ATHENS, Ga. - No. 2 Vanderbilt rebounded from a 3-1 loss in the opener with a convincing 15-4 victory in the nightcap to earn a doubleheader split Saturday against Georgia.
Blake Dieterich earned the victory in relief for Georgia (15-25, 4-13 in the first game, allowing no runs and giving up just 2 hits in 2 1/3 innings. Starter Kevin Ziomek took the loss for Vanderbilt (34-6, 15-2) after giving up three runs in eight innings. Jarrett Brown came on in the ninth to earn his first career save.
The loss snapped an 11-game consecutive SEC winning streak for the Commodores.
Patrick Boling took the loss in the second game for the Bulldogs, while Tyler Beede earned the victory for the Commodores after giving up 4 runs and striking out 7 through 7 innings.
Georgia’s Kyle Farmer went a combined 3 for 5 in the two games, including a pair of home runs to go along with four RBI and four runs scored. Vanderbilt hit five home runs in the second game, including a pair by Zander Wiel in his first career start.
SOUTH CAROLINA 5-7, KENTUCKY 2-6
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Brison Celek’s RBI single in the bottom of the 11th inning lifted 14th-ranked South Carolina past 17th-ranked Kentucky in the second game of a doubleheader at Carolina Stadium on Saturday night.
The victory clinched a doubleheader sweep and the weekend series for the Gamecocks (30-10, 10-7).
Left-hander Tyler Webb (2-1) earned the victory, pitching 3 scoreless innings of relief and allowing just 1 hit while striking out 4.
Trevor Gott (4-1) took the loss for Kentucky (24-14, 7-10).
After Kentucky got a two-run homer from senior Zac Zellers to open the scoring in the top of the sixth inning of the first game, South Carolina scored four runs on five hits in the bottom half of the frame to key the victory.
South Carolina hit home runs on back-to-back pitches by shortstop Joey Pankake and first-basemen LB Dantzlerin the bottom of the sixth. Max Schrock recorded two hits for the Gamecocks, including a double following Dantzler’s home run in the sixth. Pankake, Dantzler, Schrock and Brison Celek each had one run and RBI for the Gamecocks.
Kentucky starter A.J. Reed (2-5) suffered the loss, tossing 5 1/3 innings, allowing 9 hits and 4 runs, 3 earned.
South Carolina starter Nolan Belcher (6-3) went 7 2/3 innings, giving up 2 runs on 6 hits in earning the victory.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 6, AUBURN 0
STARKVILLE, Miss. - No. 10 Mississippi State (32-10, 10-8) shut out Auburn (24-16, 6-12) on six hits in the series finale on Saturday.
Mississippi State starter Jacob Lindgren (4-1) went 8 innings, scattering 5 hits and 2 while striking out 11.
Auburn’s Will Kendall (0-5) gave up all 5 Bulldog runs while surrendering 5 hits, walking 2 and striking out one in just 2 1/3 innings.
OLE MISS 6, TENNESSEE 4
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Leadoff home runs in back-to-back innings provided the spark the Rebels needed on Saturday as No. 17 Ole Miss (28-12, 9-8 SEC) rallied to defeat Tennessee (17-20, 5-12 SEC).
The victory gave the Rebels the weekend series as Will Jamison and Sikes Orvis hit home runs in the seventh and eighth as Ole Miss rallied for the victory. Jamison’s solo shot in the seventh, the first of his career, tied the game at 3-3 before Orvis put the Rebels in front for good with his solo shot to open the eighth.
The Rebels built on the lead in the ninth, adding two runs on RBI singles from Stuart Turner and Orvis to take the lead out to 6-3. Andrew Mistone doubled with one out before a walk to Auston Bousfield put two men on. Turner then singled to left to bring home Mistone and keep men at the corners. Orvis then singled up the middle to bring home Auston Bousfield.
FLORIDA 4, MISSOURI 3, 15 INNINGS
COLUMBIA, Mo. - A fielder’s choice by Casey Turgeon scored Harrison Bader with the decisive run in the 15th inning as Florida (22-18, 10-7) extended its winning streak to eight games and clinched the weekend series over Missouri (12-22, 4-13) Saturday afternoon at Taylor Stadium.
Florida’s bullpen tossed 12 2/3 scoreless innings, with sophomore Bobby Poyner (2-0) earning the decision.
With the game tied at 3-3 in the 15th, Bader reached on a one-out fielding error by Missouri third baseman Shane Segovia. Cody Dent followed with a single to center field and Richie Martin drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Turgeon’s grounder to second base drove in Bader with the go-ahead run.
Sports, Pages 23 on 04/21/2013