Mississippi State Squanders Late Lead, Falls to EKU in Extras

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI/MSU Athletics) – Mississippi State saw a six-run lead slip away in a 16-12 10-inning loss to Eastern Kentucky in college baseball action Tuesday night at Dudy Noble Field.

The 15th-ranked Bulldogs led 7-1 and later 12-6. However, the Colonels erupted for six runs in the eighth inning and four runs in the 10th inning. It was the first-extra inning game for both teams this season.

MSU saw a four-game win streak snapped, while falling to 12-4-1. Eastern Kentucky improved to 8-8.

“We had a hard time throwing strikes,” MSU head coach John Cohen said. “We need some maturity on our pitching staff which we don’t have right now. We walked too many and hit too many. With a six-run lead and our best defense on the field, we just need to throw strikes.

“Credit Eastern Kentucky. They have a ton of seniors. With older kids, they are going to give you their best effort. We had some really good swings up and down the lineup, but it wasn’t enough.”

MSU scored three times in the first inning on back-to-back home runs. Cody Brown had a one-out single and that was followed by a two-run, two-out home run by Nathaniel Lowe. Gavin Collins then slapped a solo home run.

(Photo Courtesy: Kelly Price, MSU Athletics)

The Bulldogs have now hit 13 round-trippers as a team. Collins has hit a team-best four with each coming in the last six games. For Lowe, it was his first home run wearing the Maroon and White.

In the third inning, Jacob Robson had a leadoff double and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Lowe to make it 4-0.

After EKU scored in the top of the fourth inning, MSU came right back and pushed the lead to 5-1 on a sacrifice fly by Luke Alexander. That play scored Reid Humphreys, who had walked and taken second and third base on a single by Elih Marrero.

The lead then moved to 7-1 with a pair of scores in the fifth inning. A double play ground ball scored a run but kept the Colonels out of the big inning. The other run came on a two-out RBI-single by Ryan Gridley.

EKU took advantage of a walk, hit batsman, passed ball and two base hits to cut the deficit in half in the top half of the sixth inning. The Bulldogs then answered with two runs for a 9-4 lead.

In that at-bat, Robson and Brent Rooker each singled. Both scored on two-run double by Lowe.

Mandy Alvarez hit his fifth home run of the year – a two-run shot – in the EKU seventh inning. That hit brought the Colonels within 9-6.

MSU then expanded the lead again with three runs in home half of the seventh inning.

Alexander and Robson had hits in that at-bat. Rooker then drew a walk. A passed ball scored one run, while two others came home on two-run single by Lowe.

Lowe finished the night with a career-high seven RBIs. That was the most by a Bulldog since Ryan Duffy drove in nine against Jackson State on April 6, 2010.

EKU came back with six runs off three pitchers in the eighth inning. The big blows in the inning were a three-run home run by Kyle Nowlin – his eighth – and a game-tying two-run double by Shea Sullivan.

In the EKU 10th inning, an RBI-single by Sullivan broke the tie. The Colonels scored four runs on five base hits in that frame.

MSU finished with 15 hits. Robson and Lowe each had three hits, while Cody Brown, Rooker and Marrero each had two hits.

For MSU, Konnor Pilkington drew the start. The freshman left-hander allowed three hits and one run (earned) in four innings of work, with five strikeouts and three walks. Kale Breaux, Ethan Small, Vance Tatum and Blake Smith also pitched.

Smith (2-1) took the loss, as he worked the final 2 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and four runs (all earned). The MSU bullpen gave up 14 earned runs.

EKU finished with 17 hits. Alvarez had a team-best three hits. Caleb Johnson pitched three innings of one-hit shutout relief to get the win.

MSU will conclude a six-game homestand by facing Oral Roberts at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. The game will be available on SEC Network + from Dudy Noble Field.