Athens, GA- It was a back and forth battle, but the defense was a major issue in a 12-11 loss to the #20 Georgia Bulldogs.

Georgia starter Luke Wagner entered the day with a 0.73 ERA in five relief appearances, but the Mississippi State bats got them off to an early lead in the second inning. Freshman Hunter Hines drove in a run with a double, and after a single by a walk by Kellum Clark and a single by Brad Cumbest, he scored on a wild pitch. Lane Forsythe then drove in a run on a sac-fly to put State up 3-0.

It was a rough game for the Mississippi State defense. In the third inning, Mississippi State starter Parker Stinnett had a runner on 2nd with two outs with Georgia catcher Corey Collins at the plate. Collins hit a pop-up in foul territory on the 3rd base side, which would have ended the inning, but Kamren James couldn't track it, keeping Collins alive at the plate. Collins took advantage, driving in a run on a single, which cut the Mississippi State lead to 3-1.

State got a pair of runs across in the top of the fourth, as Kamren James and Luke Hancock got a pair of RBI singles off of Georgia reliever Michael Polk to take a 5-1 lead, but the defense continued to struggle in the bottom of the frame. Stinnett walked the leadoff man Garrett Blaylock and would get 1st baseman Chaney Rogers to ground out to first, but Hancock would make a bad throw trying to turn the double play at 2nd, and Blaylock would get to third. 3rd baseman Josh McCallister knocked him in on a sac-fly, and a rattled Stinnett would walk the next three hitters before being replaced by freshman Pico Kohn. Corey Collins beat the shift on a grounder through the left side of the infield, scoring two more runs before Kohn could get State out of the inning with a 5-4 lead.

Kellum Clark blasted a solo homer off of Chandler Marsh to right to extend the lead to 6-4, the sixth of the season for the sophomore from Brandon. Pico Kohn shut Georiga down in the bottom of the 5th, but the defensive woes continued in the bottom of the sixth. With no outs and a man on first, Georgia 2nd baseman Cory Acton hit what seemed to be a sure-fire double-play ball, but Lane Forsythe booted it, and instead of having no on with two outs, Georgia had two on with no outs. The freshman would struggle after that, and after a wild pitch, a single, and two walks, Georgia would tie the game up, and State would bring in Senior Brandon Smith with the bases loaded.

Georgia DH Parks Harber would knock in a run with an RBI single, and Mississippi State followed with another crucial defensive mistake. Chaney Rogers hit a fly ball in to left, and Brad Cumbest couldn't track it, which allowed 3 Georgia runners to score, giving them a 10-6 lead.

Georgia brought in righty Collin Caldwell to pitch the seventh, and State was able to battle back. Luke Hancock led off with a double, and a pair of walks by Logan Tanner and Kellum Clark loaded the bases. Lefty Jaden Woods then came into the game, and R.J. Yeager blasted a grand slam to deep left field to tie the game.

Corey Collins then responded with a solo homer off of Brandon Smith in the bottom of the eighth to take the lead back for Georgia, but Brad Cumbest got the run back in the top of the ninth with a solo shot of his own.

Brandon Smith surrendered a leadoff single to Chaney Rogers in the bottom of the ninth, and after a sac bunt, he'd be pulled for lefty Cam Tullar. Tullar walked the nine hitter Acton, and after a wild pitch to advance the runners into scoring position, Georgia's leadoff man Ben Anderson would be intentionally walked to set up a force out at all bases. Mississippi State turned to sophomore Jackson Fristoe, with the bases loaded, who surrendered the walk-off single by Georgia shortstop Cole Tate.

The loss drops Mississippi State to 11-9 overall and 0-2 in the SEC. They will look to avoid the sweep tomorrow as Cade Smith will take the mound.