No. 1 MSU Edges Tigers In 10-Inning Finale, 7-6
March 26, 2006 | Baseball
* Official Statistics (PDF)
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- Thomas Berkery's run-scoring sacrifice fly in the 10th inning lifted Mississippi State to a 7-6 win over LSU on Sunday.
Mississippi State (19-1) took advantage of a walk - one of six issued by LSU pitchers - and a hit batsman when Berkery connected on the sacrifice fly in the 10th off reliever Will Harris.
Freshman Louis Coleman (2-2) suffered the loss for LSU (19-7), allowing the winning run to reach to leadoff the frame. He also gave up two runs on four hits, walked three and struck out five in 5.2 innings of relief of Derik Olvey.
MSU erased LSU's 1-0 lead with a three-run frame in the third, highlighted by a two-run homer from designated hitter Mitch Moreland. Berkery added an RBI single to claim the advantage going into the fourth.
Olvey struggled, giving way to Coleman after allowing three straight singles, including an RBI hit by Jeffrey Rea. Centerfielder Jarred Bogany misplayed a liner by left fielder Jeff Butts that carried to the wall, and MSU increased the lead to 5-1.
But LSU amassed another four-run rally to tie the game at 6-6 in the sixth. Right fielder Quinn Stewart and second baseman J.T. Wise hit back-to-back homers to start the inning.
The teams were locked in a pitcher's duel over the final three innings, until MSU struck with the game-winning run in the 10th.
Justin Pigott (1-0) earned the victory by retiring the Tigers in order in the bottom of the 10th.
