MSU Bulldogs swept by UGA Bulldogs

Mississippi State’s offensive struggles continued Sunday afternoon as the Bulldogs dropped a 4-1 Southeastern Conference baseball decision to Georgia at UGA’s Foley Field.

The victory allowed Georgia to complete a three-game sweep from the SEC’s other group of Bulldogs. With the three victories, Georgia improved to 14-14 overall and 6-3 in conference play, while MSU fell to 19-9 and 4-5.

“The bottom line is we have to a better job of putting the ball in play,” MSU third baseman Jarrod Parks said. “We pitched well enough to win all three games this weekend. However, it seemed like they were catching some breaks with some balls falling in for hits and we weren’t.”

MSU managed only five total runs in the series. The Bulldogs collected only 19 hits and stranded 20 base runners in the weekend activity. Georgia only managed 12 total runs on the weekend – scoring four times in each of the victories. The homestanding Bulldogs scored eight of their 12 runs via the long ball, while MSU did not hit a home run in the series.

Georgia took the lead for good all three days on the home run ball. Sunday afternoon, Brett DeLoach touched MSU starting pitcher Nick Routt for a two-run home run in the home half of the fourth inning. That home run – DeLoach’s second of the year – erased an early 1-0 lead by the guests.

MSU grabbed a 1-0 lead by scoring its lone run in the second inning. Jonathan Ogden led off the inning with an infield bunt single. C.T. Bradford was hit by a pitch. Taylor Stark followed with a sacrifice-bunt moving both runners into scoring position. However, MSU only tallied once on a ground ball out by Adam Frazier.

Working with a pitch count, Routt (0-1) was lifted after DeLoach’s home run. Routt worked 3.1 innings, allowing three hits and two runs (both earned), with two strikeouts and two walks. A total of eight pitchers wound up throwing for the MSU Bulldogs.

For Georgia, Craig Gullickson (3-1) worked 5.2 innings to garner the win. Gullickson allowed six hits and one run (earned), with three strikeouts and two walks. Blake Dietrich followed before giving way to Tyler Maloof, who earned his third save of the weekend and 11th save for the season.

For the weekend, MSU pitching posted a 4.50 ERA. In 24 innings of work, MSU pitching allowed 22 hits and 12 runs (all earned), with 22 strikeouts and 11 walks. Defensively, the Bulldogs were charged with one error – on a dropped third strike Saturday. However, offensively, MSU collected only 2 hits in 23 at-bats with runners in scoring position.

The Maroon and White finished with eight hits Sunday. Parks was the lone multi-hitter with two singles.

Georgia finished with nine hits, including a three-hit day by Brandon Stephens.

MSU remains on the road for a Tuesday night contest with in-state rival Southern Mississippi. The Bulldogs and Golden Eagles meet at 6:30 p.m. at Trustmark Park in Pearl. Conference play resumes next weekend when Florida comes to town for Super Bulldog Weekend.

Rebels fall to Tigers, Lose Series

Matt Smith went 3-for-3 with a home run, but it wasn't enough to overcome two errors that led to an early deficit on Sunday as Ole Miss (19-10, 4-5 SEC) fell to No. 17 LSU (20-8, 3-6 SEC) by a score of 8-2.

Smith led a Rebel offense that notched eight hits, but the two early errors helped LSU build a lead that Ole Miss couldn't overcome in the rubber game of the weekend series. Ole Miss fell by one run in Friday's game before claiming a 16-3 win on Saturday to even the series.

Austin Wright (3-3) suffered the loss for the Rebels as he allowed eight runs - five earned - on eight hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 3.1 innings of work.

Ben Alsup (4-3) picked up the win as he worked 8.0 innings and allowed two runs on the Smith home run with two walks and eight strikeouts. The Rebels notched eight hits off Alsup in the outing.

"It was a disappointing effort for us today," said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. "You can't do that here (at LSU). We let them get three runs early and get the crowd into the game; they swung the bat well for a few innings. Eric Callender and R.J. Hively did a good job for us down the stretch out of the bullpen."

LSU scored first on Sunday, using a single and a throwing error on a sac bunt before a walk loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning. A grounder to third from Mikie Mahtook scored the first run as Tyler Hanover was out on the force at third, but a throwing error to first allowed a second run to score and put Mahtook on third. A groundout to short pushed Mahtook home and gave LSU the 3-0 lead in the first inning.

The Tigers added to the lead in the second inning with a solo home run from Alex Edward to go up 4-0.

