Starting pitcher Paul Maholm kept his perfect SEC record intact and the Bulldogs held on to their flawless Friday night record by crushing the Razorbacks in game one. In the win, MSU scored a season-high 17 runs and tied its season record for hits with 19. First baseman Matthew Brinson, catcher Jason Burkley and designated hitter Jon Mungle started the game with five home runs apiece on the year and finished with six. Brinson opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with a solo shot to right center. The Bulldogs had a seven-run inning in the second capped off by a Jason Burkley grand slam.
After Arkansas put up three runs, two in the fourth and one in the fifth, MSU quickly ended the Razorbacks’ comeback hopes. Mungle led off the inning with a homer that just stayed just inside the foul pole. Mungle got up again to make the first out of the inning after the Bulldogs had already scored eight runs. Each team scored another run late, and State cruised to a 17-4 victory.
Burkley’s grand slam marked the first in two years for the Bulldogs.
“The bases were loaded, so I was really just looking for a good pitch to hit hard,” Burkley said. “I wasn’t thinking about hitting a grand slam. That’s for sure.”
The Bulldogs, now 7-0 in series openers, have put up some of their best hitting performances on Friday nights.
“It’s not all about hitting home runs. It’s timely hits with runners in scoring position,” said Brinson, who had three singles in addition to his solo home run.
Razorback starting pitcher Jarrett Gardner picked up his first win on the year Saturday by holding MSU to two runs on five hits before being pulled in the seventh inning.
After a couple of scoreless innings, Arkansas first baseman Nick Pitts gave his team its first hit of the game with a double to right center to open the third. After advancing to third on a groundout, Pitts scored on a sacrifice fly by second baseman Scott Bridges.
In the fourth, Arkansas did its most damage by posting four more runs, due in part to two costly Bulldog errors. After MSU starter Tanner Brock walked the first batter, Razorback left fielder Andrew Wishey belted a two run home run to right center. Brock gave up walks to the next two batters, the second of which was intentional. With runners on first and second, center fielder Michael Conner hit a ball that was mishandled by third baseman Brent Lewis, allowing a run to score and putting runners on first and third for Arkansas. Brock’s pickoff attempt got by Brinson at first and another run scored on the play making it a 5-0 ballgame.
The Razorbacks added to their lead in the sixth when Conner hit a home run, but the Bulldogs kept the game within reach in the same inning when second baseman Chad Henry hit one of his own for State’s first score of the game.
In the seventh, Arkansas gambled by calling a hit-and-run with Wishey on first. It worked perfectly for the Razorbacks, thanks to Conner ripping a double to right field that scored Wishey.
The Bulldogs scored another run in the seventh and threatened to make a two-out rally in the ninth, but they only managed to score one more run, and Arkansas took game two 7-3. MSU relievers Jonathan Papelbon and Robby Goodson shut out the Razorbacks in the last five innings of game three as the Bulldogs came back to win.
Arkansas got off to a solid start scoring a run in each of the first four innings off MSU starting pitcher Joey Collums. In the fourth, Collums threw a pitch to Pitts that was initially ruled a strike on account of hitting Pitts’ bat. The first base umpire overruled the call, however, saying that the pitch hit Pitts. The crowd rose to its feet in disapproval as did head coach Ron Polk, who pleaded his case to no avail. The overruling eventually hurt the Bulldogs as Pitts went on to score. Things changed, however, when Papelbon entered the game in the fourth inning and began shutting down the Razorback offense.
After Burkley and left fielder Michael Brown were robbed of home runs by the Razorback outfielders, the Bulldogs trailed 4-1 going into the bottom of the sixth. Burkley started the inning with a walk and was driven home when Lewis hit a double high off the center field wall. Right fielder Steve Gendron then hit a line drive that was just out of the shortstop’s grasp to put runners on the corners. Mungle followed with a single of his own that scored Lewis. After two quick outs hurt State’s chances of catching up, shortstop Matthew Maniscalco walked to load the bases, and Henry walked to bring in the tying run. With the bases still loaded, Brinson hit a pop-up down the left field line. The left fielder couldn’t get to it before it dropped, and two runs scored, giving MSU a lead at 6-4, which would be the game’s final score.
The eighth inning saw Polk come out to argue with the umpires on two more occasions. The third time proved to be a charm for Polk as he succeeded in convincing the umpires that Maniscalco was safe on a steal.
Papelbon got into trouble a few more times, but he allowed no runs. Goodson, who made his first SEC appearance, didn’t allow a hit in two innings and struck out the last two Arkansas batters to pick up his first save.
Goodson, who has primarily seen action as a designated hitter this season, said that he was surprised to go in the game.
“I was pretty pumped when (Polk) sent me down to the bullpen,” Goodson said. “I’m just glad I got the call today.”
Polk said that he knew Goodson was a capable pitcher.
“We kept saying that we needed to get Robby in there because he has a good enough arm to strike some people out in crucial situations,” Polk said.
The Diamond ‘Dawgs will play their next five games on the road. The team will begin its road trip with two games at Southern Mississippi and conclude it with three weekend games at Auburn.