ACC Regular Season champions in the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. First-year Head Coach James Ramsey opened his head coaching career by bringing home the ACC Coach of the Year award and a 45-9 overall mark and 25-5 conference record.
Georgia Tech tied a program record with 5 First Team All-ACC selections when the postseason awards were handed out by the league office Monday afternoon including Ramsey as Coach of the Year along with catcher Vahn Lackey taking home the ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
The Jackets tied the ACC record with 25 conference wins after sweeping 6 ACC Series throughout the year.
The white and gold have been laser focused on team goals that they’ve written on the bathroom mirror in the clubhouse with the top reading the word “Omaha,” but the team-minded squad has raked in the individual accolades in 2026.
Shortstop Carson Kerce reset the GT record for single season doubles with 28. Second baseman Jarren Advincula recorded 100 base hits for the first Jacket since 2005 to do so. Drew Burress sits tied for the program record for career homers with Jason Varitek with 57 career long balls.
While the regular season has been historic for the Ramblin Wreck, the time this team has been waiting for is just beginning. The regular season title was just the first milestone to check off the to-do list, and now each weekend provides an opportunity for another which begins this week with the ACC Tournament.
With the single-elimination format for the bracket in the ACC, the top four teams in the tourney earning double-byes straight to the quarterfinals as 1-seed Georgia Tech, 2-seed North Carolina, 3-seed Florida State and 4-seed Boston College will watch the first two days of the action in Charlotte until Thursday and Friday for the quarters.
Of the teams not in the top four, in my mind, there are only 2 additional teams that could make a push for a title with the 7-seed Virginia Tech that won their final four ACC series to wrap the regular season. The other would be the 8-seed Virginia under first year Chris Pollard that comes over from Duke prior to the season and have looked good down the back stretch of the season.
Obviously, Georgia Tech and North Carolina are the two leaders in the clubhouse to leave Charlotte with a trophy, and it’s been those two that have stood above the rest by a considerable margin. Those two have jockeyed back and forth all season. Carolina was the only team to beat Georgia Tech in a series all season. That said Georgia Tech won the ACC regular season by three full games.
Charlotte is a phenomenal location for the ACC Tournament. Flawless ballpark, elite surroundings around the park all to go along with high level baseball all week. While the SEC gets touted by the national media as the best league in the country, the ACC is very much in the conversation too.
Postseason baseball is the best. It’s the marathon from the beginning of February to now turning into a sprint for the next month for the lucky teams that make a run deep into June, but it begins with conference tournaments this week.
SEC 10-Step
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
March Madness is finally here, and once again the SEC is right in the middle of it all.
For years the Southeastern Conference was known mostly as the king of college football, but that reputation has clearly expanded. SEC basketball is now one of the most powerful forces in the sport, and this year’s NCAA Tournament bracket is another example of that.
The SEC placed 10 teams in the 2026 NCAA Tournament field, the most of any conference in the country. That kind of representation tells you just how deep the league has become. It also means that when the tournament tips off, there will be SEC teams all over the bracket.
Florida leads the way for the conference as a number one seed. The Gators not only won the SEC regular season title, but they also come into the tournament as the defending national champions. That makes them one of the teams everyone will be watching closely.
Florida has the talent and experience to make another deep run, but March is never easy. Even high seeds can run into trouble quickly.
Right behind Florida are Alabama and Arkansas, both coming in as four seeds.
Alabama has been one of the most explosive offensive teams in the country this season. When the Crimson Tide get hot from the outside, they can score points in a hurry.
Arkansas, meanwhile, comes into the tournament with momentum after winning the SEC Tournament. That kind of late season confidence can be huge when the games start getting tighter in March.
Vanderbilt earned a five seed, which is one of the program’s best tournament positions in years. The Commodores have quietly put together a very solid season and could easily be one of those teams that makes a surprising run if things fall their way.
Tennessee comes in as a six seed and looks like another tough out. The Volunteers play the kind of physical defense that tends to translate well in tournament games where every possession matters.
Kentucky, as usual, finds itself back in the tournament as a seven seed. The Wildcats open against Santa Clara, and while Kentucky has had its ups and downs this year, it is still a roster full of talent. Kentucky teams always seem capable of catching fire at the right time.
Georgia also made the field as an eight seed, which means the Bulldogs could be looking at a difficult path if they want to advance deep into the tournament.
Missouri and Texas A&M both landed as ten seeds, making them classic upset candidates in the opening round.
Texas barely squeezed into the field as an eleven seed and will have to win a First Four game in Dayton just to reach the main bracket. But once a team gets into the tournament, anything can happen. Every year we see someone make an unexpected run.
