State Downs Troy In Extra Innings

Wednesday, May 9

Hoover, Ala. (Hoover Met)

6:00 PM

Mississippi State

27-22

Troy

32-17

Troy

Mississippi State

Elijah MacNamee led off the 10th for State and came around to score the winning run.

Photo by: Nicole Reighter

State Downs Troy In Extra Innings

May 09, 2018 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

HOOVER, Ala. – While it may have taken longer than they would have liked, the Mississippi State baseball team found a way to put its final non-conference game of the season into the win column Wednesday night.

Elijah MacNamee hit a leadoff double in the bottom of the 10^th inning. He then scored when a bunt by Marshall Gilbert was thrown away at third base allowing the Bulldogs to escape Hoover Metropolitan Stadium with a 9-8 win over Troy.

"You have to be proud of the kids," MSU head coach Gary Henderson said. "To come back and score in the ninth and then the 10^th is impressive. We really needed this win, so it was a great that we found a way."

MSU improved to 27-22 and can now focus its attention of a pair of Top 10 Southeastern Conference foes to wrap up regular season play.

The Bulldogs held a 7-4 lead entering the ninth inning. After the Trojans scored four times, the Bulldogs had to answer in the ninth inning.

With one out, Rowdey Jordan and Tanner Allen had back-to-back singles before a walk to Luke Alexander loaded the bases. Hunter Stovall hit a deep fly ball for a game-tying sacrifice fly. A popup ended that threat.

Riley Self worked a perfect 10^th inning for the Bulldogs, setting the stage for a 15^th come-from-behind victory.

MSU finished with 13 hits and played errorless ball. Jake Mangum, Rowdey Jordan and MacNamee each had three hits, while Allen had two hits.

Mangum, Jordan and Allen combined to give the Bulldogs eight hits out of the top three spots in the lineup.

The Bulldogs scored twice in the first inning on only one base hit – an RBI-single by Stovall.

Troy scored in the second inning and MSU scored in the third inning. An RBI-single by Allen ran the Bulldogs' lead to 3-1 there in the third inning.

Troy took a 4-3 lead with three runs in the fifth inning. An RBI-double by Jordan tied the game at 4-4 in the home half of the fifth inning.

The Bulldogs then took a 7-4 lead an inning later when Hunter Vansau and Mangum each had RBI-singles. Vansau would later take home when Mangum stole second base.

Jacob Billingsley drew the start and threw two innings for the Bulldogs. Denver McQuary followed with two innings. Keegan James, Cole Gordon and Blake Smith then pitched. Zach Neff got one out in the ninth inning.

Self (2-0) then got the final two outs in the ninth inning and retired the side in order in the 10^th inning for the win.

MSU's seven-game road trip will come to a close this weekend with a three-game series at No. 17 Kentucky. The series will begin Friday in Lexington with a 6:30 p.m. CT first pitch on ESPNU.

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