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ATHENS, Ga. — With the score tied 11-11 in the ninth inning, graduate student Cole Tate delivered a one-out RBI single to center field to secure a 12-11 walk-off victory for the Georgia Bulldogs Saturday at Foley Field.
MSU (11-9, 0-2 SEC) recorded 12 hits compared to 10 for Georgia (16-3, 2-0 SEC). Graduate student RJ Yeager led MSU with a 2-for-5 day at the plate, which included a grand slam in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game at 10-10. Senior Luke Hancock recorded three hits, one RBI and one run, while senior Brad Cumbest finished with two hits, one RBI and one run.
Sophomore Corey Collins led Georgia with a 3-for-3 day at the plate with four RBIs and two runs, while graduate student Chaney Rogers finished with two hits, three RBIs and one run and Tate finished with two hits, two RBIs and one run.
Senior pitcher Parker Stinnett started for MSU and allowed four runs on two hits with two strikeouts and eight walks in 3 2⁄3 innings. Freshman Pico Kohn then pitched 1 2⁄3 innings in relief of Stinnett and allowed five runs (two earned) on three hits with one strikeout and two walks.
Senior Brandon Smith (1-1) was charged with the loss despite a solid three innings of relief pitching. He allowed three runs on four hits and struck out four while not issuing a walk. In the bottom of the ninth, Smith allowed a leadoff single. After a sacrifice, MSU brought in senior Cam Tullar. He issued a walk and a passed ball put runners on the corners. Another walk loaded the bases and MSU brought in sophomore Jackson Fristoe, who allowed the game-winning RBI single.
Sophomore Luke Wagner started for Georgia and allowed three runs on three hits with one strikeout and three walks in three innings. Senior Jack Gowen (1-0) was credited with the win.
MSU took a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Junior Logan Tanner led off with a double to center field and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Freshman Hunter Hines followed with a double of his own to plate Tanner. Sophomore Kellum Clark was then walked, and Cumbest hit a single to load the bases. A wild pitch scored Hines before Clark scored on a sacrifice fly.
In the bottom of the third inning, senior Cory Acton drew a walk and advanced to second on a groundout. He scored on Collins’ RBI single to right field to make it 3-1.
MSU scored two more runs in the top of the fourth inning to extend its lead to 5-1. Sophomore Lane Forsythe and graduate student Jess Davis drew a two-out walks and junior Kamren James followed with an RBI single. Hancock then singled to score Davis.
In the bottom half, senior Garrett Blaylock drew a walk and made his way to third on a fielding error. A sacrifice fly scored him before Georgia drew a trio of walks. Collins followed with a two-RBI single to center field to make it a 5-4 ballgame.
Clark hit a home run in the top of the fifth inning before Georgia scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a big 10-6 lead. Redshirt senior Joshua McAllister singled to right field to get things going. An error then allowed Acton to reach first and put two runners on. Georgia then sacrificed both runners up and a wild pitch plated McAllister. Tate singled to right field before Collins and graduate student Connor Tate drew walks to load the bases. Sophomore Parks Harber scored Cole Tate with an RBI single before Rogers came through with a three-RBI double.
In the top of the seventh inning, Hancock hit a double and Tanner was walked. After a walk, Clark drew a walk and Yeager hit a two-out grand slam to knot things up at 10-10.
Collins gave Georgia an 11-10 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning with a home run to center field. Cumbest then homered in the top of the ninth inning to make it 11-11. In the bottom of the ninth, Rogers led off with a single and was sacrificed to second. A walk and passed ball put runners on second and third before graduate student Ben Anderson was intentionally walked. Cole Tate then stepped up to the plate and came through with the walk-off RBI single to center field.
MSU will look to avoid being swept on Sunday at 11 a.m. CT on SEC Network.