Outside the SEC, several other conferences also had strong showings.
The Big Ten placed nine teams into the tournament, led by number one seed Michigan. Purdue, Michigan State, Illinois, Nebraska, Wisconsin, UCLA, Ohio State, and Iowa also made the field.
The Big 12 sent eight teams to the tournament as well. Arizona leads that group as a number one seed, with Houston and Iowa State both coming in as two seeds.
The ACC also bounced back with eight teams in the field, led by top overall seed Duke.
From an SEC fan’s perspective, though, the biggest headline is simple. Ten teams from the conference are dancing this year, and several of them have a real shot to make serious noise.
If the regular season was any indication, the SEC could once again be a major storyline throughout March Madness.
Gators Chomp Into Tournament
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Florida enters the 2025-26 NCAA tournament with +650 odds to cut down the nets come the national championship on April 6.
The Gators have the fourth-best odds to win the NCAA Tournament, and in their case repeat as national champions, behind Duke (+300), Michigan (+350) and Arizona (+400).
Florida was selected as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in the South Region, marking the program’s fourth No. 1 seed selection in program history.
The Gators will make their 24th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance and third in a row under fourth-year head coach Todd Golden, who has led Florida to a 6-1 record in the NCAA Tournament, including last season’s national championship.
UF enters March Madness as victors of 12 of the program’s last 13 games, including an 11-game winning streak in conference play to conclude the regular season, and a 71-63 triumph over Kentucky in the quarterfinal round of the SEC Tournament, before Florida fell to Vanderbilt in the SEC semifinals, 91-74. The Commodores join the Gators in the South region of the NCAA Tournament bracket.
Florida faced two fellow NCAA Tournament No. 1 seeds during the non-conference stretch of its 2025-26 season, falling to then-No. 13-ranked Arizona, 93-87, in its season-opener, and losing to No. 4 Duke, 67-66, on Dec. 2. UF also faced No. 2-seed UConn on Dec. 9, falling to the No. 5-ranked Huskies 77-73.
The Gators ultimately went 9-4 during their arduous non-conference slate before finding their groove in SEC play, going 16-2 against league competition, with ranked wins over No. 18 Georgia (92-77), No. 21 Tennessee (91-67), No. 10 Vanderbilt (98-94), No. 23 Alabama (100-77), No. 25 Kentucky (92-83) and No. 20 Arkansas (111-77).
As Florida’s backcourt made strides during that stretch, its dominance was primarily established through its frontcourt, led by leading scorer Thomas Haugh, forward Alex Condon and center Rueben Chinyelu.
Haugh, Florida’s leading scorer at 17.1 points per game, has been instrumental to the Gators’ success in his first season as a starter. Among his handful of postseason awards, Haugh was named a Second-Team All-American by Sporting News, and a First-Team All-SEC selection by the conference’s coaches and the Associated Press.
Chinyelu, the SEC’s Defensive Player and the Scholar-Athlete of the Year, who also obtained First-Team All-SEC recognition from the AP and Second-Team honors from the league, concluded his second season in Gainesville and his third at the collegiate level averaging a double-double at 11.2 points and a conference-leading 11.5 rebounds, including 7.4 defensive boards, per game.
An All-SEC Second-Team pick by the AP and Third-Team honoree by coaches, Condon has averaged single-season career-highs of 15 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.4 blocks per game in his second campaign as a starter.
Tasked with replacing its stellar trio of guards from the 2024-25 season in Waltet Clayton Jr , Alijah Martin and Will Richard , Florida brought in Boogie Fland and Xauvian Lee via the NCAA transfer portal this past offseason. While it took time for UF’s backcourt to gel, each player finished the regular season averaging double figures per game, with Fland scoring 11.6 points and Lee 11.5 points per matchup.
Additionally, Florida saw junior guard Urban Klavzar grow into a significant role as the Gators’ sixth man. Klavžar knocked down a team-high 2.1 three-point shots per game, averaging 9.7 points per contest, resulting in him winning the SEC’s Sixth Man of the Year award.
Diamond Buzz
By: Colin Lacy
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As we hit mid-March on the calendar, most sports fans are filling out a bracket for the March Madness college basketball tournament, but in Atlanta the focus is solely on the diamond.
Georgia Tech baseball is off to a historic start at 17-3 and winning each of their first two ACC Series against Virginia Tech at home then on the road against #8 Clemson. The 17-3 mark on the year is the best start to a season since 2013.
