To label the slow offensive start of Colby May as a slump would be jumping the gun.

Sophomore third baseman Colby May has been struggling at the plate thus far in the season, hitting .182 in 22 at bats.

The sophomore is the Bulldogs’ top returning slugger, who hit 11 home runs and was named to the All-SEC freshman squad in 2009. However, with just four hits in the third baseman’s 22 plate appearances, this season is uncharted territory for May.

“He’ll find his way — it’s just he’s never experienced anything like this,” Georgia head coach David Perno said. “It’s always been pretty easy for him and I think in one respect, it’s good for him to go through this because I think you’ll see what his character is about as he fights through it.”

In each of the Bulldogs’ first five games, May has batted in the third position of the team’s batting order. The “three-hole” is a position typically reserved for the team’s best all-around hitter, a batter who can consistently hit for average and keep innings alive.

Last season, May did just that, driving in 42 runs and posting a .339 batting average. The then-freshman was second only to then-senior slugger Rich Poythress, who was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the second round of the 2009 Major League baseball Draft.

“It’s been a very humbling experience going through this, and it’s really showed me a lot,” May said. “It’s really opened my eyes to a lot of things. I believe it’s going to help me because I’ve figured out a lot of things that I’ve been doing wrong that I need to fix … I need to go up there and stay calm and not be so anxious at the plate.”

Despite May’s early offensive struggles, the other Bulldog bats have picked up the slack, as left fielder Johnathan Taylor has racked up 8 RBIs and center fielder Zach Cone leads the Bulldogs with a .524 batting average.

Though May’s .182 batting average so far this season is hardly the figure he and his Bulldog teammates are accustomed to seeing, fellow right fielder Peter Verdin is definitely not ready to hit the panic button.

“It’s baseball. It happens. You go through slides, and he just happened to hit his slide right here at the beginning,” Verdin said. “I’m sure he’s going to get out of it real quick and he’s going to have a great season … there’s no doubt in my mind.”

For May, a three-game set at the friendly confines of Foley Field may be just what the doctor ordered to help pull the Bulldog slugger from his current offensive funk.

“It’s going to be nice, especially after getting the first home game out of the way, now it’s going to be a little more comfortable,” May said. “I’m going to go out there and have fun and not put too much pressure on myself.”

GEORGIA VS. STETSON

When: 5 p.m.
Where: Foley Field
Price: Free for students
More info: The three-game series will continue through Sunday