Charlie Condon blasts record-breaking home run for Georgia against South Carolina
Charlie Condon has hit his 34th home run of the season. The Georgia slugger just will not stop going yard.
On Thursday night against South Carolina, Condon homered in the top of the second inning to officially set a BBCOR-era NCAA record (2011-present) for home runs in a season. It was also his eighth consecutive game with a home run, bringing him one step closer to another NCAA record.
????-??-???? ??????#GoDawgs | @CharlieCondon14 pic.twitter.com/GGMsgrSl83
— Georgia Baseball (@BaseballUGA) May 10, 2024
Condon matched Florida’s Jac Caglianone for homers in a season last Sunday in Georgia’s 11-7 win over Vanderbilt. With home runs on Friday and Saturday, Condon will officially take the NCAA record for consecutive games with a home run.
Georgia enters the weekend series at 35-12 on the season. The Bulldogs have won 5 straight and look to be in peak form as the SEC Tournament approaches.
A former walk-on, Condon has established himself as the favorite to go No. 1 in the 2024 MLB Draft this summer. While he’s a nightly threat to take pitchers out of the park, he’s an all-around star in the batter’s box. Condon entered the South Carolina series batting .459 with an on-base percentage of .568. He has a 1.105 slugging percentage and has only grounded into 2 double-plays all season. He has just 35 strikeouts on the year.
In less than 2 full seasons, Condon has already set Georgia records for single-season and career home runs. Last season as a redshirt freshman, Condon was named SEC Freshman of the Year, Freshman All-SEC, and second-team All-SEC. In addition, Condon set the SEC freshman home run record with 25 and hit at least one homer in every SEC series.
???? ?????? ??????!@CharlieCondon14 is the single-season home run king, blasting 34 homers to claim the title.#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/tMTJovE2yT
— Georgia Baseball (@BaseballUGA) May 10, 2024
LSU’s Brandon Larson holds the NCAA single-season home run record, blasting 40 in 1997. Depending on whatever postseason run Georgia can make, that record could feasibly fall this year as well. Thursday’s game against South Carolina is airing on ESPN2. Friday’s game will air on SEC Network while Saturday’s clash will be on SEC Network+.
Walk-on. I love it!!! Congratulations to him for believing in himself…and of course, his accomplishments! Impressive!!!
He’s obviously having a season for the ages. Absolutely amazing. I don’t understand the 2011 thing though. Can anyone provide some info there?
“In 2011, NCAA baseball implemented standards on their baseball bats that controlled the composite and alloy materials’ ability to produce a trampoline effect on the ball–these regulations referred to as the BBCOR, produced an aluminum alloy composite bat which mimics the trampoline effect in wood bats.”
“Home runs in 2013 per game are less than half they were at the peak in 1998 (.42 from 1.06). In fact, the average HR/G from 1975 to 2010 was .77 HR/G. 2011, 2012, and 2013 average .473–a 39% drop off in home runs.”
thanks for sharing. those above #s are loud and pretty compelling in justification of a line of segregation between pre and post 2011 stats.
i wonder if the #s from 2014 – current are as comparable to the 2011 – 2013 #s, or if there’s been any kind of different trending? not asking, but something worth looking into
Thank you sir.
No problem. Good luck this weekend.
I do have one follow up question, is it possible to cork an aluminum bat? Great info JT, appreciate that.
Charlie is absolutely murdering the ball, good for him and great for UGa diamond dawgs. They seem to be jelling at the right time…
I guess they published this article before the game was final, Dawgs have now won 6 in a row…
The NCAA changed to BBCOR bats in 2011 which was done for player safety. The metal isn’t as forgiving and doesn’t have the trampoline effect the older metals had. The NCAA has been using them since 2011. Only reason I know is my oldest was a college pitcher.
Scratch that, reverse it.
Congratulations to the young man! .459 is an insane average, keep it up
It also needs to be pointed out that in 2015, in response to the huge HR drop off from the new bats, the NCAA changed to a flat seam baseball. This had two effects, one, the balls have less movement from the pitchers, increasing the contact rate, but the largest difference is the reduced drag on a batted ball. While it doesn’t come off the bat any harder, it does travel on average 20’ farther which increases HRs significantly. If you look at 2011-2014 as compared to any year from 2015 forward you can see the difference the ball makes. In 2014, there were almost 6,500 HRs hit compared to over 9,000 in 2015 and over 12,300 in 2016 in all of NCAA.
Neither the bat or the ball changes the fact that Condon is having a historic season against the best competition college baseball has to offer. UGA has played 6 teams in the current top 15, including all of the top 4. He should be fun to watch for quite some time.
This kid is insane.
LSU’s Brandon Larson holds the NCAA single-season home run record, blasting 40 in 1997. Pretty sure that’s not accurate. Pete Incaviglia I believe hit 48 and I know Lance Berkman hit 41.
He meant SEC, I think.
Keep it going Charlie!
On another note, I hope the crew at Founders Park can get the pitchers mound in better condition. Both teams really struggled with it last night.