Florida’s big inning blasts Bulldogs in 13-3 run-rule loss

Mississippi State was in control of Friday night’s game one of the series against Florida and then the Bulldogs collapsed.

After Pico Kohn exited the ball game with a 3-2 lead in the sixth, Stone Simmons and Chase Hungate led an implosion as the Gators scored seven runs. State would give up 11 unanswered runs in the final three innings and were run-ruled 13-3 in eight innings.

Kohn threw 5.0 innings and struck out 11 batters before leaving the game with a 3-2 lead after the fifth inning. Enter Stone Simmons who would surrender six hits and six runs to the six batters he faced to give up a 7-2 lead. Hungate would give up three hits and two runs of his own in just 1.0 inning and left the game with an apparent arm injury in the seventh.

State pitchers gave up 17 hits in the game with five doubles and three home runs as the Gators pounded three of the Bulldogs’ better pitchers. Kevin Mannell came in and got 2.0 innings out of the way but surrendered two hits and three runs to allow the run-rule.

The offense for the Bulldogs didn’t do much to help. State hit a leadoff home run in the first off the bat of Gehrig Frei and got a fielder’s choice grounder from Joe Powell for a run in the second. Reed Stallman hit a solo shot in the fourth to get the lead to 3-1 and that would do it for the offense during the night.

Stallman finished 3-for-4 with the solo home run while Frei and Ace Reese had two hits each. Reese had a double. The Bulldog offense struck out 10 times and had just two walks.

MSU (23-15, 5-11 SEC) will try to keep a series win alive with a Saturday matchup at Dudy Noble Field. The two teams will meet at 7:30 p.m.  with the game being broadcasted on ESPN. Evan Siary will be on the mound for the Diamond Dawgs.  

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