Rebs Strike Early, Top State 8-4 In Mayor's Trophy Game
JACKSON, Miss. -- Mississippi scored four times in the second inning and fended off a pair of middle-inning Mississippi State (15-10-1) scoring threats Wednesday night to register an 8-4 win in the 23rd annual Mayor's Trophy game at Smith-Wills Stadium. The game drew a standing room only crowd of 5,911, the largest gathering in the series since 1995.
The Rebels (22-7) roughed up MSU starter Jacob Blakeney (0-2) for eight hits in the first three innings, scoring four runs during a five-hit second-inning burst. Josh Christian doubled in UM's first run in the frame and in the seventh inning sealed the win with a towering two-run home run. All nine starters in the UM batting order hit safely as Mississippi piled up 15 hits, tying for the most allowed by Bulldog pitching this year. Shortstop Chad Sterbans went 3-for-4 to lead UM at the plate.
Trailing 6-1, Mississippi State rallied for three runs in the fourth inning, with Michael Brown singling in one run and Matthew Maniscalco lashing a two-run double. That hit extended the Bulldog shortstop's career-best and team season-longest hitting streak to 13 games. The Bulldogs loaded the bases but failed to score in the sixth and and put two runners aboard without scoring in the ninth.
UM's three-man split pitching crew limited State to four runs on nine hits, with starter Mike Gray (2-0) giving up a run on one hit and five walks during his 2-2/3 inning start. Al Simontis replaced Gray in the third and T.J. Beam earned his second save after striking out six and blanking the Bulldogs on two-hit pitching over the final three frames.
Steve Dowe, Ryan Carroll and Jonathan Papelbon followed Bulldog starter Blakeney, who allowed four runs on eight hits in three innings.
Mississippi State opens a two-weekend SEC homestand and three-game conference series with SEC-leading Georgia (16-8, 7-2 SEC) Friday. MSU sophomore lefty Paul Maholm (5-1, 2.62) will be matched against UG freshman lefty Mickey Westphal (3-0, 6.35) in Friday's 6:36 p.m. series opener. The game will be televised regionally by Comcast Sports Southeast.
MISSISSIPPI 8, MISSISSIPPI STATE 4 UM (22-7) 040 200 200 --- 8-15-0 MSU (15-10-1) 001 300 000 --- 4- 9-2 WP --- Mike Gray (3-0). LP --- Jacob Blakeney (0-2). SV --- T.J. Beam (2). HR --- Josh Christian (4). T --- 3:03. ATT --- 5,911.