Mississippi State
20-21
Middle Tennessee
28-10
Blue Raiders Take Game 1 From MSU, 10-6
April 21, 2009 | Baseball
? Official Statistics
? Official Statistics (PDF)
STARKVILLE, Miss. - A late rally fell short Tuesday night, as the Mississippi State baseball team dropped a 10-6 decision to Middle Tennessee at Dudy Noble Field.
The Blue Raiders broke open a tight contest with five runs in the fifth inning. Leading 10-2, MTSU held off a late charge as the Bulldogs scored four times in the eighth inning but could not scratch in the ninth inning.
MSU dropped to 20-21 with the defeat, while MTSU improved to 28-10.
Each team scored lone runs in the first and fourth innings. The Blue Raiders broke on top for good with the five-run fifth inning.
In that at-bat, Nathan Hines ripped an RBI-double, while Grant Box followed with an RBI-single. Bryce Brentz closed the inning with a massive three-run home run - his team-best 20th of the season.
The Blue Raiders scored a lone run in the sixth inning and extended the lead to 10-2 with two more scores in the seventh inning. The final runs scored on a two-run home run by Ben Darlington - his third of the season.
MSU rallied with four runs in the sixth inning. Connor Powers began the inning with a walk. Russ Sneed followed with his seventh home
run of the season - a two-run shot to left field. After a strikeout, Cody Freeman slapped his third home run of the season. Ryan Collins followed with a double and scored on Ryan Powers' double. The Bulldogs stranded a runner at third base.
In the ninth inning, Scott DeLoach and Connor Powers drew back-to-back walks. However, a pair of strikeouts and flyout snuffed that final threat.
MSU finished with 12 hits. Grant Hogue had three hits, while Sneed, Freeman and Ryan Collins each had multiple hits. Connor Powers drew four walks and was officially 0-for-1, snapping a 12-game hit streak.
MTSU finished with 15 hits. Brentz and Rawley Bishop each had four hits. Box had two hits.
Winning pitcher Chad Edwards (6-1) worked the first five innings, allowing six hits and two runs (both earned), with three walks and three strikeouts. Coty Woods worked the Blue Raiders out of the ninth inning jam for his ninth save.
Lee Swindle (1-3) took the loss, working three innings, in relief of starter David Hayes. Tyler Whitney pitched the seventh inning, while Jared Wesson threw the final two frames for the Bulldogs.
MSU and MTSU close the midweek series with a 6:30 p.m. start Wednesday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Edwards (6-1)
L: Swindle, Lee (1-3)
S: Woods (9)
Batting:
2B: Hines 1 ; Bishop 2
HR: Brentz 1 ; Darlington 1
RBI: Hines 1 ; Box 2 ; Brentz 3 ; Bishop 1 ; Darlington 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Hines 1 ; Box 1 ; Brentz 3 ; Bishop 1 ; Darlington 1 ; Meinhart 1 ; Burnett 1 ; Dennis 1
Batting:
2B: Collins, Ryan 1 ; Powers, Ryan 1
HR: Sneed, Russ 1 ; Freeman, Cody 1
RBI: Sneed, Russ 2 ; Freeman, Cody 1 ; Collins, Ryan 1 ; Powers, Ryan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hogue, Grant 1 ; Powers, Connor 2 ; Sneed, Russ 1 ; Freeman, Cody 1 ; Collins, Ryan 1
SB: Hogue, Grant 3 ; Collins, Ryan 1
CS: Butler, Jet 1
HBP: Powers, Ryan 1
