Virginia ends Mississippi State baseball’s season with a 9-2 victory

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. (WCBI) — Virginia eliminated Mississippi State baseball from the NCAA Tournament with a 9-2 victory. The Bulldogs entered the top of the ninth trailing 3-2. Gavin Black retired his fourth straight batters to record the first out of the inning, then Chris Lemonis turned to Tyler Davis. Davis walked his first two batters and then surrendered two consecutive hits allowing the Cavaliers to extend the lead.

After Karson Ligon entered the game, two more runs scored on wild pitches extending the Virginia lead to seven, securing its spot in the Super Regionals.

Dakota Jordan continued his hot streak in the bottom of the first inning, launching a two-run home run to take a 2-1 lead. Virginia’s pitcher Jay Woolfolk shut down the Bulldogs in the next seven innings. Woolfolk did not surrender another run for the rest of his eight inning outing.

Mississippi State threatened in the sixth. David Mershon stole second after a leadoff single but Dakota Jordan struck out and then Mershon was picked off ending the threat. The Bulldogs never had another runner in scoring position.

Dakota Jordan recorded his second hit of the game with two outs in the eighth inning but he was thrown out stealing after over sliding second base.

The Bulldogs used all three of their weekend starters to get to this point so Chris Lemonis handed the ball to Pico Kohn for the start. Kohn had his best outing of the season, tossing a season-high seven innings, striking out eight batters and allowing two earned runs but it was not enough to force a decisive game on Monday.

Mississippi State finishes the season 40-23, 13 of the team’s losses came by one run.