Five-Run Burst Powers State Past Tennessee 8-2
March 17, 2006 | Baseball
* Official Statistics (PDF)
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State erupted for five runs in the sixthinning Friday night and went on to claim an 8-2 win over fifth-rankedTennessee in the SEC season opener for both teams. With the win sixth-rankedMississippi State (14-0) tied the school record for season-opening winsestablished by the 1985 team. Tennessee fell to 14-4.
With the score tied 2-2, State batted through the order in the sixth,breaking a 2-2 deadlock and a pitching duel between Bulldog starter BrooksDunn (4-0) and UT's Mark Adkins (4-2). The Bulldogs plated five runs withfour hits, two in the infield, a walk and a Tennessee fielding error.
Dunn scattered six hits, struck out seven and allowed two runs (one earned)in seven innings, picking up a his first career SEC win in his first leaguestart. Adkins gave up single runs in the first and third innings and struckout six through the first five innings. But in the sixth Andy Rice greetedAdkins with a single to right, Michael Rutledge drew a walk, and Jeff Buttsloaded the bases with a bunt single that Adkins was unable to field. Rea'ssingle to right scored the inning's first run and two runs came home whenEdward Easley's grounder to third was misplayed. Thomas Berkery reached onan infield single that Adkins couldn't make a play on, loading the bases andsetting the stage for a pair of run-scoring infield groundouts.
Brad Jones picked up State's fourth single of the first inning to drive inBerkery with the game's first run. In its next at-bat, UT got a lead-offsingle from Brian Van KirK and a walk issued to Tony Delmonico. A wild pitchand a passed ball advanced the runners, which eventually scored on aninfield groundout by Cody Brown and a second wild pitch by Dunn.
State bunched together singles by Easley, Berkery and Hunter and tied thescore at 2-2 in the third inning on Brad Jones' groundout to first. Thescore remained deadlocked until the sixth, though Tennessee threatened toretake the lead in the sixth. Van Kirk drew a walk, Delmonico slapped to asingle to right and both runners advanced on an outfield error. Cody Brownthen hit a line drive that was speared by Berkery at shortstop, and thesenior infielder doubled off Van Kirk at third to end the threat.
State followed up Berkery's defensive gem with a five-run burst to lead 7-2.Jeff Butts delivered a two-out double in the seventh,the game's loneextra-base hit, and Rea drove him home with his second single of the night.
The Bulldogs out-hit the Vols 14-6. Berkery and Butts had three hits apieceand Rea and Jones added two hits each and combined to drive in five runs.
The SEC opening weekend series continues at Dudy Noble Field Saturday at 2p.m., with MSU's Josh Johnson (3-0) matching up with UT's Josh Lindblom(4-0).
