Major Defensive Problems Cost Mississippi State in 12-11 Loss to Georgia

A slew of walks and defensive errors cost Mississippi State as the Bulldogs dropped game two of their weekend series against Georgia by a score of 12-11.

Starting pitcher Parker Stinnett had a rough outing and recorded four runs on two hits and eight walks with just two strikeouts. RJ Yeager went 2-for-5 at the plate with a grand slam and four RBIs. Luke Hancock had one RBI and scored one run while going 3-for-6 batting. Logan Tanner walked three times, while Kellum Clark and Brad Cumbest each had solo home runs.

Although Georgia threatened in the first inning, Mississippi State struck first in the top of the second. Tanner started things off with a double, and was brought home by Hunter Hines shortly afterwards. A walk against Clark and a single by Cumbest loaded the bases. Hines was able to cross home plate thanks to a wild pitch, and the Diamond Dawgs still had nobody out with two runners in scoring position. Georgia was able to pick up all three outs, but not before a sacrifice fly by Lane Forsythe scored another to make the score 3-0.

Georgia struck in the bottom of the third inning. The home team scored one run on a long single into right field, but MSU managed to hold the 3-1 lead. The Diamond Dawgs added two more in the fourth inning thanks to a couple of walks and singles by Kamren James and Hancock and pushed their lead to four runs.

After walking four runners and giving up one run in the bottom of the fourth, Stinnett was pulled in favor of true freshman Pico Kohn. Kohn entered in a difficult situation: the bases were loaded with two outs. He gave up two runs on an infield single, but Mississippi State still held the 5-4 lead.

Clark homered to right field in the top of the fifth inning to help pull the game back in MSU's favor. The game was quiet with the visiting team holding a steady 6-4 lead until the bottom of the sixth inning, when the wheels began falling off the Mississippi State defense. A slew of walks, hits and error allowed Georgia to plate six runs in the inning and take the 10-6 lead.

The Diamond Dawgs might have been down, but they weren't out. Directly following Georgia's big inning, the veteran leaders on the visiting team battled back. Hancock doubled to start the top of the seventh, and both Tanner and Clark each picked up walks. With the bases loaded, Yeager hit a massive grand slam to tie things up at 10 apiece.

Georgia reclaimed the lead on a solo home run by Corey Collins in the eighth inning, but veteran pitcher Brandon Smith held things down well from there. The Diamond Dawgs offense came to the plate in the top of the ninth with one last chance to battle back and claim the lead. Clark went down swinging, but Cumbest hit a high-flying home run to tie the game at 11. Yeager and Davis each had hits, and James was walked to load the bases with two outs. However, they were unable to pick up the go-ahead run.

Georgia got a runner on base to start the bottom of the ninth inning, and Smith was relieved by Cam Tullar after a sacrifice bunt. Tullar walked his first batter, and a wild pitch put runners at second and third with only one out. Jackson Fristoe was quickly brought into the game, but gave up the walk-off single in only four pitches. Georgia walked the game off with the 12-11 victory, leaving Mississippi State heartbroken.

Mississippi State will face Georgia in the final game of the series tomorrow morning in Athens. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. CT.