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By STEVEN WINE, AP Mississippi State's remarkable run is over.
The 15th-ranked LSU Tigers wiped out a three-run deficit in the bottom of the eighth inning, stunning the No. 1 Bulldogs 8-6 on Saturday afternoon before 3,333 at Alex Box Stadium.
It was Mississippi State's first loss in 19 games, and it squares the three-game series heading into today's 1 p.m. finale.
"It's different. It (stinks), to lose one like this, with a three-run lead," MSU shortstop Thomas Berkery said. "But that's baseball. I don't think it was anything like the bullpen (failing); (LSU) just hit the ball.
"We'll see what kind of team we have in the third game. We knew it was going to come. It was just a matter of when and where it was gonna happen."
Josh Johnson, State's starting pitcher, departed with a 6-3 lead in the top of the seventh. MSU reliever Mike Valentine retired the first three batters he faced, but LSU's bats came to life with one out in the eighth.
LSU right fielder Quinn Stewart made it 6-5 with a two-run home run to center field, his team-leading ninth homer of the season. The Tigers tied it with three consecutive singles, one of them off State closer Brett Cleveland. Then, with two outs, LSU's Will Harris delivered a two-run double to right-center field.
LSU's Chase Dardar retired the Bulldogs in order in the ninth, and the Tigers improved to 19-5 overall and 2-3 in the SEC. State is 3-1 in league play.
The Bulldogs collected a season-high 18 hits in their 11-1 rout of LSU on Friday night, but they stranded eight base runners and went just 3 for 13 with men in scoring position in this game.
"We kept getting good swings, good at-bats," LSU coach Smoke Laval said. "State's kids made some big defensive plays early in the game. But when you keep getting good swings, something good is usually going to happen. That was the difference."
Mississippi State struck first, on Edward Easley's RBI double down the left-field line in the top of the fifth. Laval was ejected in that inning for disputing a check swing by MSU second baseman Jeffrey Rea.
The Tigers came charging back in the bottom of the fifth.
Josh Johnson, State's starting pitcher, gave up a leadoff single to Michael Hollander before LSU first baseman Steven Waguespack ripped an RBI double to left-center field. Johnson retired the next two batters, but Harris and Bruce Sprowl delivered back-to-back doubles, giving the Tigers a 3-1 lead.
Mississippi State didn't flinch.
The Bulldogs tied the game on Michael Rutledge's two-out, two-run double in the sixth, and they went in front with two more runs in the seventh. State didn't chase LSU's starting pitcher, Clay Dirks, until the eighth. Darryl Shafer (2-0) was the winning pitcher; Valentine (0-1) took the loss.
"Stewart's home run really set the table for LSU," State coach Ron Polk said. "We're not going to one-run these guys here. We've got to score some runs (today)."
John Lalor, State's 6-foot-7 right-hander, will start against the Tigers today. Laval will counter with right-hander Derik Olvey, a transfer from Notre Dame.
