GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida broke up a duel between two of the Southeastern Conference’s top pitchers by scoring seven runs in the fourth inning Friday, and went on to beat Ole Miss 11-2 in their series opener.

Ole Miss pitcher James McArthur retired the first 10 batters he faced, but got into a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth inning. Florida’s Christian Hicks worked a walk in a 15-pitch at-bat to bring in the game’s first run, and then Ryan Larson followed with a grand slam to make it 5-0.

Keenan Bell and Deacon Liput added RBI singles to extend the Gators’ lead to 7-0.

Florida added two runs in the fifth inning and led 11-0 before Ole Miss’ D.J. Miller broke up the shutout with a two-run home run in the ninth.

McArthur never made it out of the fourth inning. He allowed seven runs, on five hits and three walks, in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out six batters.

Florida ace Alex Faedo allowed three hits in six scoreless innings. He walked three and struck out nine. Reliever Tyler Dyson had five strikeouts in two innings of work.

Ole Miss (29-18, 11-11 SEC) lost a series opener for the fourth time in six weekends.

Mississippi State 5, Texas A&M 1

Hunter Vansau had three hits and drove in a pair of runs, while Denver McQuary and Cole Gordon shackled Texas A&M’s hitters to lead Misssisippi State to a 5-1 victory over the Aggies on Friday night.

Mississippi State (31-17, 15-8 Southeastern Conference) snapped a three-game losing streak, evened the series at a game apiece with Texas A&M (34-19, 14-9), and stayed in first place in the SEC West.

Texas A&M lost for just the second time in its last 13 SEC games.

The series finale is Saturday at 1 p.m.

McQuary started and allowed one run in five innings for the Bulldogs. He gave up three hits, walked one batter and struck out five. Gordon took over in the sixth and took the Bulldogs home, throwing four scoreless innings to earn his first save of the season. Gordon allowed two hits, did not walk a batter and struck out four.
Vansau had an RBI single in the first inning as Mississippi State jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innings. He added another RBI single in the seventh.

Elijah MacNamee and Luke Alexander also had RBI singles, and Brent Rooker hit an RBI double.

Blake Kopetsky homered in the fifth inning for Texas A&M’s only run.

Southern Miss 11, Florida Atlantic 2

Dylan Burdeaux registered a career-high six RBIs and Colt Smith added a career-best seven shutout innings to lead Southern Miss over Florida Atlantic, 11-2.

Burdeaux hit a three-run homer to highlight a six-run rally in the second inning. He also drove in a run with a single in the fourth inning, and two more with another single in the eighth.

Smith (4-0) allowed two hits in his time on the mound. He walked two batters and struck out three.
The Golden Eagles (35-12, 17-5 Conference USA) won their fifth game in a row and extended their lead atop

Conference USA to two games over Florida Atlantic (29-14-1, 15-7).