Two more runs scored in the third as a triple off the wall in centerfield from Mahtook drove in the first run and a single from Austin Nola scored Mahtook to give the Tigers the 6-0 lead on the Rebels.

Ole Miss got two runs back in the fourth when Matt Smith hit a towering shot to left field that scored Blake Newalu. Newalu opened the inning with a bunt single to set up the two-run shot from Smith that cut the lead to 6-2.

Following a pair of singles, the Rebels turned to the bullpen in the bottom of the fourth with one out and two men on for right-hander Eric Callender. Callender got a groundout on a sac bunt, but a single up the middle from Hanover drove in both runners and LSU moved on top 8-2.

Neither team could score after the fourth inning as the defense stepped up for both teams, holding the score at 8-2 for the final margin of victory.

Ole Miss returns to action on Tuesday when the Rebels travel to AutoZone park to take on the Memphis Tigers at 6:30 p.m. The game will close out an eight-game road swing for Ole Miss.

MSU scrimmages one week from Spring Game

From the first play of Saturday's scrimmage at Davis Wade Stadium - a 65-yard strike down the middle of the field from Chris Relf to Chad Bumphis - the Mississippi State offense was as crisp as it has been all spring. More than 150 plays later, fans didn't need to see the defense doing extra conditioning to know who the victor was on this day.

"The offense just took it to the defense today," head coach Dan Mullen said. "It all starts at quarterback, and I thought every one of those guys played extremely well today. The defense made a couple of outstanding plays, but they never stopped the offense's rhythm."

Relf was example 1-A of the outstanding play at the quarterback position, leading the offense (which started at its own 35 on nearly every drive) deep into defensive territory on each possession he played.

Tyler Russell and Dylan Favre also had outstanding days, helping lead the offense to a total of 12 scores on 18 possessions with the first- and second-teams. Freshman Dak Presott also got in on the action, helping the third offense move the ball consistently.

The offense also got some big-time performances from running backs Vick Ballard and LaDarius Perkins, each of whom scored on runs of more than 20 yards. Walk-on Adrian Marcus, who played mainly on special teams in all 13 games last season, provided what may have been the highlight of the day with a 38-yard rumbling, tackle-breaking dash for a score.

While it wasn't the best of days for the Bulldog defense, Corey Broomfield picked off a pass in the endzone and Dennis Thames intercepted a tipped pass and returned it deep into offensive territory.

While most of the possessions began at the minus-35 yardline, the ball was placed on the 30 for the final two drives. With 1:45 remaining on the clock, the offense had one timeout and needed to score a touchdown. Both Relf and Favre led their teams to scores in the improvised two-minute scenarios. Relf hit Brandon Heavens for a 14-yard touchdown with 10 seconds remaining on the clock, while Favre connected with Michael Carr for a 35-yard score with less than a minute left to end the scrimmage.

The Bulldogs will return to the practice fields on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons this week before kicking off the Maroon-White Spring Game at 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 9. The spring game is part of Super Bulldog Weekend, and Mississippi State says they expect a crowd of over 40,000 people.


SCORING SUMMARY
-Bumphis 65 pass from Relf
-DePasquale 35 FG
-Ballard 25 run
-DePasquale 45 FG
-Perkins 23 run
-Smith 8 pass from Favre
-Clark 5 pass from Russell
-Favre 2 run
-Relf 1 run
-Marcus 38 run
-Hemphill 4 run
-Heavens 14 pass from Relf
-Carr 35 pass from Favre

Rebels hold first scrimmage of spring

Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt spoke highly of the defense in the first scrimmage of spring football drills Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

The Rebels battled for more than 100 plays under sunny skies, and Nutt said the defense provided "some really crisp hits" in just the fifth practice of the spring.

"The defense really played with an attitude," he said. "I thought D.T. Shackelford just led the way. His enthusiasm and passion is contagious."

Nutt also praised the play of LB Joel Kight, DE Wayne Dorsey and DT Justin Smith in the front seven. From the secondary, Nutt was pleased with CB Charles Sawyer, CB Wesley Pendleton, CB Frank Crawford, S Ivan Nicholas and S Damien Jackson.

"You just saw a toughness, and that's what we've been trying to emphasize," Nutt said. "I was proud of that."

