Mississippi State
4-1
Southeastern Louisiana
5-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeastern La. | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 1 |
| Mississippi State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
Big Ninth By SLU Hands State First Loss of 2010
February 26, 2010 | Baseball
• Official Statistics
• Official Statistics (PDF)
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Southeastern Louisiana scored three runs in the ninth inning to take a 4-1 victory over Mississippi State in a college baseball game played Friday afternoon at Dudy Noble Field.
The Bulldogs saw their season-opening four game win streak snapped. MSU fell to 4-1, while SLU improved to 5-0.
Friday's contest turned out to be a pitcher's duel. SLU junior right-hander Tyler Watkins and MSU sophomore left-hander Nick Routt matched one another almost pitch for pitch. Watkins was pulled during MSU's eighth inning rally. Routt worked eight complete innings.
Still, both pitchers were out of the game when SLU decided things by scoring three times in the ninth inning. The plate was set by two hit batsman and a walk. Pinch-hitter Joe Sparacino broke the 1-1 tie with an RBI-single. Trey Martin removed all doubt in the contest with a follow-up two-run single.
That offensive output would be too much for MSU to overcome. The Bulldogs did not advance a base runner past second base in their first seven at-bats. MSU tied the game in the eighth inning when Jonathan Odgen singled and later scored on a wild pitch. In the ninth inning, the Bulldogs managed only a two-out single by Ogden.
After collecting double-digit hits in their first four games, the Bulldogs managed seven hits on Friday.
"We were very poor offensively tonight and that is my fault," MSU head coach John Cohen said. "They showed us the breaking ball early and often. All we had to do was be patient and wait on strikes. Our at-bats tonight were very dismal."
The lack of offensive execution ruined an outstanding start by Routt. Routt worked eight innings, allowing six hits and solo home run SLU's Cody Gougler in the second inning. Routt struck out six and walked three. Caleb Reed (0-1) took the loss, despite facing only one batter - a leadoff hit batsman in the ninth inning. Devin Jones allowed two hits and the other two runs in the ninth inning.
Watkins threw 7.1 innings, allowing five hits and one run, with four strikeouts and a walk. Chris Franklin (1-0) worked the Lions out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning to garner the win.
Ogden had three of MSU's seven hits. Chad Gough-Fortenberry had two of SLU's eight hits.
The series resumes with a 1 p.m. start Saturday and 1:30 p.m. start Sunday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Franklin (1-0)
L: Reed, Caleb (0-1)
Batting:
HR: Gougler 1
RBI: Gougler 1 ; Sparacino 1 ; Martin 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Cryer 1 ; Gougler 1 ; Freeman 1 ; Gough-Forten 1
CS: Gough-Forten 1
HBP: Cryer 1 ; Freeman 1
PO: Cryer 1
Batting:
2B: Vickerson, Nick 1
SH: Collins, Ryan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ogden, Jonathan 1
HBP: Adkins, Luke 1
