State defeats LSU 4-3 in extras; magical run continues to Saturday

With LSU in full control and my work week winding down, I cut off hailstateTV's radio on my work computer and left for the weekend, with no thoughts of listening to anymore baseball until I tuned in to the selection show Monday. I mean, there was no way State was going to be able to come back from a 3-0 lead against the #2 team in the country, right?

As I stood in the appliance store my phone began to go off faster than fireworks on the 4th of July, and I prayed that was for a good reason. And it was: most of my texts where of the "holy s***!" variety, and I quickly turned to Twitter to see State had emerged victorious 4-3 in the 10th inning on a Matthew Britton RBI single.

I couldn't help but high five the store clerk. I mean, is there anything this team can't do? As ashamed as I was at that time as a fan who had given up on his team (I am the prisoner of the moment fan Croom Diaries spoke of last week), I was more impressed with this team. I mean, what other obstacle could they overcome? Injury riddled, losers bracket, 4th game in 4 days, scrapping the bottom of the barrel for pitching, and somehow, someway they put together 4 runs in the final 3 innings to win the game.

And do not dismiss this for one second: LSU is an outstanding team. But there is just something about this MSU squad. Even when we the fans have thrown in the towel, they don't, not until the final bell has rung.

This is where we would usually fill you in on the game, but by now you probably all know what happened by now. Down 3-0 in the 8th, State put together a run in the 8th, 2 runs in the 9th, and Matthew Britton scored Mitch Slauter in the 10th to cap off the impossible.

4 games in 4 days, 7 in the last 9 days, yet they don't quit. This team may not be the most talented, they may not set and records, but I guarantee you we will remember them for the heart they've displayed over these last several weeks.

And the most fun part of it all? We still have a lot of baseball left to play. Weeks even, if we're lucky. Good luck tomorrow dogs, and pull one out so me and my buddy's can come root you on on Sunday.

Here's video of Britton's RBI single to win it:

And this is absolutely the best quote from John Cohen in the tournament, maybe this season:

Quote of the day: Cohen turned to me after press conference and said "Well....we give them meal money for the whole week so why not win it?"

— Matthew Stevens (@matthewcstevens) May 26, 2012

So, now that the collective LSU postgame dust has settled, we turn our attention to the task at hand: the Kentucky Wildcats. At this point, we've already heard that at least THREE Bulldog pitchers have asked for the ball tomorrow. Love it, absolutely love it. As for Kentucky, they'll be throwing Corey Littrell. Dogs and Cats in round 5 tomorrow at high noon.

#HailState, and let's go get them tomorrow Bulldogs. This team needs our support, so if you're going, be loud enough for all of us.