Georgia Rallies For 5-3 Win In Extra Innings To Take Series From State

Sunday, March 30

Starkville

1:30 p.m.

Mississippi State

11-15, 0

Georgia

15-10, 0

Georgia

Mississippi State

Diamond Dogs Head To Hattiesburg For USM Series

Georgia Rallies For 5-3 Win In Extra Innings To Take Series From State

March 30, 2008 | Baseball

Box Score

By: hailstate.com

? Official Statistics
? Official Statistics (PDF)

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State saw its extra-inning magic run out Sunday afternoon at Dudy Noble Field. Gordon Beckham's Southeastern Conference-leading 15th home run lifted Georgia past Mississippi State 5-3 in 10 innings in the rubber game of a Super Bulldog Weekend SEC baseball series.

Georgia took its sixth straight series from MSU. The homestanding Bulldogs won the series opener, 3-2 in 10 innings Friday night. Georgia had battled back to even the series with a 5-1 win on Saturday afternoon. Georgia improved to 15-10 overall and 6-3 in conference play, while MSU fell to 11-15 and 2-7.

MSU was playing its third extra inning game in four games. The Bulldogs knocked off South Alabama 7-6 in 11 innings before opening up the Georgia series. MSU is now 2-1 in extra-inning games this season and 2-3 in one-run games. Ironically, Georgia had lost eight straight extra-inning games before picking up Sunday's victory.

Georgia scored a pair of unearned run in the top half of the first inning. A walk, two infield errors, a wild pitch and a Beckham single combined to produce the two runs.

MSU answered with a three-run second inning. In that at-bat, Cody Freeman and Connor Powers started things with back-to-back singles. After a popup, both runners advanced on a wild pitch. A Russ Sneed RBI single scored Freeman. Johnny Allen drew a walk. After another popup, Grant Hogue lined a two-run single to center field.

After that inning, MSU managed four more base hits but failed to get a base runner to third base. Only once after the second inning did MSU manage more than one base runner. In the fourth inning, Jet Butler and Hogue had back-to-back two-out singles. In the tenth inning, Ryan Collins ripped a one-out double but the hosts could not score.

Georgia finally tied the contest in the eighth inning. Bryce Massanari lined a two-out RBI single to tie the game 3-3.

In the tenth inning, Beckham hit a line drive home run to left field with one out. Rich Poythress followed with a hard-hit double down the left field line. After a strikeout, Massanari's third hit of the game drove Poythress home with the game's final run.

For MSU, it was another strong pitching performance by Ricky Bowen. Bowen worked 7-1/3 innings, allowing five hits and three runs (one earned), with four walks and four strikeotus. John Lalor (0-2) completed the contest and took the loss. Lalor worked 2-2/3 innings, allowing four hits and two runs (both earned), with two strikeouts and no walks.

Alex McRee (3-1) pitched two innings of perfect relief to earn the win. McRee struck out three and faced only six batters, while working the eighth and ninth innings. Joshua Fields worked around the one-out double by Collins in the tenth inning to earn his sixth save. Nathan Moreau started for UGA and was chased in the third inning. Nick Montgomery and Dean Weaver also pitched for Georgia.

Each team finished with nine hits. Beckham and Massanari each had three hits for UGA, while Hogue and Freeman each had multiple hits for MSU.

MSU will close its seven-game homestand by hosting Austin Peay for a pair of midweek games. Game time is 6:30 p.m. both Tuesday and Wednesday. The Bulldogs then travel to Kentucky to resume SEC play with a weekend series against the Wildcats.