Gators Strike Early, Clinch Series With 5-3 Win Over MSU
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Florida (34-13, 15-8 SEC) scored three times in the first inning and Gator pitching held Mississippi State to four hits Saturday afternoon as the 10th-ranked Gators registered a series-clinching 5-3 win over Mississippi State (27-18, 11-11 SEC) before a paid crowd of 7159 at Dudy Noble Field.
The Gators used a pair of walks and three singles to take a 3-0 lead in the first inning off MSU starter Tanner Brock (6-4). Ryan Shealy's two-out RBI single opened the scoring and Pat Osborn followed with a two run hit to right field as eight Gators came to the plate in the inning.
Florida starter Alex Hart (11-1) backed up the offensive show with a solid pitching effort. The junior righty-hander retired the first 11 batters he faced and shut out the Bulldogs through the first four frames.
State closed the gap with a pair of runs in the fifth. Steve Gendron opened the inning with a single, stole second and later scored on a throwing error by Hart. Jason Burkley walked and scored MSU's second run in the inning on a wild pitch. But Hart struck out Chad Henry with runners at second and third to end the inning and concluded his five-inning mound stint after walking the leadoff batter in the sixth.
Florida expanded its lead with two runs in the eighth. Matt Goss and Shealy opened the frame with singles to end Brock's stint on the mound, and four batters later Mario Garza laced a two-out single to right that plated Florida's final runs.
Relief pitcher Jamie Goldfarb pitched the final four innings, allowing one hit and working out of a ninth-inning jam to earn his fourth save. In the ninth Gendron reached on a fielding error at first base and pinch hitter Winston Pearson followed with a double. But the Bulldogs could get but one run home, that coming on a Burkley sacrifice fly to right field.
The Bulldogs and the Gators conclude their weekend series Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
FLORIDA 5, MISSISSIPPI STATE 3UF 300 000 020 -- 5-8-3MSU 000 020 001 -- 3-4-1WP -- Alex Hart (11-1). LP -- Tanner Brock (6-4).SV -- Jamie Goldfarb (4). T -- 2:46.ATT -- 7159 (paid), 6324 (actual).