guing balls and strikes.Oakland starter Daniel Mengden (1-4)

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald set a school record for rushing yards by a quarterback and the Bulldogs defeated South Carolina 27-14 Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium.Fitzgerald rushed 17 times for 195 yards and also passed for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Mississippi State (1-1) captured its first win of the season in its SEC opener after being upset by South Alabama last week.I like the effort the players came out with in the first half, said Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen. That looked like Mississippi State football. We have to do a better job in the red zone, especially in the first half and we had some big missed opportunities there. But we played with effort and I am not sure I saw that for the entire game last week.South Carolina (1-1) was outgained 485-243 in total offense. The Gamecocks did register a pair of second half touchdown passes from freshman quarterback Brandon McIllwain, who started the second half for South Carolina after not playing in the first half.Fitzgeralds rushing yards for a quarterback broke a 36-year old school record. His 195 yards easily passed former Mississippi State quarterback John Bonds previous record of 163 rushing yards in 1980 against Ole Miss.It was kinda what I saw last week when we decided to start Nick, said Mullen. He had a good week of practice. We had to make that decision to start him, let ho, go and play the game. We decided that before the game and he came out and played fairly well. There were a couple of things here and there in the throw game but a lot of that comes from experience.Mississippi State rolled to a 24-0 lead at halftime thanks to a pair of touchdown passes by Fitzgerald. Receiver Fred Ross had a touchdown catch and a touchdown pass in the first half.The Bulldogs outgained South Carolina 324-90 in total yards in the first half. A lightning delay forced both teams to stay inside the locker room for an extra 32 minutes at halftime.McIllwain finished with 126 yards passing and two touchdowns. Hayden Hurst led the Gamecocks with eight catches for 68 yards. As a team, South Carolina was held to just 34 yards rushing and both quarterbacks were each sacked twice.In the second half, weve got young players and theyve got to learn to keep it cranked up for four quarters, said Mullen. We had the lightning delay and guys were waiting, waiting, waiting. So weve got to learn to crank it back up.Last week Mullen also started Fitzgerald but pulled him after just two series. Junior Damian Williams went the rest of the way in the loss to South Alabama. Williams did not play on Saturday and Mullen said Fitzgerald would start Saturday when the Bulldogs travel to LSU.THE TAKEAWAYSouth Carolina: The Gamecocks only had 90 yards of total offense in the first half with Perry Orth at quarterback. Orth was 9-of-17 for just 83 yards with one interception.Mississippi State: In his second career start, Nick Fitzgerald had career highs in rushing yards, passing touchdowns, passing yards, pass attempts and pass completions.UP NEXTSouth Carolina: After opening the season with two straight road games, South Carolina hosts East Carolina next Saturday in the home opener.Mississippi State: Mississippi State goes on the road for the first time this season next Saturday with a trip to LSU. Devin Booker Jersey . -- Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rookie season. Phoenix Suns Pro Shop . But the quarterback hopes to stay involved in football after officially calling it quits Tuesday. "Id love to look at those opportunities as they arise," Pierce said in an interview from his Winnipeg eatery. https://www.cheapsunsonline.com/459z-joe-johnson-jersey-suns.html . The All-Pro lineman got the leg bent under him while trying to make a tackle during the first half of a 22-20 overtime loss at Miami on Thursday night. The medical staff initially thought hed torn the ligament, and the test a day later in Cincinnati confirmed it. Fake Suns Jerseys . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . Gary Gregor Jersey .Y. - General manager Billy King says the Brooklyn Nets are looking to add a big man and confirmed the team worked out centre Jason Collins, who would become the first openly gay active NBA player if signed. OAKLAND, Calif. -- The news just keeps going from bad to worse for Athletics manager Bob Melvin.Not long after his club blew another lead and lost to Pittsburgh for the third straight day, Melvin learned that yet another pitcher could be headed for the disabled list.Reliever Francisco Rodriguez left with a right shoulder strain after facing one batter in the eighth and will undergo an MRI to see how extensive the damage is.If he does get placed on the DL, Rodriguez will join nine teammates currently there -- five of them pitchers.We feel like we have a lot of good pieces here (but) obviously weve been going through some injuries and continue to go through some injuries, which is frustrating, Melvin said. We played two good series and we have more injuries. Its frustrating but no more for me than anyone else.The As had won six of seven and took three of four from NL West-leading San Francisco before dropping three straight to the Pirates.Adam Frazier tripled in the tying run with one out in the sixth, then scored on an infield single to spark Pittsburghs latest win in this interleague series.David Friese hit a two-run homer and Gregory Polanco added two RBI as the Pirates completed the three-game sweep in their first visit to the Oakland Coliseum since 2010.Francisco Liriano (5-8) pitched five innings to win for the first time since May 24. The lefty had lost five straight games before beating the As to help extend Pittsburghs winning streak to four.Its huge, especially to come from behind three games in a row on the road, Frazier said. We got the split in Seattle but to get three come-from-behind wins like this, its huge momentum heading back east to St. Louis.Khris Davis had two hits and scored a run, while BBilly Butler added an RBI double and scored for Oakland.ddddddddddddThe As have lost four straight after winning the opener on this five-game homestand.They had plenty of chances to halt their skid Sunday but stranded seven runners overall, including four in scoring position in the final five innings.More than anything it was the situational at-bats, Melvin said. We had some opportunities and we didnt get them in.Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was ejected in the bottom of the sixth for arguing balls and strikes.Oakland starter Daniel Mengden (1-4) allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out five and walked four.BAKED McBRIDEMatt McBride was called up from Triple-A Nashville to replace injured Oakland backup catcher Josh Phegley on the roster but didnt arrive at the Coliseum until shortly before first pitch. He started and batted eighth, going 1 for 2 in two plate appearances before getting lifted for a pinch hitter in the sixth.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: OF Andrew McCutchen took the day off to rest his sore left heel. McCutchen was injured while sliding into home plate on a wild pitch Friday.Athletics: Phegley was placed on the disabled list with what team officials are calling a right knee strain. Melvin said its possible that Phegley will require surgery.UP NEXTPirates: Jonathon Niese (6-6) takes a four-game losing streak into Monday afternoons start in St. Louis. The lefty has a 5.32 ERA on the road this season.Athletics: Right-hander Kendall Graveman (3-6) pitches the series opener in Minnesota on Monday. Graveman has allowed two runs or less in six of his previous eight starts. ' ' '