The calendar nears May, and the Southeastern Conference baseball race is heating up. This weekend, two top-15 programs collide for the first time on the diamond as No. 14 Oklahoma (29-11, 10-8 SEC) travels to Athens to face No. 10 Georgia (33-10, 10-8 SEC) at Foley Field. The Thursday-Saturday series carries not only postseason implications but also a sense of historical curiosity as two tradition-rich programs meet for the first time.
First Pitch Times & Broadcast Info
The series opens Thursday at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU, where a national audience will get its first look at this unique SEC matchup. Friday’s contest shifts to SECN+ at 5 p.m. CT, with the finale set for Saturday morning at 11 a.m. on SEC Network. Toby Rowland and former Sooner Kendall Pettis will call all three games for radio listeners on The REF or The Varsity app.
Programs on the Rise
Oklahoma enters the weekend riding high despite a narrow 5-3 midweek loss to Oral Roberts. That result snapped a four-game win streak, highlighted by a dominant 11-1 run-rule win over rival Oklahoma State and a clean SEC sweep at Missouri where the Sooners outscored the Tigers 46-12 over three games.
Their explosive offense and steady pitching have vaulted Oklahoma into the national spotlight. The Sooners are now a consensus top-20 team, peaking at No. 11 in the Baseball America poll and checking in at No. 14 in D1Baseball. Impressively, OU is 4-2 in SEC series this season, with both losses coming against top-15 foes.
Georgia, meanwhile, finds itself in a unique position. The Bulldogs are looking to stop a four-game skid, their longest losing streak of the season, after a five-game road trip ended with a 3-0 shutout at the hands of No. 2 Clemson. Yet despite the recent stumble, Georgia has been one of the SEC’s most consistent teams, especially at home, where the Bulldogs boast a 22-4 record at Foley Field.
Pitching Matchups Feature Star Power
Thursday’s opener features a must-watch showdown on the mound: Oklahoma’s ace Kyson Witherspoon (7-2, 2.48 ERA) faces off against Georgia right-hander Brian Curley (2-1, 3.40 ERA). Witherspoon has been sensational, earning multiple national midseason honors and twice being named SEC Pitcher of the Week. His 2.48 ERA ranks second in the conference and his four double-digit strikeout performances underscore his dominance.
The Sooners will follow Witherspoon with Cade Crossland (3-2, 5.62 ERA) on Friday, while Malachi Witherspoon (3-4, 5.32 ERA) takes the mound Saturday. Georgia has yet to announce a starter for game two, but Saturday’s finale is expected to feature junior right-hander Leighton Finley (2-1, 5.63 ERA).
Lineups Loaded with Firepower
Oklahoma’s offense is among the most balanced in the SEC. The Sooners are averaging over seven runs per game and have hit 50 home runs, including 10 in last weekend’s series at Missouri. Junior catcher Easton Carmichael leads the way with 10 homers and is hitting .325, while sophomore Jaxon Willits (.333), junior Trey Gambill (.336), and freshman Kyle Branch (.302) round out a potent core.
The Sooners have shown a knack for drawing walks and creating chaos on the basepaths. OU ranks first in the SEC in walks drawn during league play and second in on-base percentage. That patient approach has paid off — when the Sooners draw five or more walks, they’re an impressive 24-4.
Freshman designated hitter Drew Dickerson has emerged as another impact bat. The Missouri native earned SEC Co-Freshman of the Week honors after a blistering 7-for-14 week that included five RBIs, three extra-base hits, and seven runs scored. He’s helped stabilize the bottom of the lineup and gives OU dangerous depth from top to bottom.
Georgia’s offense will counter with a lineup that’s put up big numbers throughout the season. The Bulldogs average 8.3 runs per game and have scored in double digits 16 times. Leading the charge is Charlie Condon, a projected top-5 pick in this summer’s MLB Draft and one of the most dangerous hitters in college baseball. Condon entered the week leading the nation in home runs and slugging percentage.
Family Ties and Peach State Returns
This series will hold extra meaning for several Sooners. Senior reliever Scott Mudler (Johns Creek, Ga.) and sophomore outfielder Jason Walk (Acworth, Ga.) both return to their home state this weekend. For freshman second baseman Kyle Branch, the matchup takes on a unique family dimension — his older brother, Kolby, is Georgia’s starting shortstop. The two will face off for the first time at the college level, adding a brotherly subplot to an already compelling series.
Kolby Branch, a junior who transferred to Georgia from Baylor, had a big weekend against the Sooners last season, going 6-for-10 with five RBIs and three extra-base hits. Now entrenched as a key piece of Georgia’s lineup, he’ll look to replicate that success against a team his younger brother is helping lead.
Legacy on Display in Athens
Saturday’s finale will also mark a special moment in Georgia baseball history as the program celebrates the 35th anniversary of its 1990 national championship. That Bulldog squad was the first SEC team ever to win the College World Series. Eighteen members of that historic team are expected back in Athens, including family members of late head coach Steve Webber and CWS MVP Mike Rebhan.
With such a rich history to honor and a pivotal series on the line, the atmosphere at Foley Field promises to be electric.
What’s at Stake
At 10-8 in conference play, both teams sit in the middle of a tightly packed SEC standings board, where a single series win or loss can dramatically alter postseason positioning. For Oklahoma, this weekend represents another opportunity to prove it belongs in the SEC’s upper echelon in its debut season. For Georgia, it’s a chance to get back on track and protect a stellar home record as the Bulldogs chase a top-eight national seed.
With two red-hot offenses, star power on the mound, and postseason ramifications looming, this series has all the makings of a classic. Don’t miss it.
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