Berkery Belts Four Extra-Base Hits, Pigott Goes The Distance In Bulldogs' 11-1 Win Over No. 18 Mississippi
May 19, 2006 | Baseball
* Official Statistics
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STARKVILLE, Miss. - Thomas Berkery belted four extra-base hits and drove in five runs and sophomore left-hander Justin Pigott tossed his third straight complete-game Friday night as Mississippi State (35-20, 12-16 SEC) evened its weekend series with an 11-1 win over No. 18 Mississippi (35-20, 15-13 SEC). The game drew 5,081 fans to Dudy Noble Field.
The win, coupled with Florida's 8-7 victory over LSU, kept alive Mississippi State's SEC Tournament hopes heading into Saturday's final day of league competition. A win by MSU in Saturday's 2 p.m. regular-season finale and another Florida win over LSU in Gainesville would send the Bulldogs back to Hoover, Ala., for the league tournament.
"It's not over," said MSU skipper Ron Polk. "Justin pitched lights-out tonight and Thomas had an outstanding night at the plate. Hopefully we can win tomorrow, get some help from Florida and carry these guys back to Hoover."
Berkery, one of seven MSU seniors honored during pre-game ceremonies, extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a first inning double that gave MSU an early lead off UM starter Brett Bukvich (5-5). Berkery later scored the second Bulldog run in the inning on a two-out hit by Joseph Hunter.
The MSU co-captain belted a home run to open the third inning, his third blast of the year, doubled in another run during a three-run MSU burst in the fourth, and laced a two-run triple into the right field corner. He missed hitting for the cycle in the sixth with a fly ball to right.
Pigott, meanwhile, turned in his third straight complete game pitching performance in his fourth start. The Picayune, Miss., product allowed a run on six hits with a walk and six strikeouts. He faced four batters over the minimum in the game.
Zack Cozart ripped a one-out double inside the third base back and scored two batters later on a C.J. Ketchum single through the middle of the infield. Ketchum had two of UM's six hits. Only one Rebel batter reached second base after that, and he retired the last seven batters he faced to nail down his fifth win against SEC foes.
Berkery, who raised his SEC-leading batting average to .395, went 4-for-5 and drove in five runs, matching career-highs for both hits and RBI. Jeffrey Rea notched his 10th three-hit game while Hunter and Mitch Moreland had two hits each. Hunter and Brian LaNinfa drove in two runs each.
MSU will send junior right-hander Josh Johnson (4-3, 5.20) to the hill to face UM freshman righty Lance Lynn (4-3, 4.45) in Saturday's regular season finale.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 11, MISSISSIPPI 1
UM 000 100 000 --- 1- 6- 2MSU 201 350 00x --- 11-15-0WP --- Justin Pigott (6-1). LP --- Brett Bukvich (5-5). HR --- Thomas Berkery (7). T --- 2:47. ATT --- 5,081 (paid: 7,262).
