Oh, Henry! Georgia Takes Series from No. 1 Arkansas

In a series that could come to define the Georgia Bulldogs’ season, it was Charlie Condon who delivered the thunder. But it was redshirt freshman Kolten Smith who delivered the punctuation. The Bulldogs made a powerful statement this weekend at Foley Field, taking two of three games from the top-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks in front of an electric home crowd, and with a little help from the heavens.

Sunday’s rubber match started late due to rain and ended with an emotional roar as Georgia held on for a 4-3 victory over the No. 1 team in the country. The series win is Georgia’s second over a top-five team this season and continues a trend of resilience and growing belief under first-year head coach Wes Johnson.

There are always signature moments in a season that seems bound for something special. For Georgia, this weekend had several. It was Condon, the nation’s home run leader, who opened Friday’s game with a two-run moonshot in the first inning, electrifying the crowd and setting the tone. The Bulldogs would win the opener 6-5 in extra innings, holding off a late Arkansas rally thanks in part to stout bullpen work and savvy base running.

Saturday, Arkansas answered like a team worthy of its ranking. The Razorbacks erupted for a big inning in the middle frames, taking advantage of defensive miscues and timely hitting to even the series with a 10-5 win. It was a reminder of just how dangerous Dave Van Horn’s team can be, and a test for Georgia’s young roster.

But Sunday’s finale belonged to the Bulldogs—and specifically to Henry Hunter.

The freshman right-hander, known more for his potential than polish, entered the game in relief in the fifth inning after Georgia starter Luke Wagner exited with runners on base and the score tied. Hunter threw 2.1 scoreless innings and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the sixth by inducing a fly ball to shallow center. His poise on the mound belied his experience level, and it steadied the Bulldogs when the game could have unraveled.

From there, the story shifted to Smith, the wiry lefty whose fastball touched 93 on the gun and whose curveball had Razorback hitters swinging over the top. With the bases loaded in the ninth and Arkansas trailing by just a run, Smith struck out Kendall Diggs on a 2-2 breaking ball to seal the series and send Foley Field into a frenzy.

“We just stayed composed,” Smith said postgame, surrounded by teammates. “Coach Johnson talks about trusting your stuff and living in the moment. I didn’t think about who was in the box. I just thought about throwing the next pitch.”

It was Georgia’s first series win over a No. 1 team since 2008, when they took down Arizona State in the Athens Super Regional. But there’s a growing sense this squad isn’t just having a few lucky weekends. They’re building something.

Condon, who homered twice in the series to bring his season total to 23, continues to be a walking highlight reel and likely first-round MLB Draft pick. But the Bulldogs’ success this weekend was just as much about players like Hunter and Smith, who embraced the moment rather than shrink from it.

Georgia’s pitching staff, long considered the program’s Achilles heel, is beginning to look like a strength. Hunter and Smith combined to hold an Arkansas lineup that includes All-Americans like Brady Slavens and Jace Bohrofen to just three hits over the final four innings of Sunday’s game. Sophomore Leighton Finley, who started Friday’s game and went five innings, continues to show maturity beyond his years, and graduate transfer Will Pearson locked down Saturday’s loss with four strikeouts in two innings to save the bullpen for Sunday.

It’s not just the arms stepping up either. Georgia’s lineup, anchored by Condon, is seeing steady production from veterans like Corey Collins and Fernando Gonzalez, but it’s also the emergence of freshmen like Ty Odom and Paul Toomey that’s helping to stretch out at-bats and lengthen innings.

“We’re not surprised,” Condon said. “We know what we’re capable of. Arkansas is a great team, no doubt, but we’ve felt like we can compete with anybody. The belief is real now.”

The belief seems to start with Johnson, the first-year head coach who came to Athens after a successful stint as LSU’s pitching coach. Known for his energy and player-first approach, Johnson has revitalized a program that had struggled with consistency over the past few seasons. His calm demeanor in the dugout, even as Arkansas loaded the bases in the final inning, seemed to filter down to his players.

“This is what you dream about,” Johnson said. “Big crowd, top-ranked team, rubber match on a Sunday. I told the guys before the game, it’s not about being perfect—it’s about competing every pitch. And they did that.”

Indeed, Georgia didn’t play a flawless series. Saturday’s loss featured two errors and several missed opportunities with runners in scoring position. But the Bulldogs didn’t fold. They adjusted. They responded. And they grew.

That mental toughness is becoming a hallmark of this team. Whether it was rallying from behind in the Friday opener, shaking off a lopsided loss Saturday, or closing the door in the ninth inning Sunday, Georgia proved it can weather storms—both literal and metaphorical.

The implications of the series win go beyond rankings or RPI boosts. Georgia now sits squarely in the hunt for a top-eight national seed in the NCAA Tournament, something that seemed like a long shot just a month ago. With series wins over Florida and now Arkansas, plus a manageable schedule down the stretch, the Bulldogs are playing their way into the postseason conversation in a major way.

There’s also a growing energy around Foley Field. Fans packed the stadium despite the rain delays, and Sunday’s walk-off strikeout was met with a volume that shook the bleachers. The students are back. The families are engaged. And for the first time in a while, Georgia baseball feels like an event again.

“I think they’re starting to believe, too,” Johnson said of the fans. “We want them to know this is their team. And we’re going to keep fighting for them.”

If this weekend was any indication, the fight is only just beginning. There’s swagger in the Georgia dugout now—not arrogance, but quiet confidence. The kind that comes from knowing you can go toe-to-toe with the best and come out on top.

Arkansas, to its credit, remains a legitimate national title contender. The Razorbacks showed flashes of brilliance this weekend, and with Van Horn at the helm, they’ll be ready when June rolls around. But in Athens, the weekend belonged to the Bulldogs.

And in a series full of stars, it was a freshman named Henry who earned the final roar.

Georgia fans won’t forget this one. And if the Bulldogs keep trending the way they are, neither will the rest of college baseball.