Mississippi State swept at home as Ole Miss and Southern Miss win road series

No. 4 Mississippi State was swept at home by No. 5 Georgia over the weekend. The Bulldogs from Starkville nearly fell in Thursday’s opener but scored seven late runs, falling 10-9. Georgia won the series with an 8-5 victory in 10 innings Saturday.

Mississippi State coach Brian O’Connor said his team showed immaturity and needs to develop a winner’s mentality. Georgia, the SEC’s top power-hitting team with 87 home runs before the series, hit six long balls during the weekend. Mississippi State countered with five home runs, including two from Gehrig Frei and others from Aidan Teel, who wore a boot but is expected to miss minimal time.

With the sweep, Georgia moved into the top spot in the SEC standings, surpassing No. 2 Texas. Mississippi State has yet to lose to a team outside the top 10 this season.

Ole Miss, seeking redemption after recent losses, took two of three from No. 21 Florida in Gainesville. The Rebels opened with a 6-4 win Thursday, despite a strong effort from Florida’s Hunter Elliott, who struck out nine in four innings. Saturday’s 5-2 victory featured a ninth-inning rally, with Judd Utermark homering and Brayden Randle driving in the go-ahead run. Walker Hooks closed out the game for Ole Miss.

Southern Miss traveled to Old Dominion and split the series. The Golden Eagles edged the Monarchs 8-7 on Saturday after trailing 6-1 in the seventh. Seth Smith and Ben Higdon delivered key hits in the eighth and ninth innings to secure the win. Old Dominion, with an RPI of 165, mounted a late comeback but fell short.

Next for Mississippi State is a home game against UAB on Tuesday, followed by a weekend series against Tennessee. Ole Miss hosts Alcorn State Tuesday before facing LSU. Southern Miss plays New Orleans Tuesday and travels to Louisiana for its weekend series.

Source: Original Article