Bama Scores Early And Often To Top State 12-2 In SEC Tournament Opener
Mississippi State continues play in the double-elimination tournament Thursday, meeting Georgia in a 10 a.m. elimination game. The defending SEC champion Georgia Bulldogs (30-16), seeded sixth in the tournament, dropped a 7-2 decision to No. 3 seed Florida in Wednesday's tournament opener.
State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning and appeared to have Alabama starter Taylor Tankersley (8-4) on the ropes early. Chad Henry and Matthew Brinson laced singles to right field, Jason Burkley reached via walk to load the bases, and Robby Goodson extended his hitting streak to nine games with a two-out, two-run single to left. Casey Long singled to reload the bases before the Alabama lefthander retired Enrico Jones on a called third strike.
Alabama regained the lead in the bottom of the inning. Travis Garner doubled off MSU starter Tanner Brock (7-5), Jeremy Brown walked and Scott McClanahan followed with a three-run blast over the Hoover Met's left field wall.
The Tide scored twice in the second to lead 5-2. And after the Bulldogs failed to score after loading the bases in the top of the third, expanded its lead to 8-2 with a three-run, four hit surge in the bottom of the third. Singles by Brown and Brent Boyd ended Brock's stay in the game, and Chad White greeted relief pitcher Jeff Lacher with a two-run double. White later scored on the first of three hits on the day by Adam Pavkovich.
The Bulldogs threatened again in the eighth, loading the bases on a pair of walks and a single by Jon Mungle. Jared Woodward replaced Tankersley and doused the MSU threat by retiring Matthew Maniscalco and Chad Henry on fly ball outs to end the inning. State stranded 12 bases runners and hit into two inning-ending double plays.
Tankersley, in his first start against an SEC opponent this year, gave up two runs on nine hits, walking six and striking out three over 7-1/3 innings.
Brock was charged with seven runs on six hits in his 3-1/3 inning mound stint. Jeff Lacher worked 2-2/3 innings and Saunders Ramsey two innings. The trio gave up 12 runs, marking just the third game this season in which a Bulldog opponent had reached double digits in scoring. Alabama piled up 18 hits.
Brinson, Gendron and Mungle had two hits each to pace MSU's nine-hit, all-singles attack.
ALABAMA 12, MISSISSIPPI STATE 2MSU 200 000 00 -- 2- 9-2UA 323-020 11 -- 12-18-0WP -- Taylor Tankersley (8-4). LP -- Tanner Brock (7-5).HR -- Scott McClanahan (13). T -- 2:37.ATT -- 10,111 (SEC Tournament opening session record)