Starting pitcher Nick Pogue fired five innings of one-run ball while outfielder Sterlin Thompson provided the go-ahead home run in the top of the eighth and finished with three RBI.
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Led by a three-RBI day from Sterlin Thompson, Florida picked up its first SEC series sweep of the season with a 6-2 victory over Mississippi State at Dudy Noble Field on Sunday afternoon.
For the first time all weekend, the Bulldogs (25-23, 9-15 SEC) broke into the scoring column first with a lone run in the opening inning. Luke Hancock picked up a one-out single and moved to second on a walk by Logan Tanner. Hunter Hines then popped up between third base and shortstop, but the Gator infield lost the ball in the sun and Hancock crossed home on an RBI single.
The Gators (29-18, 11-13 SEC) responded in the top of the second, with Jac Caglianone leading off the frame with a single up the middle followed by a double off the right-field wall by Ty Evans. Josh Rivera proceeded to tie the game up at one run apiece, coming through with an RBI groundout to shortstop to bring in Caglianone.
Florida starter Nick Pogue rebounded from the one-run first to produce scoreless innings in the second through the fifth while raising his strikeout total to four. With 83 pitches under his belt, that marked the end of Pogue’s day as right-hander Fisher Jameson assumed pitching duties for the Orange & Blue.
Jameson opened the bottom of the sixth with a quick strikeout, then retired the remaining two Bulldogs in order via a groundout and fly out to send the matchup into the seventh. The freshman righty churned out another zero in the seventh, working around a two-out walk to hold the score at one run apiece.
With Jameson holding the Bulldogs in check, the Gator offense broke through in the top of the eighth. On a 1-2 count, Sterlin Thompson connected for a go-ahead, solo home run to right to lead off the inning.
After Jameson blanked the Bulldogs again in the eighth, the Gators put the game out of reach in the top of the ninth for the second time in as many days. Wyatt Langford opened the scoring with a two-run double through the right side, followed by a two-run single by Thompson that extended the Florida lead to 6-1.
Jameson (1-0) recorded the final three outs to secure his first-career victory, although Tanner homered in the ninth before it was all said and done. Jameson fifinished with four innings of one-run ball on one hit and one walk while striking out two.
Bulldog reliever Pico Kohn (2-1) was handed the loss, allowing one earned run across one inning on one hit.
Despite throwing a season-high five innings of one-run ball, Pogue was handed a no-decision. He surrendered five hits and one walk while striking out four.
Mississippi State starting pitcher Cade Smith received a no-decision, pitching seven innings of one-run ball on five hits and two walks. He struck out seven.
Langford (2-for-5), Thompson (2-for-3) and Rivera (2-for-4) all collected multiple hits.
NOTABLES
* This weekend marked Florida’s second three-game sweep (first SEC) of the season and first since the second week of the campaign, when the Gators took all three over Georgia State from Feb. 25-27.
* The Gators drew 22 walks across the three-game series – their second-highest total in any series this year.
* Florida is now 70-51 all-time against Mississippi State.
* The Gators are 30-25 vs. the Bulldogs on the road.
* Florida has won five-straight games against Mississippi State.
* Head coach Kevin O’Sullivan is 23-12 vs. MSU.
* That includes a 9-6 mark in Starkville.
* Thompson extended his on-base streak to 16 games.
* J. Fabian extended his on-base streak to 13 games.
FROM HEAD COACH KEVIN O’SULLIVAN
On Pogue’s outing and the offense…
“Yeah, that’s the second really good outing for Nick Pogue. I’m really pleased with how he threw the ball today. And then Fisher, he’s been throwing the ball really well. And then the top of the order, Wyatt’s been seeing the ball as good as anybody in our lineup right now… Sterlin had a big base hit there late and drove in a couple. Josh had a good day at the plate, got a couple hits. It was a good weekend for us. It certainly was. It was one that we needed as well, and hopefully some of these young pitchers are getting better as we go along and we finish strong.”
On Jameson and the rest of the team battling…
“Yeah, I mean, Fisher is just a different look. He throws from that high angle and hitters really have a tough time seeing the bottom half of the ball… But, he threw really good. We battled. We left some guys stranded in the first couple innings. Hit into a double play with the bases loaded. Those kinds of things happen. But, the last two nights, we battled at the plate late. Had a big inning yesterday in the ninth and a big inning today, obviously.”
UP NEXT
Florida returns home to host a Tuesday midweek contest against Bethune-Cookman at 6:30 p.m. ET.
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