Gators nab series win from MSU

Published 11:26 am Monday, May 14, 2012

Mississippi State has won a few games this season without getting a lot of hits. Maybe Florida figured it was time to even things out.

Mike Zunino homered with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning Sunday to give Florida the lead, and it went on to beat Mississippi State 2-1 in the finale of a three-game series in Gainesville.

It’s the third straight regular-season series victory for the Gators over MSU, and was the sixth one-run loss in Southeastern Conference play this season for the Bulldogs (31-20, 13-14 SEC).

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“We put ourselves in a position, and when we get there we can’t convert it,” MSU coach John Cohen said. “We are always on the edge because everything is a close game. I am proud of how the kids are competing right now, but we just aren’t doing it offensively.”

Mississippi State scored a total of four runs on 16 hits in the series, and stranded 26 runners in the last two games. Florida (38-14, 16-11) scored six runs in the series.

“I truly believe that once we get this offense going we’ll be really, really tough to beat,” Florida coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “The positive is that we won two out of three. I don’t see how you could ever be disappointed in your team when you win a weekend series.”

Hunter Renfroe gave MSU a 1-0 lead with a home run in the third. Florida answered in the bottom half when Vickash Ramjit singled, went to third on an error and a bunt, and scored on a ground out by Preston Tucker.

MSU left the bases loaded in the fourth inning and two on in the fifth before the offense really bogged down. Florida relievers Steven Rodriguez and Austin Maddox (3-2) combined to allow no hits and two walks in 41⁄3 innings.

MSU’s bullpen was almost as good. Three relievers — Ross Mitchell, Jacob Lindgren and Jonathan Holder — walked one batter and gave up one hit in 51⁄3 innings. The one hit was Zunino’s home run.

“We were putting some some good swings on some balls, but right at people, so it was nice to finally catch a break and push a run across there,” Zunino said.