Auburn Wins Pitching Duel Over Mississippi State

AUBURN, Ala. (Miss. St. Athletics) – One of the nation’s best pitching matchups took place Friday night between Mississippi State’s Konnor Pilkington and Auburn’s Casey Mize.

Both staff aces proved their worth and were dominant.

However, No. 24 Auburn walked away from Plainsman Park with a 2-1 win the opening game of a three-game Southeastern Conference series.

MSU fell to 18-17 overall and 4-9 in league play, while Auburn improved to 24-11 and 5-8.

“Two guys who will play baseball for a long time completed very well on the mound tonight,” MSU head coach Gary Henderson said. “Konnor Pilkington didn’t start with a good rhythm but he found it around the third inning and was then outstanding.

“The play at the plate in the first inning was tough. They had to make a great play and they did. It was a great Southeastern Conference baseball game.”

Pilkington (2-5) came within one out of a complete game. He threw 7.2 innings, allowing four hits and two runs (both earned), with three strikeouts and a walk. Cole Gordon completed the eighth inning with the Tigers leaving the bases loaded.

Mize (7-1) threw his second complete game of the season, allowing five hits and one run (earned), with nine strikeouts and no walks.

The lone walk for either pitcher came from Pilkington with two outs in the eighth inning. Mize retired the final 11 batters he faced.

Auburn scored in the second inning when Brett Wright doubled, took third on a wild pitch and scored on sacrifice fly.

A leadoff double also loomed large in the Auburn third inning. Jay Estes hit that double and later came home on a single by Will Holland.

The Bulldogs missed out on a chance to score in the first inning. Jake Mangum singled, stole second base and was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a Hunter Stovall base hit to center field.

MSU would score its lone run in the sixth inning when Mangum reached on a dropped third strike and scored on a two-out triple by Tanner Allen. Another Bulldog would not reach the rest of the way.

Stovall was the lone multiple hitter by either team in the contest.

The series will continue with a 2 p.m. CT first pitch on Saturday from Plainsman Park, which can be viewed on SEC Network+.