Offensively, quarterback Barry Brunetti provided the first of two touchdowns on the day with a four-yard toss to WR Melvin Harris. WR Korvic Neat later hauled in a nine-yard TD strike from QB Randall Mackey, whom Nutt said "stood out" among the signal-callers. RB Brandon Bolden also lined up in the Wild Rebel and darted into the endzone from nine yards out, but the play was called back on penalty.

"I thought the quarterbacks each had their moments," said Nutt. "I feel good about Brandon Bolden. Enrique Davis was a workhorse for us today. He is a physical running back. And of course, Jeff Scott shows the speed that we have to have. We just have to keep getting better."

Overall, Nutt said the offense lacked consistency.

"We just couldn't get 11 on each snap, and that was our problem," he said. "When you don't have 11, it's hard to execute against a fast group. We have to get better. We know that."

Led by a pair of All-SEC candidates in tackles Bradley Sowell and Bobby Massie, the Rebels return seven players that each started two or more games on the offensive line last year, and the coaching staff is looking to that group to be a strength for the team in the fall.

"We're going to depend on those guys to really be leaders for us," Nutt said. "But we've got to pick it up a notch. I think we can play better than we did today. This will be a good week for us. We'll see our mistakes and work on it.

"All these guys are getting better, but they have to put it all together and be more consistent."

Ole Miss returns to practice on Monday in what is tentatively set for 4:05 p.m. on the practice fields. Practices are open to the public, but fans must remain in the designated area. When the team practices outdoors, fans are not allowed between the practice fields.

Spring drills will culminate with the Grove Bowl on Saturday, April 16th at 1 p.m. at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/ Hollingsworth Field. That Saturday will also include an awards ceremony and panel discussion at 11 a.m. with several former Rebel standouts from the NFL ranks.

Other events surrounding Grove Bowl Week include the inaugural Rebels' Choice Awards, Monday, April 11th at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for Performing Arts and the Chucky Mullins Courage Award Banquet, Thursday, April 14th at the Indoor Practice Facility. Tickets for both are available through the Ole Miss Box Office.

Rebs' Lockett granted sixth year of eligibility

Ole Miss defensive end Kentrell Lockett has been granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA, according to a team spokesman.

Lockett applied for a medical hardship waiver after tearing an ACL during the Rebels' victory last September over Fresno State. Lockett missed the rest of the season.

Lockett is sitting out spring practice while he recovers from the injury. He also missed last year's opener against Jacksonville State due to a heartbeat out of rhythm.

Ellis takes over MSU play-by-play

For the first time in 58 years, a new voice will call the action of Mississippi State athletics this fall.

Veteran broadcaster Jim Ellis will take over as the play-by-play voice of the Mississippi State football and basketball teams, while continuing his responsibility as the "Voice of the Diamond Dogs."

Ellis takes over the play-by-play duties from the legendary Jack Cristil, who called more than 2,000 Bulldog games. Cristil announced his retirement earlier this spring.

"I'm honored and humbled to assume the chair that Jack has occupied for so many years," Ellis said."It's has been a great privilege to be a part of the Mississippi State broadcast and I look forward to continuing and building upon the legacy that Jack has created."

Scott Stricklin, Mississippi State director of athletics, and Don Williams, general manager for Bulldog Sports Properties, a Learfield Sports property, announced the talent lineup on Tuesday.Former Bulldog quarterback Matt Wyatt will join Ellis as color analyst for football games, while Assistant Athletic Director Bart Gregory will be added to the baseball booth.

A native of West Point, Miss., and a 1969 graduate of Mississippi State, Ellis has been a part of the football broadcast for 32 seasons. He has hosted the post-game locker room interviews and scoreboard radio shows in addition to his duties as color analyst. Perhaps most widely recognized as the play-by-play voice of the baseball team on one of the nation's largest college baseball radio networks, Ellis was named the "Outstanding Broadcaster in Mississippi" in 1999 and 2002.

Ellis will continue his role as weekly call-in show host for all three sports, and will add hosting duties of weekly coaches' television shows.

For the football broadcasts, Ellis and Wyatt will be joined by John Correro on the sidelines.For the third consecutive season, Wyatt will continue to co-host the pre- and post-game shows with Bart Gregory.

Gregory, an assistant athletic director for Annual Giving in the Bulldog Club, will continue to serve as the play-by-play voice of the Lady Bulldog basketball team.

Learfield and Mississippi State officials are still finalizing details regarding a basketball color analyst, and that position will be announced at a later date.

Ellis, Wyatt and Correro will have their broadcast debut at the Maroon-White Spring Game on April 9 at 5 p.m.