The Red and Black

Issue date: 3/21/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: KRISTIN BOYD Senior Ryan Peisel stands at bat against Alabama A&M Wednesday. [Click to enlarge]

If shortstop Gordon Beckham's offensive play has been "like Nintendo" (his coach said so Wednesday), Ryan Peisel and Michael Demperio may be the buttons on his controller.

Peisel and Demperio, the Bulldogs' hitters in the one and two holes, have been on base ahead of Beckham all year, hitting and walking their way onto the base paths to give their all-star shortstop RBI opportunities.

"They're starting to realize that when they go, it shows how good the middle of our order is," Georgia coach Dave Perno said. "Those two are making things happen."

Peisel, a senior who has started every game since coming to Athens, and Demperio, a Georgia-born transfer from the University of Texas, have been on base a combined 76 times in just 17 games this season, and are a big part of the incredible numbers that Beckham has been able to put up.

"It's huge - Peisel's a senior, he knows how to get on, and Demperio can fly, he's just like lightning," said Beckham, who's batting .513 with 11 home runs and 27 RBI.

"When they're on I'm gonna get some RBI chances … They're a huge help and a huge upgrade from last year."

The Bulldogs didn't have a true leadoff hitter last season, and Peisel isn't the prototypical front man either.

He has the second-most homers on the team and Demperio boasts a lot more speed, but the third baseman's senior leadership and patience in the batter's box make him the Bulldogs' best candidate.

"Wherever you hit you've got to do the same things, you've got to get on base, you've got to score runs," Peisel said. "Guys gotta worry about Beckham and Demperio and Rich [Poythress] and now all of a sudden they forget about me and they start making mistakes."

Hitting in front of an All-American (not to mention National Player of the Year candidate) certainly has its perks, and, even though he's just beginning his first season as a Bulldog, nobody knows that better than Michael Demperio.

"Especially if there's two outs I'm going to get some fastballs and see some pitches over the plate," said the Atlanta native. "They don't want to get to [Beckham], because he's obviously going to crush it."

Going into a weekend home series against Tennessee, the Diamond Dogs are averaging nearly nine runs a game, thanks in no small part to the guys at the top of the order.

"We are very very capable of scoring a ton of runs," Perno said. "And it's all predicated on getting one and two swinging the bats."

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