From Special Reports
GAINESVILLE — Cody Brown hit a grand slam and Ryan Rigby allowed one run in five relief innings as the No. 5 Mississippi State baseball team beat No. 1 Florida 10-4 Saturday at McKethan Stadium to even up a Southeastern Conference series and snap Florida’s 29-game home winning streak.
The Bulldogs (22-9-1, 7-4 SEC), who haven’t won a series at Florida since 2007, look to take the series against the Gators (29-4, 8-3) 3 p.m. today (SEC Network).
The 10 runs is the most Florida has given up this season and MSU had 14 hits.
MSU took a 4-0 lead in the first inning, highlighted by Reid Humphreys’ two-run double. Brown hit his second grand slam, first allowed by Florida since 2014, of the season in the third on a 1-1 pitch from Alex Faedo. Jake Mangum had an RBI triple in the frame to push the Bulldog lead to 9-0. MSU added a run in the ninth on a sacrifice flyout by Ryan Gridley to score Gavin Collins.
Ribgy (4-1) came on with the bases loaded in the fifth, but the former East Mississippi Community College standout got a 1-2-3 double play and a strikeout looking to get out of the jam. The sophomore right-hander gave up four hits, issued one walk and struck out four to get the victory. He allowed an RBI single in the eighth.
Bulldog starter Austin Sexton lasted four innings and gave up three runs on eight hits. The junior right-hander walked two and struck out two. He allowed a three-run home run to Buddy Reed in the third.
Mangum and Nathaniel Lowe had three hits for the Bulldogs, while Humphreys, Collins and Elih Marrero had two hits each. Humphreys and Gridley both had two RBIs.
On Friday, Bulldog ace Dakota Hudson (4-2) lasted five innings. The co-SEC Pitcher of the Week allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits. He struck out three and walked two.
Leading 2-1, the Bulldogs allowed five runs in the fifth inning and the Gators took a 6-2 lead. Florida scored two more in the eighth. Jacob Billingsley, Keegan James and Ethan Small all pitched one inning in relief for MSU. Small struck out three and allowed one hit, while Billingsley struck out one and allowed one hit. James gave up two runs on two his. He struck out two and didn’t issue a walk.
MSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second on an RBI groundout by John Holland and an RBI single by Gridley.
Gator starter Logan Shore (6-0) threw 5 2/3 innings to take the win. He gave up both runs on eight hits. He struck out four and didn’t issue a walk.
Mangum had three hits, while Gridley and Brent Rooker had two apiece to pace the Bulldogs. The Gators got three hits from Dalton Guthrie and two from both J.J. Scwarz (two RBIs) and Nelson Maldonado.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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