Mississippi State Baseball Routs Georgia to Snag Final Game of Series

After dropping the first two games of SEC play, the Diamond Dawgs defeated Georgia by 17 runs to avoid a series sweep.

Mississippi State came out with a vengeance in Sunday's game against Georgia, and the Bulldogs avoided a sweep with an impressive 20-3 Game 3 victory.

Second baseman RJ Yeager continued his hot streak as he went 3-for-6 at the plate with a home run, five runs-batted-in and two runs scored. Freshman Hunter Hines notched four runs and four RBIs on a grand slam and three walks. Brad Cumbest also had a home run for Mississippi State and went 4-for-5 at the plate with three runs and three RBI. Each starter for the Diamond Dawgs scored at least one run. 

Cade Smith pitched six innings for the Diamond Dawgs and gave up three runs on eight hits with two walked batters and five strikeouts. Brooks Auger and Jackson Fristoe pitched well in relief and recorded five strikeouts between the two of them. 

The first inning was quiet for both teams, but MSU struck first in the top of the second inning. Logan Tanner worked his way around the bases thanks to a walk, wild pitch and a few sacrifice-hits to give his team the 1-0 lead. Georgia struck back quickly, adding two in the bottom of the second inning and another in the third to hold a 3-1 advantage. Luckily, that was all the home team could muster. 

Yeager tied the game in the top of the fourth inning with a two-out, bases-loaded single. On the next at-bat, Tanner Leggett gave the Bulldogs a 5-3 advantage with a double that scored two. Cumbest drove in a run in the fifth inning to push Mississippi State's lead to three.

The floodgates opened when the Diamond Dawgs plated eight runs in the sixth inning. Two walks and a single loaded the bases for a grand slam by none other than Hines. The 10-3 victory would've easily been enough to secure the victory, but Mississippi State wasn't done in the inning. The bases were loaded again with two outs on another two walks and a single, and Jess Davis hit a timely double to bring in three more runners. Kamren James had the final RBI of the inning to give MSU the lopsided 14-3 advantage. 

A homer by Cumbest tacked on the 15th run in the top of the seventh inning. After another quick bottom frame from the MSU defense, the offense put up its final runs of the game in the top of the eighth. Georgia's offense walked in James with the bases loaded, and Cumbest hit a sacrifice fly deep into the outfield to score Luke Hancock and keep two on base with only two outs. Yeager fittingly scored the final runs of the game on a three-run home run to give Mississippi State its biggest victory of the season. 

Mississippi State will take on Southern at 6 p.m. CT on Tuesday in Starkville, weather permitting. The Diamond Dawgs will then have to gear up for their first home-field SEC series as they take on Alabama next weekend.