In the season — and the old Dudy Noble — finale, Mississippi State drops the game and the series to LSU by a score of 11-7 on Saturday night.
After a three hour rain delay and four hours of baseball, Mississippi State fell to LSU 11-7 on Saturday night. For much of the weekend, it seemed like every time the Bulldogs closed the gap, LSU would respond with runs in the next inning.
Tonight was no different.
LSU jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning on starting pitcher Cole Gordon. Mississippi State would tie the game in the fourth inning after a pair of two run innings in the second and third.
Over the next three innings, LSU was able to extend their lead to 9-4, seemingly putting the game out of reach. But, the Bulldogs weren’t done yet, a three run inning in the sixth cut the Tigers’ lead to two. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, LSU tacked on two insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings to seal the victory for the Tigers.
Eric Walker got the start for LSU, going four innings and allowing four runs on six hits. Walker also struck out four and walked three. Mississippi State was able to get to Walker in the second and third innings, which was highlighted by a two run homer from Hunter Stovall (the first of his career in Starkville) that tied the game at four a piece.
Nick Bush came in for the Tigers in the fifth inning. Bush started out strong, allowing just one hit in the fifth, but State was able to hang three runs on him — including a Brent Rooker two run double in the sixth that eventually chased him from the game. A combination of Collin Gilbert and Hunter Newman shut down the bulldogs the rest of the way. The duo combined for six strikeouts and didn’t allow a hit or walk in 3.2 innings.
Cole Gordon got the start on the bump for Mississippi State where he went 3.1 innings, allowing five runs on four hits and four walks. LSU got things started in the second with a two run shot to left from Beau Jordan. The Tigers would plate two more in the inning on a Robertson single to left and a Duplantis infield single.
More from Maroon and White Nation
- Meeting the Opponent: Week 4 – South Carolina Gamecocks
- Mississippi State football vs LSU: The good, bad, and ugly
- M&WN Staff – Week 3 SEC Picks and Best Bets
- Mississippi State football film study: Why did MSU’s defense fail vs. LSU?
- The Wednesday Wrap: Maybe Mississippi State Football Coach Zach Arnett shouldn’t do it his way
Riley Self would come on in relief in the fourth, but was not his usual self, allowing four runs on six hits in just two innings of work. After the Bulldogs cut the lead to 9-7 in the sixth, Spencer Price came in to try and keep the game where it was, but allowed an unearned run in the seventh to push the tiger lead to three. Plumlee and Billingsley finished the night, combining for two innings in which the duo allowed a run on two hits.
It wasn’t an ideal way to close the books on Dudy Noble Field, but spirits remained high in left field all night long. Fans celebrated old memories and memories to come in the lounge despite the Bulldogs struggles. There were shots of fans playing music, laughing, and dancing, in what can only be described as a party throughout the night.
Mississippi State will return to action Tuesday night in the SEC tournament in Hoover for a rematch against Georgia, a team that took two of three against State two weekends ago. Although a long shot, there still remains a possibility that the Bulldogs could host a regional with a deep run in Hoover.