Brock, Big-Inning Bulldogs Clinch Series With 14-4 Win
State struck for five runs in the third, six in the sixth and three more in the seventh, batting through the order in all three frames en route to its eighth consecutive win at home against Georgia.
UG's Chaz Lytle and Darryl Blaze opened the game with back-to-back hits against Brock (4-2) and Georgia claimed a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Lee Mitchell. It would be the only lead of the game for the visiting Bulldogs.
State got on the scoreboard in a big way in the fifth inning, taking the lead with a two-run, season-first home run by Michael Brown and adding three more runs during a five-hit burst off UG starter Bill Sharpton (3-2). Sharpton's troubles continues in the sixth when MSU erupted for six more runs. Ten Bulldog batters stepped to the plate in the five-hit inning, which included a two-run single by Jason Burkley and a career-first triple by Jon Mungle that drove in two more runs.
Mississippi State's scoring spree continued an inning later when MSU took advantage of three walks and a Georgia error to score three more runs and take a 14-2 team.
Brock scattered five hits, worked around five walks and struck out four in his longest pitching stint of his senior season. He was replaced in the ninth by Brian Owens, who gave up a pair of unearned runs and struck out two of the six batters he faced.
Mungle went 2-for-4 and matched a career-high by driving in three runs. Brown and Casey Long had two-hit, two-RBI plate performances to lead MSU's 12-hit attack while Blaze accounted for half of Georgia's hit production with a 3-for-4, two-RBI game.
Sharpton was charged with nine runs on eight hits, and was followed on the mound by Max Havel, Bo Lanier and Chris Anderson.
Junior lefty Joey Collums (2-1, 2.56) is expected to draw the start for Mississippi State in Sunday's series finale.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 14, GEORGIA 4UG (16-10, 7-4 SEC) 100 001 002 -- 4- 6-2MSU (17-10-1, 6-4 SEC) 005 006 30x -- 14-12-1WP -- Tanner Brock (4-2). LP -- Bill Sharpton (3-2).HR -- Michael Brown (1). T -- 2:50.ATT -- 11,860 (actual), 12,360 (paid).