Coach Tony Baldwin Talks Pitching Reinforcements, Fall Growth, and the Bulldogs’ Culture in Athens
Firm Culture
Yesterday, I had a conversation with Georgia Softball’s Coach Tony Baldwin about the state of the Bulldogs as they continue their fall work in Athens, Georgia. I wanted to get a sense of the team’s overall mindset, learn more about the philosophy going into 2026, and find out who has taken that next step after returning from the summer. Baldwin’s message was clear. Georgia’s culture, versatility, and belief are the foundation of everything.
Even when Georgia came up short in those SEC series last Spring, Coach Tony Baldwin talked about how their culture and forward thinking mindset never wavered. It is what makes Georgia ultra competitive and how they were able to turn their season into just one step away from OKC.
“But the thing I will always stand on is our culture. It is so strong that even when we had a tough weekend, we would show up on Tuesday believing the next weekend would be better. We would go to work and keep playing. That is what belief and confidence are, being able to continue to see a positive future even when the past might not have shown it.
When we got to the postseason, we felt very good. We went to Duke and put together a strong weekend. Then we went down to Florida, felt like it was a good matchup, and did it again. We went into a lightning delay in the fourth or fifth inning of a one run ballgame, just three innings away from the World Series.
That was no surprise to anyone inside our office or within our culture. It might have been to people outside, but they do not see the locker room or our practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays. That belief is what kept us moving forward and confident that better days were ahead.
While we were disappointed to come up short, I can tell you that when the fire got hottest, our culture stayed strongest. Across the country, a lot of programs have success that can mask their culture, and when the pressure rises, that is when you truly see what it is all about.”
Bulldogs’ Circle
Coming off a Super Regional appearance and a 35-23 record in 2025, the Georgia Bulldogs are in the midst of refining themselves this fall. There are some new faces in Athens this year. Addisen Fisher, who was a freshman standout arm for UCLA last season, looks to give the Bulldogs some much-needed solidity in the circle.
Maddi Johnson also joins the Bulldogs from Georgia Southern after an impressive freshman season that earned her Freshman All-American honors in the circle. Georgia made it a priority to strengthen the pitching staff following the graduation of Lilli Backes, who finished the 2025 season with a 16-11 record and 152 strikeouts.
Coach Tony Baldwin said the key this offseason was to add more variety and experience to the circle.
“When we would go into SEC weekends, it was three straight games of 63 mile an hour left-handed pitchers,” Baldwin said. “It was intentional to try and change that. Adding Addi Fisher was a big deal for us. We recruited her really hard in high school, and when she went into the portal, we were excited to have another opportunity. Maddi Johnson was a no brainer. She is from right here in Athens, and she nearly threw a perfect game against us last year.”
Baldwin added that both Fisher and Johnson bring different looks but the same competitive edge. “Physically they look similar, but their stuff and how they pitch is very different. Addi has been in the limelight, and Maddi pitched in all the big games for Georgia Southern. They are both young but very experienced.”
The Bulldogs also return Randi Roelling, who appeared in 33 games last season and recorded 105 strikeouts, giving Georgia a dependable arm with plenty of SEC experience to help anchor the staff. Baldwin said Roelling’s growth comes down to strike zone consistency. Roelling, while totaling that amount in strikeouts, also allowed 100 walks. Something she has been working on in the offseason.
“When she’s in the zone, she can beat anybody. She was dominant at Duke and really held Arkansas in check for six innings in the SEC Tournament. Some of those late losses were more about our defense than her.
She’s only a junior and still learning, but I think the addition of other pitchers has really pushed her. She’s even been hitting, had two hits last night, and that has helped her overall mindset in the circle.” said Baldwin.
He also noted that Roelling has been working in the batter’s box this fall also. “She has been hitting for us this fall,” Baldwin said. “She had two hits last night, and I think that has helped her mindset in the circle as well.”
Georgia also has two incoming freshmen arms in Presley Harrison and Ada Little, both top ten caliber recruits who Baldwin says could contribute right away.
“Ada is a lefty with a really good changeup. Presley is a righty in the upper 60s who commands it well. I feel really confident that we have five arms ready to go out and compete when we kick things off in February.”
Flexibility and Depth
Coach Baldwin mentioned a few times on the defensive mishaps last season. The Bulldogs committed 53 errors last season. That is 12 more than they committed in 2024, and something that will definitely hinder a game and pitching efforts. Georgia’s defensive makeup will be one to pay attention to, throughout the season. They have a good amount of flexibility and something the coaching staff will monitor closely.
Bailey Lindemuth, who held down the hot corner for Texas Tech last season, brings versatility and a strong glove to Athens. She will compete alongside returning infielder Mua Williams, who played third for much of 2025. The addition of Lindemuth can allow Williams to move back to her natural position behind the plate.
“Mua’s natural position is catcher,” Baldwin said. “We recruited her with the idea that she could be the best catcher in the country. Having Bailey in the mix lets us move Mua behind the plate, which has been a good thing for our pitchers and defense.”
Georgia is more of a versatile team coming into 2026 on the defensive side. The pieces are there, and the fact that Mua Williams could slide back to her natural position is huge. Coach Baldwin and his staff will have the great ability to fine tune the alignment just right before the Bulldogs get into the meat of their schedule in the Spring.
