Brinson Homers Twice, Brock Works Eight Innings In Series-Knotting 12-1 MSU Win At Auburn
AUBURN, Ala. -- Mississippi State scored eight runs in the first three innings and senior Tanner Brock allowed one run in a strong eight-inning start Saturday afternoon as MSU (23-14-1, 9-7 SEC) topped Auburn 12-1. The Bulldog win evened the three-game weekend series at a game apiece, setting up Sunday's series-deciding 1:30 p.m. matchup at Plainsman Park.
Matthew Brinson belted his second and third home runs of the weekend, one a solo shot off AU starter Colby Paxton (8-3) in the first inning and another solo blast that put the Bulldogs up 11-1 in the sixth inning. Paxton was rocked for eight runs before leaving the game with one batter retired in the third. Brent Lewis followed Brinson's first-inning blast with a double and scored MSU's second run on Steve Gendron's single to left.
Jason Burkley opened the second inning with a single, Michael Brown drew a walk, and Matthew Maniscalco lashed an RBI single for MSU's first run in the inning. Chad Henry followed with a towering three-run home run over the left field wall for a 6-0 MSU lead. State expanded the lead further in the fourth when Burkley doubled in a run and scored on Casey Long's infield groundout.
Tanner Brock (5-3) turned in a strong eight-inning pitching performance, scattering six hits, striking out four and holding Auburn to one run. He gave up a pair of singles and a run-scoring double by Sean Gamble in the third inning. But Brock worked out of the jam, retiring Javon Moran on an infield groundout and ending the inning on a double play when Bobby Huddleston lined out to centerfielder Casey Long and Long fired a strike to Maniscalco at second to double off Gamble.
In the fifth inning Michael Brown doubled in Jon Mungle with MSU's ninth run for a 9-1Mississippi State lead, and an inning later State used two more extra-base hits to go up 11-1. Maniscalco ripped a lead-off triple into the right field corner and Henry drove Maniscalco home with a sacrifice fly. Brinson then followed with his second home run of the game and his ninth of the year, ending a three-inning pitching stint for Andrew Skinner, the second of four Auburn pitchers in the game.
The Bulldogs closed out scoring with a run in the ninth. Enrico Jones was hit by a pitch and came home on a pinch-hit double by J.B. Tucker.
Relief pitcher Chris Young retired the three Auburn batters he faced in the ninth to close out the game for MSU.
The series-evening win marks the sixth time this season MSU has reached double figures in runs, hits and RBI in an SEC game, one in each of the first six league weekends.
Mississippi State junior lefty Joey Collums (2-2, 3.15) is scheduled to start Sunday's series finale opposite Auburn junior right-hander Levale Speigner (6-4, 3.78).
MISSISSIPPI STATE 12, AUBURN 1 MSU (23-14-1, 9-7) 242 012 001 -- 12-15-3 AUBURN (26-15, 8-9) 001 000 000 -- 1- 6-3 WP -- Tanner Brock (5-3). LP -- Colby Paxton (8-3). HR -- (MSU) Chad Henry (3), Matthew Brinson-2 (9). T -- 2:38. ATT -- 3693.