Diamond Dawgs blow another one-run game in 12th inning loss to Ole Miss
Mississippi State had a series win there for the taking on Saturday night and the Diamond Dawgs blew another close game.
With Ole Miss on the verge of falling apart, State let the Rebels hang around and a 7-3 lead vanished. When it got into extra innings, the Bulldogs lost the lead twice and were walked off in the 12th inning with Jackson Ross’ two-run single with two outs losing the game 10-9.
The loss dropped MSU to 2-9 this season in one-run games as they were walked off for the third time in SEC play. State also blew leads twice in the ninth against Florida.
After Johnny Long hit a solo home run in the top of the 12th to give the Bulldogs a 9-8 lead, Nolan Stevens came into the game and hit the leadoff batter and then walked two more to load the bases with one out. After getting Bo Gatlin to strikeout swinging, he would give up a sharp single from Ross to send two home and have his second blown save of the season.
It was a frustrating night all around for a State team that had Ole Miss on the ropes. The Bulldogs fell behind 3-0 after three innings but would score a run in the fourth on Connor Hujsak’s home run and got three more in the fifth inning.
State’s inability to really break the game open in the seventh and eighth with several runners on base and less than two outs would haunt them. Ole Miss would score four runs in the eighth to tie the game at 7-7 and it went into extra innings.
Hunter Hines would deliver a big home run in the 11th that would feel like a potential game winner, but the Bulldogs would give it right back on a two-out error on Amani Larry. After getting that lead back, it was another two-out play that would ultimately cost State.
MSU had two errors in the game and left 11 runners on base with 16 strikeouts as a team. The pitching staff never found full consistency in the game, either, as starter Jurrangelo Cijntje started and lasted just 3.0 innings with four hits, three runs and a walk while striking out three.
Brooks Auger gave State some good innings in relief throwing 3.0 frames, giving up two hits, no runs, walking two and striking out three. Schuelke surrendered four runs in relief, Tyler Davis and Karson Ligon allowed just one run combined with two walks and Stevens would give up one hit, two runs, two walks and a hit batter in just 0.2 to lose the game.
State pitching allowed 12 batters on base freely with 10 walks as a staff and two hit batters. It was an uncharacteristic night for the team on the mound in that regard.
On top of that fact came the 16 strikeouts from State hitters. Dakota Jordan, Hunter Hines and Logan Kohler all had three strikeouts each in the game. The team had 10 hits with David Mershon, Johnny Long and Jordan notching two hits each. Mershon and Hines had two RBI.
State (22-13, 7-7 SEC) will try to get back out there on Sunday and find a way to take the series. Both teams are strapped for pitching for game three but the Bulldogs need a series win badly. The Bulldogs have yet to announce a starting pitcher for the 1:30 p.m. first pitch with Ole Miss throwing Mason Nichols (3-0, 3.93).
