Diamond Dawgs Drop Game Two Of Home Series Against No. 1 LSU

Friday, May 1

Starkville

7:00 PM

Mississippi State

23-24, 7-16

#1 LSU

40-7, 16-6

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
LSU	0	0	2	4	0	1	0	0	4	11	17	0
Mississippi State	1	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	4	8	0

Diamond Dawgs Drop Game Two Of Home Series Against No. 1 LSU

May 02, 2015 | Baseball

Box Score

By: hailstate.com

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State pitching allowed 17 hits Friday night as the Bulldogs fell 11-4 to No. 1 LSU in a Southeastern Conference baseball contest played at Dudy Noble Field.

The victory allowed LSU to clinch the weekend series. The Tigers have won seven of eight conference series. LSU improved to 40-7 overall and 16-6 in league play, while MSU fell to 23-24 and 7-16.

“We defended well, but the hard balls they hit fell in for them,” MSU head coach John Cohen said. “Our hard-hit balls did not fall in. Of our first 11 at-bats, we had nine hard-contact hits. We just didn't have a lot to show for it. On the mound, we really struggled to put it together tonight.”

MSU built a 1-0 lead on hits by Luke Reynolds and Jacob Robson in the first inning.

LSU grabbed the lead for good with two runs in the third inning. An RBI-single by Conner Hale placed the Tigers in the lead for good.

The lead grew to 6-1 an inning later on consecutive run-scoring hits by Alex Bregman, Hale, Kade Scivique and Andrew Stevenson. Overall, LSU had six hits in the frame.

The Bulldogs came right back with three runs in their half of the fourth inning. Wes Rea and Robson began things with back-to-back singles. Reid Humphreys followed with a two-run double. A groundout by Ryan Gridley plated another run. However, the Bulldogs would not score again.

LSU scored once in the sixth inning and removed all doubt from the contest with four runs in the ninth inning. Chris Sciambra, Jared Foster and Bregman had run-producing hits in that at-bat.

“Right now, we have a core of kids that do not know how to impose their will on the game,” Cohen said. “In this game, you have to believe it, get on a roll and impose your will. Hopefully, a large group of these guys will return next year and they will do a better job of imposing their will, helping to get this program back to where it belongs.”

MSU finished with eight hits. Reynolds, Robson and Humphreys each had multiple hits.

Bregman finished with three hits for LSU, while Mark Laird, Hale, Scivicque, Andrew Stevenson, Chris Chinea and Jared Foster each had multiple hits for the Tigers.

MSU starter Preston Brown (5-6) was lifted with two outs in the third inning and took the loss. Vance Tatum, Levi Mintz, Dakota Hudson and Daniel Brown pitched in relief.

Alex Lange (8-0) allowed six hits and four runs (all earned) in six innings of work to earn the win. Hunter Newman pitched three innings of two-hit shutout relief for his fourth save.

The series finale and MSU's final regularly-scheduled home game is set for a 3 p.m. start Saturday at Dudy Noble. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2.