Slate Alford stood tall at the plate all weekend, and by the end of it, Georgia baseball found itself firmly in the driver’s seat of the SEC conversation. The Bulldogs swept their latest series in convincing fashion, riding Alford’s hot bat and a pitching staff that turned in one of its most complete performances of the season. As the dust settled on Sunday afternoon, the Bulldogs were not only celebrating a sweep but also sending a loud message to the rest of the conference: this Georgia team is for real.
Alford, a junior third baseman whose power potential has always been evident, finally put it all together in one electric weekend. He went 7-for-11 across the series with three home runs, nine RBIs, and a game-winning double that capped a late-inning comeback in Saturday’s thriller. For a Georgia team that has sometimes relied too heavily on its starting rotation to carry the load, Alford’s emergence as a consistent run-producer couldn’t have come at a better time.
“It’s just about confidence,” Alford said after Sunday’s win. “Coach has been telling me to stick with my approach, not try to do too much, and it all clicked this weekend. But more than that, we’re playing as a unit. It’s not about one guy—it’s about a group of guys feeding off each other.”
Georgia’s offense certainly fed off Alford’s fire. In Friday’s opener, he blasted a three-run homer in the first inning that set the tone, then later added a two-run double that helped the Bulldogs cruise to a 10-3 victory. Saturday’s game was more of a nail-biter. Down two in the eighth inning, Alford stepped in with runners on second and third and laced a double into the right-center gap, tying the game. Georgia would go on to walk it off in the ninth on a bloop single by sophomore outfielder Kolby Branch, completing a comeback that showed this team’s grit.
Sunday was less dramatic but just as decisive. Georgia jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, thanks again to Alford, who homered in the third and doubled in two more runs in the fifth. He was named SEC Player of the Week shortly after the series concluded, a well-earned accolade for a performance that energized both the fanbase and the dugout.
The sweep improves Georgia’s record to 33-12 overall and 14-7 in the SEC, placing them among the top contenders in the conference standings. It also bolsters their postseason résumé in a big way, strengthening their case to host a regional. Just a few weeks ago, questions surrounded this team’s consistency. Now, they’re not just winning games—they’re winning convincingly, and doing it with balance.
Pitching coach Sean Kenny deserves a chunk of the credit. Georgia’s starters allowed just four earned runs across 18 innings this weekend, with junior right-hander Leighton Finley throwing a gem on Friday and freshman standout Mason Wolkow following it up with six shutout frames on Sunday. The bullpen, which had struggled earlier in the year, slammed the door in each game with newfound confidence and command. Kenny’s emphasis on simplifying pitch sequences and attacking hitters has clearly taken root.
“We’re throwing strikes, we’re pitching with intent, and we’re trusting each other,” Kenny said. “You look at how our guys are executing in pressure situations—that’s not by accident. They’re prepared, and they’re playing fearless baseball.”
Head coach Wes Johnson, in his second season at the helm, echoed that sentiment. Known for his detail-oriented approach and relentless work ethic, Johnson has steadily rebuilt the program in his image. What was once an underachieving squad now plays with discipline, urgency, and swagger. It’s a team with depth, personality, and a clear identity. They can beat you with power, manufacture runs with speed, and shut you down with arms up and down the staff.
“We’ve got leadership in the locker room, we’ve got accountability, and we’ve got a team that believes in itself,” Johnson said. “Slate was incredible this weekend, but what I love is how everyone stepped up around him. It’s contagious. You can feel it in the dugout, you can see it in the way we go about our business.”
There were contributions from up and down the lineup. Star shortstop Tre Phelps extended his hitting streak to 11 games. Freshman second baseman Tyler Minnich hit .400 in the series and made several key defensive plays, including a diving stop in Saturday’s ninth inning that helped preserve the tie. Junior catcher Fernando Gonzalez threw out two would-be base stealers and added a home run of his own on Sunday. Even reserve outfielder Luke McCoy, who had just 12 at-bats all season before the weekend, delivered a pinch-hit RBI single that sparked Friday’s blowout.
That kind of depth matters, especially in the grind of SEC play, where injuries, slumps, and fatigue are inevitable. Georgia seems to be peaking at the right time, and they’re doing it with a roster that appears both physically and mentally fresh. The schedule doesn’t get easier, with a road trip to LSU and a home series against Tennessee looming. But this team, once seen as a dark horse, now looks like a legitimate threat to win the SEC and make a deep postseason run.
Alford’s leadership has played a big role in that. A transfer from Mississippi State, he’s taken ownership of the clubhouse alongside veteran teammates like Gonzalez and senior outfielder Corey Collins. Their message has been consistent: Stay humble, stay focused, and don’t take success for granted.
“We know what this league is,” Collins said. “You can go from first to fifth in a week if you’re not locked in. So yeah, we’re happy we swept. But we’re not satisfied. There’s more out there for us.”
Georgia fans are starting to believe it, too. Foley Field was rocking all weekend, with the Sunday finale drawing a sellout crowd despite early rain showers. Chants of “U-G-A!” echoed through the stadium as Alford rounded the bases after his third homer of the weekend, and the players took a victory lap of sorts after the final out, saluting the home fans who stayed until the end.
The energy is palpable, and the timing couldn’t be better. The NCAA Tournament is just around the corner, and Georgia is playing like a team that not only expects to be there but expects to make noise once it arrives. They have the power. They have the pitching. They have the belief.
“It’s fun, man,” Alford said. “This is why you play college baseball. Big games, big crowds, big moments. We’re not just trying to win games—we’re trying to build something here.”
So far, mission accomplished. With their star slugger leading the charge and a roster full of momentum, the Bulldogs are no longer flying under the radar. They’re sitting pretty, and if this weekend was any indication, they’re just getting started.