MSU Baseball Drops Finale To Alabama

STARKVILLE, Miss. (MSU Athletics) – Another tough afternoon for the Mississippi State bullpen cost the Bulldogs a chance to win a Southeastern Conference series.

Alabama scored the game’s final five runs over the last three innings to rally to an 8-4 win over No. 13 MSU Sunday afternoon at Dudy Noble Field.

With the win, Alabama took the three-game series, 2-1. Alabama improved to 11-7 overall and 2-1 in league play, while MSU fell to 16-6 and 1-2.

Sophomore left-hander Vance Tatum gave the Bulldogs a third straight strong start. Tatum allowed seven hits and four runs (four earned) in seven innings of work. Myles Gentry (0-1), Zac Houston and Ross Mitchell struggled to get the Crimson Tide out during a four-run eighth inning.

MSU built a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Matt Spruill walked and Jacob Robson singled. Spruill scored on a wild pitch, while Robson came home on a ground ball out.

Alabama began its scoring when Will Haynie slapped a solo home run in the third inning.

The Crimson Tide climbed on top 3-2 in the fourth inning when a Kyle Overstreet single and J.C. Wilhite double started things. A double down the right field line by Riley Colburn scored both runners.

The UA lead was short-lived as MSU came back with two runs in its half of the fourth inning. Reid Humphreys started things with a double. After a sacrifice bunt and walk, John Holland followed with an RBI single. An error on that play plated the go-ahead run. Josh Lovelady followed with a single but a line drive double play snuffed that threat.

In the seventh inning, Georgie Salem started the Alabama rally with a two-out single. Salem stole second base and then scored on an RBI-single by Mikey White.

In the eighth inning, the Crimson Tide moved ahead on a bases-loaded walk issued by Mitchell. Chandler Avant followed with a two-run single. White also had an RBI-single.

The Bulldogs reached two in the ninth inning but failed to score.

MSU finished with nine hits. Robson and Holland each had multiple hits.

Alabama finished with 11 hits. Avant, White, Overstreet and Wilhite had multiple hits. Ray Castillo (2-0) picked up the win with 2.2 innings of one-hit shutout relief.

MSU will host Eastern Illinois at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.