5-run 6th helps No. 5 Mississippi State beat No. 7 Ole Miss 7-5 in Sunday’s rubber match

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Senior Tanner Allen’s three-RBI triple highlighted a five-run sixth inning as the No. 5 Mississippi State baseball team defeated No. 7 Ole Miss 7-5 on Sunday afternoon at Dudy Noble Field to claim a series win over the Rebels.

With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 27-8 (10-5 SEC). MSU has now won 16 of the last 19 games against Ole Miss and five straight series. The Rebels fall to 26-10 (9-6 SEC).

Senior Rowdey Jordan led MSU with four hits, two runs and one RBI. Graduate student Scotty Dubrule finished with two hits, one RBI and one run, while sophomore Logan Tanner recorded two hits and one run. Allen finished 1-for-3 with three RBIs.

MSU freshman starting pitcher Jackson Fristoe pitched 2 ²⁄₃ innings, allowing one run on two hits with three strikeouts and four walks. Senior Houston Harding (4-1) was credited with the win after tossing 3 ¹⁄₃ innings, allowing three runs on two hits with five strikeouts and one walk.

Junior Parker Stinnett then pitched a scoreless seventh inning before junior Brandon Smith pitched the eighth inning and allowed one run on one hit. Sophomore closer Landon Sims pitched a clean ninth inning with one strikeout to earn his fifth save of the season.

Ole Miss sophomore starting pitcher Drew McDaniel tossed 5 ¹⁄₃ innings and allowed two runs on three hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Senior Austin Miller (0-1) was charged with the loss after allowing two runs on two hits in one-third of the sixth inning.

The Bulldogs struck first in the bottom of the second inning when senior Brayland Skinner reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second and scored on freshman Lane Forsythe’s single through the right side to give MSU a 1-0 lead.

The Rebels quickly answered in the top of the third to knot things up when sophomore Hayden Dunhurst drew a bases-loaded walk.

In the top of the fourth inning, a solo home run from senior Hayden Leatherwood gave Ole Miss a 2-1 lead. A solo home run from Jordan in the bottom of the fifth inning tied things up at 2-2.

Leatherwood homered again in the top of the sixth inning, this time a two-run shot to left field, to give the Rebels a 4-2 lead.

After a flyout began the bottom half of the sixth inning, a trio of singles from Tanner, senior Josh Hatcher and Skinner made it a one-run game at 4-3. After a strikeout, Dubrule singled through the left side and scored Hatcher from second base to tie the game. Jordan followed with a single to load the bases before Allen cleared them with a three-RBI triple into the gap in right-center field to give MSU a 7-4 lead.

The Rebels got a run back in the top of the eighth inning when senior Cael Baker lined a single to center field and scored when senior Ben Van Cleve’s grounder was thrown away at first base.

The Bulldogs return to action Tuesday when they host UAB at 6:30 p.m. CT at Dudy Noble Field. The game will be streaming on SEC Network+.