Baseball: Georgia evens series with Mizzou

Georgia Sports Communications/For Immediate Release/April 24, 2021

Georgia infielder Cole Tate (15) during a game against Clemson at Foley Field on April 20, 2021 (photo by Jack Casey)

COLUMBIA, Mo.--- Senior Cole Tate tied a school record with two triples, including a two-run shot to rally No. 21 Georgia past Missouri 7-5 in 10 innings Saturday at Taylor Stadium.

With one out in the first, Tate collected his first career triple, but was stranded as the Bulldogs left 11 men on base total, including five at third base Saturday. The Tigers (12-24, 5-12 SEC) took a 2-0 lead in the third. Josh Holt Jr. had a run-scoring double and then later stole third. He then came home on an error throw to third on the play to make it 2-0. Georgia tied the contest in the fourth. Connor Tate extended his on-base streak to 17 games with a leadoff double. With one out, Riley King (3-for-5, 3 RBI) collected an RBI-single, Garrett Spikes reached with a base hit and Chaney Rogers made it two-all with an RBI-single.  King’s solo home run to start the sixth put the Bulldogs in front 3-2. However, the Tigers responded in the bottom of the frame to reclaim a 4-3 advantage off sophomore right-hander Jonathan Cannon as neither starter factored in the decision.

Georgia (25-13, 8-9 SEC) jumped back in front 5-4 in the seventh when Garrett Blaylock came through with a one-out, run-scoring single, bringing Cole Tate in after a leadoff walk.

Junior left-hander Ben Harris came on for Cannon in the sixth and retired 11 straight Tigers, including six strikeouts. Then, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Tre Morris reached on a walk. Luke Mann followed with a high pop up to left field that swirled in a heavy wind and ultimately bounced out of second baseman Buddy Floyd’s glove as pinch-runner Ty Wilmseyer raced home to tie the contest.  Harris came back to strike out Mike Coletta, and the ball bounced in front of Corey Collins who opted to throw to third and Mann slid in safely. Harris responded by recording his career-high eighth strikeout, retiring Holt to send the game to extra innings.

In the 10th, Rogers (3-for-3) reached for the fifth time in the game with a one-out walk. With two outs, Floyd reached on error by Mann at second. Cole Tate smashed a ball to right center for a two-run triple as the Bulldogs surged ahead 7-5. In the bottom of the inning, junior Darryn Pasqua came in and picked up his second save. Harris improved to 4-0, pitching four hitless frames while Tiger reliever Lukas Veinbergs fell to 1-2. The Bulldogs are now 3-0 in extra-inning games this season.

The rubber game of the series will be Sunday at 2:02 p.m. ET. The game will be available on SEC Network+ and can be heard on the Georgia Bulldog Sports Network.