“But after 30 years of doing this, I am most confident that I have no idea how the season will unfold, Baldwin said. The lineup in February is rarely the same as it is in April or May.
We are fortunate to have two players who can play third base at a high level, and we will see what works best for the team. Bailey has had a really good fall. She has grown a lot, worked well with JT D’Amico, and fit in great with the group.
We will just have to see how she performs when the lights come on.”
Offensive Identity and Growth
I asked Baldwin about another player that had a strong summer of development, Emma Castorri. Castorri on the offensive side, hit .222 with two home runs last season in 54 at bats. She took to the Florida Gulf Coast League in the summer and used it well.
“She’s looked really good. She got a little experience last year at the end and had a good summer in the collegiate league in Florida. She is surprisingly strong, and the ball jumps off her bat really well.
For her, it is about learning the finer details of the game. She is figuring out where she fits best in the lineup and defensively, but she has had a really good fall.
The ability to hit the ball out of the park is important in this league. Elite pitchers do not give you eight to ten hits a game, so you have to be able to change the game with one swing, and Emma has that ability.”
Speaking of changing the game with one swing, the Bulldogs hit 54 home runs in 2025 and added on 68 doubles with 12 triples. Baldwin talked about how this team isn’t really like teams of the past, and will score however they need. Once again, shows that Georgia is versatile in more ways than one.
“We are not as physical as we have been in the past in terms of big, strong bodies, but we are more athletic. I think ideally we are going to be very competitive, with a clear focus on finding ways to score runs, whatever that may look like,” Baldwin said.
I had mentioned to Coach Baldwin one of the biggest offensive killers in softball, runners left on base. We often see that become a huge issue for teams, and big games have been lost because of it.
“We have had years where we hit a lot of home runs, but then ran into that problem where if you do not get the home run, how else do you produce runs? I think this year we can be more of a mix. I believe we can have more power than we had last year while also being able to use some small ball and situational hitting.
That is something I have been excited about this fall. Situationally, we have done a pretty good job in practices and in some of our controlled scrimmages. I would like to think we are going to be a versatile offense that can score in a variety of different ways.”
A Balanced and Energetic Roster
Combined with returning veterans Jaydyn Goodwin, Sarah Gordon, and Emily Digby, Georgia has a strong blend of proven leaders and new talent ready to make an impact this season. Baldwin said that dynamic is what defines this group’s fall.
“We have twelve returners and eleven newcomers,” he said. “It is always new when you are fifty fifty on new and old, but I kind of like the identity that is starting to form. They show up with smiles on their faces, they like to laugh, and they bring a lot of energy.”
He then added a key bit that stuck in my mind all day yesterday. It also helped me put more into perspective the Fall and how teams and players transfer that same energy into the season, when things may not be as fun.
“This is the honeymoon phase. Everybody’s happy in the fall, right? Everyone’s practicing, getting the same reps, and everybody’s on the red team or the black team in the intrasquad games. Everyone’s getting at-bats during these fall games, so everybody’s happy right now.
But you really find out what your culture looks like when you post that first lineup on February 6. That’s when you have parents in the stands for the first time and their kids aren’t in the lineup. Then you deal with that part of it, and how you and your team embrace that tells you a lot about your culture.
Then you get into the SEC, and it’s really hard. You’re playing these ultra-competitive games, and sometimes you get punched in the gut. How do you respond to that? Those are the things you’re trying to prepare your culture for right now.”
A Challenging SEC Path Ahead
In the SEC every day is a battle, and with the schedule Georgia faces in 2026, there will be no shortage of opportunities to show their talent and determination. The Bulldogs’ SEC slate features series against Arkansas, Mississippi State, Missouri, Texas, Florida, Kentucky, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma. It will be a true test of depth and consistency across the toughest conference in the nation.
Baldwin reflected on last year’s grind as the ultimate teacher of how things in this conference can go. Georgia was right there in every series, but just could not finish it off. That is something the Bulldogs will look to change in 2026, finishing the job and sharpening up their mechanics for better outcomes.
“The thing people don’t always appreciate is that there are eight SEC weekends, and in six of those, we went into game three tied 1-1 in the series. We had a chance to win the series on Sunday. You win half of those games, and people look at your season very differently.
We went 0-6 in those situations, which is difficult to do. I think we lost seven or eight games last year in the other team’s last at-bat. Those things happen when you’re a little bit young, inexperienced, and don’t have great depth in the pitching circle.
Our defense was terrible. We didn’t command the strike zone in the circle or in the batter’s box, and when you do that, you end up losing tough games.”
Early Test in Clearwater
Before Georgia gets to conference play, the Bulldogs will take part in the Clearwater Invitational, an early season showcase filled with premier programs from across the country. It will serve as an early measuring stick for how this year’s group stacks up and provide a chance for Georgia to make a national statement before SEC play begins.
The 2026 lineup for the Clearwater Invitational includes Duke, JMU, FAU, LSU, Florida State, Missouri, Georgia, NC State, Nebraska, Texas A&M, Northwestern, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, UCF, Tennessee, and UCLA. That is a very strong field, as the Clearwater Invitational consistently brings top-tier competition.
The Georgia Bulldogs will continue sharpening their game and putting in the work this fall, preparing to open 2026 with major opportunities to show exactly who they are early in the season.
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