State Opens Three-Game SEC Road Series At Georgia
May 25, 2016 | Baseball
The 21st-ranked Bulldogs enter the weekend having won five of theirlast six games and three of their first four SEC weekend series.
Senior righthander Alan Johnson (2-3, 3.53), who pitched aseason-longest 8.0 innings and earned the win in MSU's series-opening4-1 win over No. 16 Auburn last Friday night, will open on the hill forState. Georgia is expected to counter with junior righty Michael Hyle(2-2, 4.38).
Mississippi State holds a 34-29 all-time series lead over Georgia,though the UG Bulldogs has won five of the last six meetings, includinga series-first three-game sweep in Starkville last year.
Junior first baseman Brad Jones (.306) had four extra-base hits inMSU's non-conference midweek wins over UL-Monroe and Samford atDudy Noble Field and enters the weekend riding a team-best eight-gamehitting, going 14-for-29 (.483) with seven RBI. Junior outfieldersJoseph Hunter (.368) and Brad Corley (.307) lead the Bulldogs at theplate with 39 hits, while junior catcher/third baseman Thomas Berkery(.346) paces MSU with 29 RBI. Freshman catcher/third baseman Ed Easley(.293) opens the weekend with an SEC-leading six pick-offs.
Saturday's MSU-Georgia baseball game is set for a 3 p.m. (CDT) firstpitch while Sunday's series finale begins at Noon. State continues itscurrent five-game road run in Mobile, Ala., Tuesday (6 p.m. CDT) againstSouth Alabama and in Jackson, Miss., Wednesday (6:30 p.m.) against SouthAlabama at Smith-Wills Stadium
