No. 16 Mississippi State’s run in the SEC Tournament ended Thursday with a 5-3 loss to No. 4 Georgia.
The Bulldogs, who defeated Missouri 12-2 on Wednesday, were unable to carry momentum into the second round. The loss marked the fourth this season against Georgia, whose mascot is the Bulldogs.
Georgia’s Brennan Hudson hit a three-run homer, and Ryan Wynn led the team with two hits. Georgia (44-12), the tournament’s top seed, took the lead in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Kolby Branch, scoring Kenny Ishikawa.
Mississippi State (40-17), the eighth seed, responded in the third with an RBI single from reserve catcher Chone James. Hudson’s homer in the fourth inning put Georgia ahead for good. The Bulldogs added two more runs, including an RBI single by Ace Reese and a solo shot by Noah Sullivan.
The Bulldogs also gave Georgia a fifth run when reliever Dane Burns walked a batter with the bases loaded in the seventh. Georgia’s Joey Volchko (9-2) earned the win, allowing two runs on seven hits over five innings. Matt Scott earned the save, striking out three in four innings.
Mississippi State starter Duke Stone (6-3) took the loss after allowing four runs on six hits in 3.1 innings. Freshman Jack Bauer pitched two scoreless innings but was pulled in the seventh after facing trouble. The Bulldogs had three successful challenges on five attempts under the automated ball-strike system, while Georgia had one correct appeal on three attempts.
Mississippi State has been eliminated from the SEC Tournament and will learn its NCAA Tournament fate Monday. The Bulldogs are considered a strong candidate to host a regional at Dudy Noble Field.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
