Maholm, Papelbon Blank Rebs 2-0 In Series Opener
March 28, 2003 | Baseball
| Matthew Brinson (25) greets Brad Corley at the plate after both Bulldogs were driven home by Craig Tatum's single in the sixth inning. |
Maholm (4-1) struck out eight, scattered six hits and worked around a bases-loaded jam in the third inning in registering his fourth straight win this season and his third career decision in as many outings against Mississippi.
Mississippi (17-8, 5-2 SEC), ranked 29th in the latest Collegiate Baseball poll, threatened to break a scoreless deadlock in the third inning when Chad Sterbens and Seth Smith legged out two-out infield singles. Brian Pettway walked to load the bases before Maholm got Charlie Waite to fly out to Joseph Hunter in center field and end the threat.
The Bulldogs missed out on numerous early scoring opportunities against UM freshman starter Mark Holliman (3-1), stranding a base runner in scoring position in each of the first five innings. UM right fielder Seth Smith speared Thomas Berkery's line drive in right-center field to end one Bulldog threat in the second and Matt Tolbert's sterling defensive play at second base robbed Berkery of another RBI hit in the fourth.
| Matthew Maniscalco singled twice to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. |
Maholm worked around one-out doubles by Dustin Cliburn in the seventh and Sterbens in the eighth, and Jonathan Papelbon came on to close out the game and earn his second save of the year. The game lasted two hours and 14 minutes, the quickest game of the year for Mississippi State.
It was the first loss of the year for Holliman, who gave up two runs on seven hits, struck out four and overcame a trio of walks in the first two innings. He was replaced in the ninth by Anthony Capps, who retired the Bulldogs in order.
The teams continue their weekend series Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Sophomore righty Alan Johnson (3-0, 2.35) will draw his sixth start of the year Saturday for State, while senior T.J. Beam (3.0, 1.62) is set to start for UM.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 2, MISSISSIPPI 0
MSU 000 002 000 -- 2-7-0UM 000 000 000 -- 0-7-0
WP -- Paul Maholm (4-1). LP -- Mark Holliman (3-1). SV -- Jonathan Papelbon (2). T -- 2:14. ATT -- 3,401.
Paul Maholm, Jonathan Papelbon (9) and Craig Tatum. Mark Holliman, Anthony Cupps (9) and Charlie Waite.
