Mungle's Slam Sparks State Past Gators
Official Game 2 Statistics
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Jon Mungle belted a career-first grand slam during a six-run Bulldog burst Saturday afternoon sparking No. 12 Mississippi State (30-11-1, 12-7 SEC) to a 6-5 win over No. 23 Florida (30-13-1, 9-10-1 SEC) at McKethan Stadium/Perry Field. The win gave the Bulldogs a split of their Saturday twinbill and nailed down State's SEC-leading 20th 30-win season. Florida claimed a 13-5 decision in the opener. The Bulldogs and the Gators close out their three-game set Sunday at Noon (CDT).
All 11 runs in the nightcap were scored in the fourth inning, with 10 of the 11 runs charged to starting pitchers Alana Johnson for MSU and UF's Tommy Boss.
State strung together six straight hits off UF starter Tommy Boss (1-2) and relief pitcher Mike Pete during its scoring burst. Steve Gendron, Matthew Brinson, Brad Corley, Robby Goodson and J.B. Tucker all hit safely in the inning, with single runs crossing the plate on the hits by Corley and Tucker. Florida made a pitching change, replacing starter Tommy Boss with Mike Pete, and Mungle greeted the new Gator pitching with a bases-loaded blast that staked MSU starter Alan Johnson to a 6-0 lead. It was Mungle's second home run of the day and his seventh this season.
The lead never changed, though the Gators battled back to within a run in the bottom of the fourth. Johnson, after retiring the first two batters he faced in the fourth, gave up a solo blast by Lee Roberson. The next six UF batters reached safely, four on singles and another on a walk off Johnson. Bulldog freshman Jamie Gant (2-1) followed Johnson on the hill with State clinging to a 6-3 lead. UF left fielder Jeff Corsaletti greeted Gant with a single to right that plated two more runs before Gant retired Brett Dowdy on an infield fly ball. Gant blanked the Gators the rest of the way during his 3-1/3 inning relief stint, working out of trouble and standing runners at second and third in the sixth.
Jonathan Papelbon replaced Gant in the eighth and held Florida scoreless with two perfect innings of relief.
Butts and Corley had two singles each to lead MSU.
In the opener, Florida pounded out 14 hits and belted three home runs to top Missisisppi State 13-5. It was the highest run total allowed by Bulldog pitching this season.
The Gators plated three runs on four singles, a hit batsman and a walk and a pair of sacrifice bunts in the second inning off MSU starter Paul Maholm (6-2). The Bulldogs, who failed to score in the first inning after loading the bases issued by Gator starter Christian Madson, got on the scoreboard with a pair of walks in the third inning and a two-run double by Matthew Brinson.
Florida expanded its lead to 4-2 with Jeff Corsalleti's solo home run in the third and pulled away with a three-run Brian Rose shot during a four-run burst in the fourth.
The Bulldogs scored three of their five runs with the long ball, including a fourth inning solo shot by Jon Mungle, his sixth blast of the year, and a two-run sixth-inning home run to right by Matthew Brinson, his seventh of the campaign.
Florida piled up 14 hits, three by center fielder Ben Harrison and two each by Rose, Corsaletti and Justin Tordi.
The Gators further expanded their lead on the strength Fritz Reichardt's three-run home run in the seventh. Reichardt collected his fourth RBI of the game an inning later with a sacrifice fly.
Adam Sanabria (1-1), who replaced Madson in the third inning, picked up his first win of the year, scattering five hits and allowing four runs over five innings. Darren O'Day allowed one base runner and struck out four in two innings of relief.
Maholm, who entered the game with the SEC's leading earned average, gave up eight runs on 10 hits, striking out four and walking one in five innings of work. Jacob Blakeney was charged with five runs on four hits and four walks in three innings of relief.
FLORIDA 13, MISSISSIPPI STATE 5 (GAME 1)
MSU 002 100 200 --- 5- 6- 1FLA 031 400 32x --- 13-14- 0
WP --- Adam Sanabria (1-1). LP --- Paul Maholm (6-2). HR --- (UF) Jeff Corsalatti (4), Brian Rose (9), Fritz Reichardt (1); (MSU) Jon Mungle (6), Matthew Brinson (7). T --- 2:47. Paul Maholm, Jacob Blakeney (6) and Craig Tatum. Christian Madson, Adam Sanabria (3), Darren O'Day (8) and Brian Rose. MISSISSIPPI STATE 6, FLORIDA 5 (GAME 2)
MSU 000 600 000 --- 6 - 9- 2FLA 000 500 000 --- 5 - 9- 0WP --- Jamie Gant (2-1). LP --- Tommy Boss (1-2). SV --- Jonathan Papelbon (6). HR --- (MSU) Jon Mungle (7); (UF) Lee Roberson (1). T --- 2:47. ATT --- 2,053.
Alan Johnson, Jamie Gant (4), Jonathan Papelbon (8) and J.B. Tucker. Tommy Boss, Mike Pete (4), Connor Falkenbach (8) and Brian Rose.