MSU Finishes Weekend with Georgia Sweep

STARKVILLE, Miss. (MSU Athletics) – Senior Peyton Plumlee fired 6 1/3 scoreless innings to start the game for the No. 9 Mississippi State baseball program and the offense pushed out to an early lead in a 6-5 victory over No. 3 Georgia on Sunday (April 28) to earn a series sweep at Dudy Noble Field.

Mississippi State (36-9, 13-8 SEC) got a run in the second inning, two in the fifth and one in the seventh inning to push out to an early 4-0 lead. After Georgia (33-12, 13-8 SEC) plated one run in the eighth, State added two in the bottom of the inning to make it a 6-1 game.

Junior Colby White came on in relief for MSU and Austin Biggar greeted him with a solo home run to left field. After a single and a walk, White got the first out via strikeout before LJ Talley hit a three-run home run to left field to cut the deficit to one, 6-5. The right hander got a flyout and a strikeout to end it and close out the sweep.

Plumlee (3-3) allowed just one hit in his 6 1/3 innings to earn his third win of the year. He walked two batters and struck out five in his second start of the week. The senior also started the Governor’s Cup victory against No. 23 Ole Miss on Tuesday and threw four innings.

At the plate, MSU used eight hits, seven walks and one hit-by-pitch to put runners on base in seven of its eight offensive innings. The sophomore trio of Tanner Allen, Rowdey Jordan and Jordan Westburg each pushed their reached base streaks to 13 games.

Senior Jake Mangum reached base three times in the game, walking twice and posting a seventh-inning base hit. Mangum’s 355th career hit pushed him onto the NCAA’s all-time hits list. It moved him into a tie for No. 12 with Sonny Meade (The Citadel; 2006-09) and Chris Campbell (College of Charleston; 2004-07).

Quotable

Head Coach Chris Lemonis

On Peyton Plumlee’s effort

“It was awesome, just the whole week…From last weekend at Arkansas, bouncing back from that tough start and giving us a great one Tuesday night [against Ole Miss] and another great start today. I am really happy for Peyton. He was really good today…When he has that slider going it is a good pitch.”

Quick Hitters

Mississippi State

Peyton Plumlee – Made his second start of the week and threw 6 1/3 innings scoreless. Allowed one hit, walked two and struck out five batters to earn his third win of the year.

Tanner Allen – Drove in three RBIs, including a two-RBI double in the fifth inning.

Dustin Skelton – Had one hit and drove in two RBIs in the game. Plated the fifth run of the game with a single to left field.

Rowdey Jordan – Reached base in all four plate appearances, with two walks and two singles. Scored one run.

Jake Mangum – Was on base three times, walking twice and adding a single. Scored twice. Moved into a tie for No. 12 on the NCAA’s all-time hits list with his 355th career hit.

The Reached Base Club – Allen, Jordan and Jordan Westburg all moved their reached base streaks to 13 games on Saturday.

Reaching Base – The Diamond Dawgs used eight hits – six singles and two doubles – and seven walks to put traffic on the base paths in seven of eight innings.

Georgia

Ninth Inning Homers – Austin Biggar and LJ Talley each homered in the ninth inning to bring Georgia within one run.

Scoring Recap

Bottom Second

After Justin Foscue reached on a fielder’s choice, Rowdey Jordan singled to put runners on the corners with one out and Dustin Skelton’s sacrifice fly opened the scoring for MSU.

Mississippi State 1, Georgia 0

Bottom Fifth

A string of one-out base runners produced a pair of runs, as Jake Mangum walked and Jordan Westburg singled to put runners on the corner with one out. Tanner Allen followed with a double down the right field line to score both runners.

Mississippi State 3, Georgia 0

Bottom Seventh

Mangum singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a wild pitch, before an Allen sacrifice fly scored the lone run of the inning.

Mississippi State 4, Georgia 0

Top Eighth

Georgia got on the board in the eighth inning as Tucker Maxwell doubled to start the frame and Cam Shepherd singled with two outs. With two on and two outs, MSU reliever Cole Gordon entered the game and walked the first batter he faced to load the bases, before getting a strikeout to preserve the three-run lead.

Mississippi State 4, Georgia 1

Bottom Eighth

The first four runners reached base and two came around to score. Justin Foscue doubled to start the inning and Jordan walked. Skelton followed with an RBI single to left field, before Luke Hancock walked to load the bases. Marshall Gilbert then grounded into a fielder’s choice double play, scoring Jordan from third.

Mississippi State 6, Georgia 1

Top Ninth

A pair of home runs pulled Georgia within one run in the ninth inning, as Austin Biggar led off the inning with a home run off of MSU reliever Colby White. A single and walk followed, before White got the first out via strikeout. LJ Talley then made it a one-run game with a three-run home run to left field. White got a flyout and a strike out to end the game.

Mississippi State 6, Georgia 5

Up Next

Next week includes only a weekend series, as the Diamond Dawgs will travel to College Station, Texas to face off with Texas A&M in a series that features two nationally televised games. The series opener on Thursday, May 2 will start at 6 p.m. and air on the SEC Network, before Friday’s 6:35 first pitch continues the stay in the Lone Star State. Saturday’s series finale will air on the SEC Network at 2 p.m.