SEC baseball roundups

MISSISSIPPI STATE 2, LSU 1

Mississippi State (27-12-1, 10-7) made single runs in the first and sixth innings stand up for a victory over LSU (26-13, 9-8) on Saturday at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge.

Jack Kruger, the game's second batter, hit a home run on an 0-1 pitch to give the Bulldogs an early 1-0 lead. Jake Mangum scored on a Reid Humphreys sacrifice fly in the sixth to increase the lead to 2-0 for Mississippi State, which moved into sole possession of second place in the Western Division and is only a game behind division-leader Texas A&M. Beau Jordan scored on Jake Fraley's groundout to score the lone run for LSU, which fell into a three-way tie for third place in the division.

Kruger finished 2 for 4 for the Bulldogs, who managed only 4 hits as a team. LSU had 6 hits, led by Antoine Duplantis and Kramer Robertson, who both went 2 for 4. Austin Sexton (4-2) got the victory after allowing LSU's run in the eighth on 5 hits with 4 strikeouts and 1 walk over 71/3 innings. Humphreys came in to pitch after starting in left field and earned his fifth save of the season. Alex Lange (4-3) went the distance for the Tigers. He had 7 strikeouts and 1 walk.

FLORIDA 4, GEORGIA 1

Florida scored all four of its runs in the first three innings of Saturday's game to claim a victory over Georgia at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium in Gainesville, Fla.

The Gators (36-6, 13-5 SEC) jumped to an early lead with a two-run home run from Peter Alonso in the bottom of the first inning. They got an RBI single from Ryan Larson in the second inning and an RBI double from Buddy Reed in the third to take a 4-0 lead.

Florida starter Alex Faedo (8-1) was solid, allowing just 2 hits with 6 strikeouts and 2 walks in 52/3 innings. He was replaced by Kirby Snead, who struck out 3 of the 8 batters he faced and allowed 2 hits in 2 innings. Shaun Anderson struck out 2 of the 3 batters he faced in 1 inning. The Bulldogs got a run off Dane Dunning in the ninth, coming on a sacrifice fly from Patrick Sullivan with one out.

Larson led the Gators offensively, going 2 for 3 with 1 RBI, while Alonso and Reed were both 2 for 4. The Bulldogs (21-20, 7-11) managed five total hits and did not have a player with multiple hits. Georgia starter Bo Tucker (3-4) took the loss after allowing all 4 Florida runs -- 3 earned -- on 5 hits with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts over 22/3 innings.

ALABAMA 7, TEXAS A&M 4

Chance Vincent and Cody Henry were each 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored, while Cobie Vance was 2 for 4 to lead Alabama (24-16, 9-8) over West Division-leading Texas A&M (31-8, 11-6) at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Texas.

The Crimson Tide scored on a Will Haynie RBI single in the second inning and an RBI double from Henry in the fourth to take a 2-0 lead. Alabama broke the game open in the sixth as Henry added his second RBI double. Henry and Keith Holcombe scored later in the inning on a wild pitch and a throwing error by Texas A&M catcher Michael Barash. Chandler Taylor hit a two-run home run in the ninth to give Alabama a 7-0 lead.

The Aggies made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth. Ronnie Gideon walked on four pitches to start the inning, then advanced to second on a single by J.B. Moss. Nick Banks drew the inning's second walk to load the bases, which chased Alabama pitcher Sam Finnerty. He was replaced by Thomas Burrows, who immediately gave up an RBI groundout to Boomer White. Hunter Melton followed with a single to center field that scored Moss to cut the lead to 7-2. Barash hit a two-out, two-run single to left field to cut the lead to 7-4. Pinch hitter Jonathan Moroney then grounded out to second base to end the game.

Melton was 3 for 3 to lead the Aggies offensively, while Moss was 2 for 5. Alabama starter Jake Walters earned the victory after overcoming 5 hits and 6 walks over 52/3 innings. Jace Vines took the loss for Texas A&M. He allowed 4 runs -- 3 earned -- on 10 hits with 5 strikeouts over 51/3 innings.

MISSISSIPPI 7, AUBURN 4

Mississippi (30-10, 9-8) scored four runs in the second inning to break open Saturday's game against Auburn (18-21, 5-12) at Swayze Field in Oxford, Miss.