When folks think about Ramblin Wreck Baseball, offense is the first thing that comes to top of mind and that’s still the case in 2026. The “Buzz Bombers” have scored 254 runs thru the first 20 games (12.7/game) which are the most runs in the first 20 games in program history.
Every Yellow Jacket has an average over .300 with 4 Jackets boasting an average over .400. Vahn Lackey has been off to a hot start after entering 2026 projected as a top 15 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft.
Lackey (who played all 8 defensive positions in one game last week against West Georgia) has already launched a career high 9 homeruns and driven in 31 this season.
Reigning ACC Freshman of the Year, Alex Hernandez has also followed suit in his sophomore campaign. “Herny” is hitting .449 and driven in 18 with 4 long balls.
The question around Georgia Tech in recent history has been the pitching. Well guess what, they’ve answered that too in 2026. Georgia Tech finds the team ERA under 4.00 two weeks thru conference play and are striking out just shy of 10 per game.
The pitching staff is anchored by Friday night starter Tate McKee. McKee has made every single game 1 start for the Jackets each of the last 2 years including 6 scoreless innings against the #8 Clemson Tigers this past weekend. Tate (who pitched on both sides of a 2-hour first-inning rain delay against Virginia Tech to open ACC play) sits at a 2.82 ERA through 5 starts and a 3-0 record.
The numbers for this squad are impressive, but off the field, the 2026 Jackets are just special.
First-year Head Coach James Ramsey made it quite clear early on in his official tenure as the head man at Georgia Tech that two important pieces of his philosophy were consistency in the coaching staff, and emphasis on the high school recruiting while sprinkling in transfer pieces.
As far as the coaching staff goes, Ramsey did just that. Matt Taylor stays in Atlanta as the pitching coach, Jason Richman as the director of pitching, and Josh Schulman remains as an assistant on staff.
Coaching veteran Scott Stricklin moves from Director of Ops into the vacant assistant position (with Ramsey being promoted to head coach). The consistency with the staff is huge for this Jackets team that has used the high school recruiting approach to build a core that has been together 2 and 3 years.
That said, Georgia Tech was able to add a few transfer portal pieces, but they have had to be the right fits. James Ramsey has talked about the importance of fitting not only into the lineup or rotation, but also the fit in the clubhouse. This is as close-knit of a college baseball clubhouse as you’ll find in the game.
The additions of Jarren Advincula (Cal transfer) and Ryan Zuckerman (Pitt transfer) have been impressive in the heart of the dangerous Jackets order but have been a puzzle-piece fit into the clubhouse as well. Zuckerman has talked about it feeling like a “kid in a candy store” of the feeling being in Atlanta part of this team.
Another big addition has been Dylan Loy who bolsters the pitching rotation from Tennessee and has secured the Saturday starter role in the rotation.
Getting to travel and be around this team day in and day out is special. I know it’s an overused term, but there’s no other way to describe it.
Talented players, elite coaches, unbelievably great people make for a special season on the Flats with hopes for Omaha on the horizon.
Diamond Buzz In Atlanta
By: Colin Lacy
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It’s finally here. Happy Opening Week to all those who celebrate in the College Baseball world!
With the first pitch of the season coming quickly, there’s as much excitement around the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets program than has been for a while.
A consensus pre-season Top 5 program and has been ranked as high as #2 in the country by Perfect Game, Georgia Tech looks to make Head Coach James Ramsey’s a historic one.
James Ramsey enters his 8th season on the Flats, but his first as Head Coach after Danny Hall retired following the 2025 season.
Ramsey has gained a reputation as both one of the best hitting coaches in the country and also an elite recruiter which has once again proven true this offseason.
Any conversation about Georgia Tech Baseball in recent history has started with the offense which remains true this year. That said, now it’s not a knock on the pitching, it’s the fact that the Jackets are possibly the most explosive lineup in the country.
Georgia Tech returns 7 of the 9 starters from a year ago in an offense that led the country in doubles and hit .314 as a team scoring 8.5 runs per game.
Drew Burress, who was named the permanent team captain for the season headlines the lineup as, what I believe is the best player in college baseball.
Catcher Vahn Lackey joins Burress as a projected top 15 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft after hitting .347 in 2025 with 42 driven in.
The 2025 ACC Batting Champion, Kent Schmidt, reigning ACC Freshman of the Year Alex Hernandez, along with Caleb Daniel, Carson Kerce round out the returners for the Jackets.
Ramsey has been clear that high school recruiting will be the lifeblood of the program and then supplement with transfer portal acquisitions. That rings true in 2026.
