Video: Mississippi State Clinches Series Against Georgia

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI/MSU Athletics) – Mississippi State needed some patience Friday night.

In the end, head coach John Cohen’s ballclub was rewarded.

Held hit-less into the seventh inning, the runs soon followed as MSU rallied to a 3-1 victory versus Georgia in a Southeastern Conference baseball game Friday night at Dudy Noble Field. The Maroon and White have won five straight games against the Red and Black, the longest winning streak since a series record 10 straight games from 1996-99.

After winning 9-2 on Thursday night, MSU clinched a second straight series to open league play for the second time under Cohen. State improved to 17-6-1 overall and 4-1 in league play, while Georgia dropped to 14-10 and 1-4.

“Both pitchers did a nice job,” MSU head coach John Cohen said. “Our kids kept fighting. Austin (Sexton) did a great job of competing. The (sixth) inning where they scored the run, the bases were loaded and that is the only run they scored. He did a great job of damage control.

“Offensively, we just kept working at it and had some barrels line up there late in the game.”

Georgia junior right-hander Robert Tyler threw six innings of no-hit baseball. He was lifted after throwing 107 pitches, thanks in part to six walks.

MSU then touched the Georgia bullpen for two runs in the seventh inning and another score in the eighth inning.

John Holland broke up the no-hitter with a one-out infield single. Elih Marrero followed with a pinch-hit single. A ground ball hit by Jacob Robson led to an error and allowed Holland to score. Nathaniel Lowe followed with a game-winning RBI-single.

In the eighth inning, an RBI-single by Cody Brown plated a critical insurance score.

Austin Sexton drew the start for MSU. Sexton pitched six innings, allowing six hits and one run (earned), with six strikeouts and three walks. Ryan Rigby (2-0) pitched the final three innings with one hit allowed and a pair of strikeouts to earn the win.

MSU finished with five hits. Lowe, Brown, Holland, Marrero and Ryan Gridley had a hit apiece.

The series finale is at 2 p.m. Saturday and will be available on SEC Network +.