Arkansas Wins on Easter Sunday, Takes Series

Arkansas beat Mississippi State on Good Friday and Easter Sunday to take the series as the Bulldogs could only muster the one win on Saturday.

Friday night slipped through Mississippi State's fingers. Luis Pollorena took the hill in a pseudo-emergency start and walked a couple of men in the 1st leading to an early 1-0 hole. It was 2-0 by the 6th inning when State got on the board and tied it, chasing Barrett Astin in the process. The Dawgs took a 3-2 lead in the 7th, but quickly lost it (5-3) after some questionable decision making in the bottom half of the inning. Twice MSU had runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs - 8th and 9th innings (and had 2nd & 3rd, down by one with no out in the 9th), but only scored one run to lose by a final of 5-4.

Game 2's win was secured by an outstanding effort by Kendall Graveman. The senior went a full 9 innings, only throwing 99 pitches. He only gave up 5 hits and 1 run while allowing 0 walks and 5 strikeouts. He topped Arkansas ace Ryan Stanek who State was able to chase in the middle innings when State scored all four of their runs. The Bulldogs offense was very efficient in this one, only leaving five men on base and scoring 4 runs on just 6 hits. Final: MSU 4, UPig 1.

Jacob Lindgren was unable to go for Game 3 due to some elbow soreness and Ben Bracewell took his place - he faced four batters, walking two and giving up two hits, never recording an out and giving way to Ross Mitchell with a 1-0 deficit and the bases loaded. Mitchell was able to get out of the inning but not before two runs scored. He then gave MSU a great pitching performance by getting into the 7th without allowing any more runs, Girado and Holder did the same for the remaining 1 2/3. Wes Rea hit a solo shot, Daryl Norris and Trey Porter narrowly missed game-tying 2-run bombs to right field, but MSU was only able to get 5 hits and lost the game 3-1.

On the weekend the Arkansas defense had 6 errors, but MSU wasn't able to convert those into W's. Considering the odds stacked up against State going in - taking one of three isn't too bad as I mentioned in the preview, however the depth we were supposed to have in our starting rotation and having lost all SEC series and four straight overall, it's starting to hurt.

MSU is now 3-6 in the SEC, 23-8 overall. Florida comes to Dudy Noble next weekend.