STARKVILLE, Miss. (MSU Athletics/WTVA) - Senior Jake Mangum posted his 65th career hit to leadoff a game and the order turned over in the second inning, allowing the Pearl, Mississippi native to etch his name atop the Southeastern Conference’s all-time hits list. Mangum score the first run and drove in the final run of No. 9 Mississippi State’s 9-3 victory over No. 3 Georgia to clinch the series win on Saturday (April 27) at Dudy Noble Field.

Mangum finished the afternoon 3-for-5 in the game with the aforementioned run scored and RBI. His three hits were a part of a 12-hit day for Mississippi State (35-9, 12-8 SEC), which led to the series win over Georgia (33-11, 13-7 SEC). Those three hits pushed his career total to 354, moving him past LSU’s Eddie Furniss (352; 1995-98) as the SEC’s all-time hits leader.

The sophomore trio of Tanner Allen, Rowdy Jordan and Jordan Westburg each moved reached base streaks to 12 games. Allen walked and scored a run in the game, Jordan homered, was hit by a pitch and scored twice, while Westburg had a pair of hits – including a double – with a run scored and an RBI.

Another sophomore, Justin Foscue, had a big day at the plate, hitting his 12 home run of the year as part of a 3-for-5 day. Foscue added a pair of singles, drove in three runs and scored twice in the contest.

While the senior garnered most of the attention, freshman JT Ginn (8-2) earned his eighth win of the season on the mound with five innings of one-run work. He walked two and struck out seven. Ginn allowed just five hits and fanned multiple batters in three of his five innings.

Quotable

Head Coach Chris Lemonis

On the moment when Jake Mangum broke the record

“Everybody just took it in. Tip your hat, and let him enjoy the moment…I’m happy for him. I’ve watched it this year and [he is] such a special player, the way he plays the game, and the way he gets a big hit. The bigger the moment, the bigger the hit. I felt like it would be today because he seems to get a big hit when it’s on the line, so it felt like it was on the line today.”

On how big it would be to win tomorrow

“It’s huge. [It is the difference of] Three games ahead of Georgia in a series, or one game ahead. We talked about it last weekend when we were 0-2, how big it was to get one. This week we’re 2-0 and how big it is to get one. It’s all about the next game for us. We’ll have to come out and be ready to go. It should be a great atmosphere, it's going to be a good game. They have some really good arms sitting over there ready to go, so it will be a battle.”

Jake Mangum

On taking in the moment of his record-breaking hit

“Man, it has been a long, long ride. It has flown by. It seems like just yesterday, I was a freshman just trying to get in the lineup. It is crazy how quickly time goes by over the last four years. A lot has happened over the course of those four years, a lot of ups and downs. Things you didn't expect happened, but you just have to stay in the moment. I can't tell you how happy I am just to get [the record breaking hit] over."

Quick Hitters

Mississippi State

Jake Mangum – Became the Southeastern Conference’s all-time hits leader with a second-inning single, his 353rd career hit, passing LSU’s Eddie Furniss (352; 1995-98). His three-hit game pushed his career total 354 hits.

JT Ginn – Threw five innings and allowed one run to earn his eighth win of the year. Allowed five hits, walked one and struck out seven.

Justin Foscue – Posted a three-hit game with two singles and his 12th home run of the season. Drove in three RBIs and scored twice.

Rowdey Jordan – Hit his fifth home run of the season and scored two runs in the game.

The Reached Base Club – Tanner Allen, Rowdey Jordan and Justin Westburg all moved their reached base streaks to 12 games on Saturday.

Colby Closes It – Colby White struck out all three batters he faced in the ninth inning, touching 100 on the radar gun during the inning.

Georgia

Chaney Rogers – Had a pair of hits and scored two of the team’s three runs.

Patrick Sullivan – Posted a 2-for-4 game and scored a run.

RBI Producers – LJ Talley, Mason Meadows and Cole Tate each plated RBIs in the game.

Scoring Recap

Bottom First

Jake Mangum opened the game with his 65th career leadoff hit, but two outs followed. After a walk to Elijah MacNamee, Justin Foscue hit his 12th home run of the season to left field.

Mississippi State 3, Georgia 0

Bottom Second

A one-out walk to Luke Hancock was followed by base hits from Gunner Halter and Mangum, with Mangum’s giving him the SEC’s all-time hits record. Jordan Westburg followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to plate the lone run of the inning.

Mississippi State 4, Georgia 0

Bottom Third

Rowdey Jordan hit his fifth home run of the season, a solo shot to right field.

Mississippi State 5, Georgia 0

Top Fourth

Georgia got on the board against MSU starting pitcher JT Ginn by scoring once on three-straight two-out hits. Chaney Rogers and Patrick Sullivan each collected base hits to start the frame, and Mason Meadows pushed the run across with a single up the middle.

Mississippi State 5, Georgia 1

Bottom Seventh

There was a lot of traffic on the base paths, as 10 batters came to the plate in the inning. A Westburg double started the inning, before Tanner Allen reached on a wild pitch following a strikeout, with Westburg scoring. After a flyout, Foscue singled and Jordan was hit by a pitch. A Dustin Skelton sacrifice fly pushed the second run of the inning across, before back-to-back RBI singles from Halter and Mangum capped MSU’s scoring.

Mississippi State 9, Georgia 1

Top Eighth

After a single and double started the inning, Cole Tate reached via error and the first run of the inning came around with one out. After a flyout, a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases, before a walk to LJ Tally accounted for the final run of the game.

Mississippi State 9, Georgia 3

Up Next

The series wraps up on Sunday, April 28 at 1 p.m. with senior Peyton Plumlee throwing for Mississippi State and Tim Elliott taking the mound for Georgia. The game is available via the Mississippi State Radio Network and SEC Network+.