Two key transfers round out the lineup with former Cal Bear Jarren Advincula who is one of the purest hitters in college baseball.
The Jackets also added a power bat with Pitt transfer Ryan Zuckerman who racked up 44 extra base hits and drove in 79 RBI last year for the Panthers.
The question around Georgia Tech has been “will they be able to pitch enough?” While some, continue to ask the question, frankly, that’s an old question that has been answered in the last two years with Pitching Coach Matt Taylor and Director of Pitching Jason Richman.
Last season Georgia Tech made an unbelievable jump to 4th in the ACC with a 4.91 ERA (was 12th in 2024). The Jackets return starter in Tate McKee who stepped into the role of opening day starter a year ago and never let go.
Some roles on the pitching staff are still being decided between one of the best bullpen arms last year in Mason Patel potentially jumping into the rotation.
Tennessee transfer lefty Dylan Loy could make a play for a starter or key bullpen piece. The Jackets also added Justin Shadek from Rutgers to the mix. Shadek with electric stuff could slide into a rotation slot or into the back end of the bullpen to close games out.
Last season was the first outright ACC regular season championship for the Jackets since 2005, and the Jackets seem to be not only reloaded, but amplified to make a run to Omaha.
The feeling around this team is special. Stories of transfers taking less NIL money in order to get other transfers, a closeness around a team that still hasn’t played a true pitch with each other yet, but there’s something special brewing on the corner of Ferst and Fowler in Midtown Atlanta!
Omaha Kings
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Once again, Omaha turned into a second home for LSU as the Tigers locked up their eighth national championship at the Men’s College World Series.
On a blistering Nebraska Sunday afternoon, with thousands of purple-and-gold faithful singing along to “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” the Tigers held off a red-hot Coastal Carolina team to finish the job. They didn’t just win, they reminded everyone that no program has done it better over the last 40 years.
Sure, the University of Southern California still holds the record for the most titles with 12, and Texas has more total wins in Omaha.
The difference, though, is that those programs peaked decades ago. USC won their last CWS title in 1998.
LSU didn’t even make its first College World Series until 1986. Since then? Eight titles, 22 trips to Omaha, and 2 championships in the last three years. And they’ve done all of that in the middle of the toughest conference in the country.
Skip Bertman started this thing back in the ’80s. Paul Mainieri kept it rolling. Now Jay Johnson has it in overdrive. Johnson has been at LSU just four years and already has two national titles. That’s not just success. That’s dynasty-level stuff.
There were 26 newcomers to the Tigers’ baseball team this past season, but even with a roster full of new faces Johnson found a way to bring them together.
It wasn’t always pretty, and it was absolutely a grind to get through a tough SEC schedule, but once they found their rhythm nobody could stop them.
And it’s not like they’re slowing down. Sure, they’ll lose some big names to the MLB draft in guys like potential number one overall pick Cade Anderson, and Anthony Eyanson, but stars like Derek Curiel, Steven Milam, and Casan Evans are coming back. Don’t be surprised if LSU’s back in the title game again in 2026.
The 2025 tournament also marked the 75th anniversary of the College World Series in Omaha, and it had a little bit of everything.
There was Cinderella magic from Murray State, a fun mix of teams from all over the country, and some real drama in the later rounds.
Coastal Carolina gave LSU all they could handle in the final, even after the Chanticleer’s bloviating head coach, Kevin Schnall, was ejected in the first inning. I could write an entire article about how I feel about him and his bully, tough-guy style of coaching but I’m trying to keep this article positive.
In the end, LSU did what LSU does. The Tigers are the 2025 college baseball National Champions.
And let’s not forget the other crown they claimed in Omaha, the Rocco’s Jell-O Shot Challenge.
Once again, Tiger fans drank the competition under the table, slamming down 52,390 shots. That’s more than five times what Coastal fans managed.
LSU fans now hold the top two totals in the event’s history. Is it silly? Sure. But is it also a sign of how wild and passionate the fanbase is? Absolutely.
Ben McDonald, LSU’s first big baseball star and a former No. 1 overall MLB draft pick, said it best, “LSU just knows how to adapt. They know how to keep up with the times.” And that’s exactly what Jay Johnson is doing. He is navigating the chaos of the transfer portal and NIL while still putting a winning team on the field.
LSU might not have the oldest records in the book, but what they’ve done since the mid-80s is unmatched. They’ve kind of become the Yankees of college baseball. You either love them or love to hate them. Either way, you have to respect what they’ve built.
College baseball has had plenty of great programs, but right now LSU is king. That crown isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