The Rebels scored a run in the bottom of the first on an RBI groundout by Colby Bortles, setting the stage for their big second inning. Will Golsan popped out to start the inning, but Michael Fitzsimmons reached base on an error by Auburn third baseman Kyler Deese. Kyle Watson followed with a double down the left field line to put runners at second and third with one out. Errol Robinson walked on five pitches to load the bases, then Ryan Olenek hit a two-RBI single and advanced to second on the throw to the plate as both Watson and Fitzsimmons scored to give the Rebels a 3-0 lead. Tate Blackman hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Robinson, then J.B. Woodman followed with an RBI single for a 5-0 lead.

Auburn scored in the top of the fourth on an RBI groundout by Jackson Burgreen to cut the lead to 5-1, but Mississippi answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth when Golsan scored on a wild pitch. Deese hit an RBI single in the top of the sixth to cut the lead to 6-2, but Golsan's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth put the lead at 7-2. The Tigers' final two runs came in the top of the eighth on a two-out, two-run single by Jonathan Foster.

Olenek was 3 for 5 with 2 RBI and 1 run scored to lead the Rebels, while Woodman and Henri Lartigue were both 2 for 4. Melvin Gray was 3 for 5 to lead the Tigers and was the only Auburn player with multiple hits. David Parkinson earned the victory for Mississippi after allowing 2 earned runs on 6 hits over 51/3 innings. Justin Camp took the loss for Auburn after giving up 6 runs -- 3 earned -- on 10 hits over 5 innings.

SOUTH CAROLINA 5, MISSOURI 1

South Carolina (32-8, 13-4) scored two runs in the first inning and another two in the seventh inning to maintain its half-game lead over Florida in the Eastern Division with Saturday's victory over Missouri (20-20, 4-13) at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C.

The Gamecocks loaded the bases with their first three batters in the first inning on a single, double and hit batter. Alex Destino followed with a two-run single to right field for an early 2-0 lead. Jonah Bride singled through the right side to load the bases for a second time, but the Gamecocks could not take advantage. John Jones was thrown out at home plate as Matt Williams reached on a fielder's choice, then Chris Cullen and DC Arendas both struck out swinging to end the inning.

Bride doubled to right field to start the third inning for South Carolina. He advanced to third on a groundout, then scored on a passed ball to give the Gamecocks a 3-0 lead. Missouri's only run came in the top of the fifth on a two-out RBI single by Jake Ring through the right side. The next batter, Ryan Howard, walked to load the bases, but Zach Lavy flied out to center field to end the threat.

Gene Cone singled to start the seventh inning for the Gamecocks, advanced to second on Dom Thompson-Williams' fielder's choice and advanced to third on a throwing error by Lavy. Cone and Thompson-Williams scored on a Destino single to right-center field for a 5-1 lead.

Bride was 3 for 4 to lead South Carolina, while Cone was 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored. Missouri managed only four hits and was led by Ring's 2 for 5 effort. Braden Webb of South Carolina threw 55 of his 99 pitches for strikes to earn the victory, allowing Missouri's lone run with 10 strikeouts and 6 walks over 52/3 innings. Tanner Houck took the loss for the Tigers after allowing 3 runs -- 2 earned -- on 6 hits with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks in 6 innings.

TENNESSEE 2, VANDERBILT 1

Tennessee (22-17, 5-12) made single runs in the second and third innings stand up for a victory Saturday over Vanderbilt (30-9, 10-7) at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn.

Vincent Jackson walked on five pitches to start the second inning for the Volunteers, then advanced to second when Jordan Rodgers was hit by a pitch. After Leno Ramirez struck out swinging, Derek Lance singled to right field. Jackson tried to score from second on the play, but he was thrown out at home plate by Vanderbilt right fielder Jeren Kendall. Rodgers advanced to third on the play at the plate, then scored when the Commodores unsuccessfully tried to catch Lance stealing second base.

Benito Santiago hit a home run on a 1-1 pitch to give the Volunteers a 2-0 lead. Vanderbilt's run came in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI double from Tyler Campbell.

Rodgers was 2 for 2 to lead Tennessee, which had just six hits. Vanderbilt had only four hits, which came from Campbell, Kendall, Julian Infante and Liam Sabino. Zach Warren picked up the victory for the Volunteers. He allowed Vanderbilt's run in the fifth, which was earned, with 1 walk and 2 strikeouts over 5 innings. Andy Cox got the save after he had 5 strikeouts and 3 walks over 4 innings. Kyle Wright took the loss for the Commodores. He allowed both Tennessee runs, which were earned, with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks over 5 innings.

Sports on 04/24/2016

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