Bulldog Bullpen Sparkles As State Rallies For 6-4 Win Over Razorbacks
Box Score
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State erupted for five runs in the sixth inning and pitchers Jonathan Papelbon and Robby Goodson combined for six innings of shutout relief pitching Sunday afternoon to lead the Bulldogs (21-12-1, 8-6 SEC) to a series-clinching 6-4 win over Arkansas (19-13, 5-7 SEC) at Dudy Noble Field.
The Razorbacks plated a run in each of the first four innings off Bulldog starter Joey Collums to take a 4-1 lead.
Cliff Crouse opened the game with a double and scored two batters and a stolen base later on Andrew Wishy's infield groundout. Michael Conner walked to open the second and came home on the second wild pitch by Collums in the inning. Arkansas extended its lead to 3-0 in the third on two-out singles by Wishy and Ryan Fox. MSU broke scoring ice in the bottom of the third when Matthew Maniscalco doubled to right and scored on Matthew Brinson's single through the middle of the infield. The Razorbacks matched that run in the fourth when lead-off batter Nick Pitts was struck by a pitch, advanced to third on Brett Hagedorn's single to right and came home on Cody Clark's sacrifice fly.
But Mississippi State, held to three hits and one run over the first five innings, touched three UA relief pitchers for five runs in the sixth.
Brannon replaced UA starter Scott Roehl in the fifth and worked out of a two-baserunner jam. But in the sixth he walked Jason Burkley to open the inning and left the game after Brent Lewis ripped a run-scoring double off the centerfield wall.
Hogan, Arkansas' Friday night starter, replaced Brannon and was greeted with singles by Steve Gendron and Jon Mungle. After retiring the next two batters, Hogan walked a pair, the second a bases-loaded free pass to Chad Henry that knotted the score at 4-4. The Bulldogs then completed their scoring burst against a third Arkansas pitcher in the inning, Jonathan Richmond, who gave up a bloop single down the leftfield line that plated two more runs.
The two-run was big enough for Papelbon, who stranded two Arkansas base-runners in both the sixth and seventh innings, and Goodson, who left UA runners at second and third in the eighth and then retired the Razorbacks in order in the ninth.
It was the first SEC win of the year for Papelbon (2-2), who gave up four hits, walked three and struck out four over a season high-matching four innings. The Bulldog sophomore gave up a single, walked a batter, and advanced both into scoring position to open the seventh before striking out the next three batters. Papelbon walked the lead-off batter in the eighth and was replaced on the hill by sophomore Robby Goodson. In his first SEC pitching performance, Goodson walked his first batter, retired the next three end the eighth and then set the Razorbacks down in order in the ninth to pick up his first career save.
Matthew Brinson had three of MSU's seven hits and drove in three runs, while Matthew Maniscalco scored twice and reached base five times with a double, two walks and twice was struck by pitches.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 6, ARKANSAS 4UA (19-13, 5-7 SEC) 111 100 000 -- 4-8-0 MSU (21-12-1, 8-6 SEC) 001 005 00x -- 6-7-0WP -- Jonathan Papelbon (1-2) LP -- Gary Hogan (3-4).SV -- Robby Goodson. T -- 3:18. ATT -- 6,336 (paid),2,918 (actual).