Bulldogs Extend Win Streak To 16 Games With 10-3 Win Over UAB
March 21, 2006 | Baseball
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State (16-0) scored nine times in thefirst three innings and rolled to a 10-3 win over UAB (13-8) on a chillyTuesday night at Dudy Noble Field. The victory extended the No. 1-rankedBulldogs' school-record season-opening win streak to 16 games and broke theschool record for overall consecutive wins. The win also gave the Bulldogs asweep of their two-game season series with UAB.
"I'm really proud of this team," said MSU head coach Ron Polk. ³It's noteasy to go 16-0. The ball can take some funny bounces some times. But forthe most part we've hit, pitched and defended pretty well."
Bulldog starter Matt Lea (3-0) gave up three runs in the second, one on alead-off home run by Jorge Gutierrez, but settled down to blank the Blazersthe remainder of his six-inning stay in the game to pick up the win. Lea,the lone freshman to start for the Bulldogs this season, gave up three runson six hits, walked three and struck out four.
Jeffrey Rea and Edward Easley drew walks from UAB starter Brandon Flaherty(0-3) to open the Bulldog first inning, and Thomas Berkery and Joseph Hunterfollowed with run-scoring singles for a 2-0 MSU lead.
UAB took a brief lead with a three-run, four-hit second inning. Ryan Metcalflaced an RBI single through the left side of the infield and Phillip Bellcame through with a two-out run-scoring double.
State answered with three runs in the second, two coming home on JosephHunter's double down the left field line. Hunter went 2-for-4 and drove inthree runs.
The Bulldogs sent eight batters to the plate during a four-run third inningburst that chased Flaherty from the game. Flaherty was charged with sevenruns on seven hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
Jeff Butts scored the Bulldogs' final run on a lead-off home run in thefifth, his second roundtripper of the season.
Thomas Berkery's first-inning single extended his team-leading hittingstreak to 13 games, a career-best, while Edward Easley singled twice to runhis career-best hitting streak to 11 games.
Zach Ward paced UAB at the plate with two of the Blazers' seven hits. DannySawyer singled in the seventh inning to extend his hitting streak to 14games.
Sophomore John Lalor, who missed a weekend start due to Sunday's rainoutagainst No. 5 Tennessee, worked a scoreless inning of relief while truefreshman Aaron Weatherford faced the minimum in his game-closing two-inningrelief stint.
The Bulldogs continue their midweek non-conference competition at homeWednesday entertaining Jacksonville State University in a 6:30 p.m. game.Junior right-hander Jon Crosby (2-0, 3.00) is due to start for the Bulldogs
