ATHENS, Ga. - The series started on Thursday, but one of the SEC's top aces bested Ole Miss with a typical Friday night performance.

Georgia left-hander Alex Wood normally starts series openers for the Bulldogs, but he stayed on his scheduled day and controled the No. 18 Rebels to clinch the series for Georgia with a 6-3 win.

The sophomore worked 71/3 innings, allowing three runs and scattering eight hits while efficiently working out of occasional trouble. Ole Miss had 10 base runners against Wood (5-1) but left seven stranded and couldn't find the big hit to grab any momentum.

"Tonight Alex was tremendous," Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said. "He wouldn't give in. We had a couple of opportunities early in the game with a runner at third base and less than two outs and couldn't get him in. You've got to max out those opportunities."

Georgia (22-13, 7-7) won its third game in a row and clinched its second SEC series of the season.

Ole Miss (23-12, 6-8 SEC) has lost four of its last five conference games and tries to avoid the road sweep at noon today. Rebel sophomore right-hander Mike Mayers (3-2, 3.99) will oppose Georgia junior lefty Blake Dieterich (3-1, 1.90).

It will be Dieterich's first start of the season, as he moves from the closer role where he has six saves.

The Rebels had a chance for an early lead after a Will Allen infield single and throwing error by Georgia third baseman Curt Powell put runners at second and third with one out in the second inning. However, Preston Overbey struck out and Tupelo and ICC product John Gatlin, who was making his first SEC start, softly popped out to end the inning.

Overbey and Gatlin had back-to-back doubles to begin the fifth and give Ole Miss its first run, but Gatlin was left at third base when the inning ended.

"Those chances just have to be taken advantage of, especially at that point in the game," Gatlin said.

Ole Miss starter R.J. Hively (3-3) took the loss, surrendering five runs on seven hits in just four innings. He struck out five and walked one.

Georgia took a 2-0 lead with three straight hits in the second inning. UGA designated hitter Jared Walsh started the fifth with a solo home run, and the Bulldogs tacked on two more that inning on a double steal and a sacrifice fly.

The Rebels ran Wood after Auston Bousfield singled and Alex Yarbrough doubled to start the eighth. Bryan Benzor let both runs score but finished the inning and pitched a perfect ninth for his first save.

Yarbrough was the only Ole Miss player with multiple hits.

"We've hit a rut here," Yarbrough said. "I thought we swung it decent tonight, but Wood was phenomenal."