No. 3 Bulldogs fall 7-6 in Game 2 against Missouri

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The No. 3 Mississippi State baseball team dropped a 7-6 decision to Missouri Friday night at Dudy Noble Field to even the series 1-1.

MSU (36-12, 17-9 SEC) trailed 2-0 early before scoring four runs in the third inning and one in the fourth inning to take a 5-2 lead. Missouri (13-33, 6-20 SEC) then outscored the Bulldogs 5-1 the rest of the way to come away with a huge upset victory.

Senior Tanner Allen led the MSU offensive attack with three hits, two RBIs and one run. He was the lone Bulldog to record multiple hits.

MSU sophomore starting pitcher Will Bednar pitched five innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits with six strikeouts and two walks.

The usually dominant Bulldog bullpen had its struggles too. Junior Cam Tullar, junior Parker Stinnett and sophomore Stone Simmons combined to allow four runs on six hits. Simmons (1-1) was charged with the loss after allowing one run on four hits with two strikeouts in two innings pitched.

Missouri sophomore pitcher Spencer Miles (2-7) was credited with the win after 1 ²⁄₃ innings of hitless baseball.

The Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Junior Joshua Day led off with a single to left field before junior Josh Holt Jr. hit a two-out double to put runners on second and third base. Senior Mark Vierling then hit a two-RBI single to right field.

In the bottom of the third inning, freshman Kellum Clark reached first on a muffed throw. After a strikeout, senior Rowdey Jordan drew a walk. Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch before Allen tripled down the right-field line to tie the game. Sophomore Kamren James then drew a walk and stole second. A groundout scored Allen to give MSU the lead before sophomore Logan Tanner extended the MSU lead by one run with an RBI single.

MSU added another run to its lead in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 5-2 lead. Freshman Lane Forsythe reached on a fielder’s choice and Jordan brought him home with a double to center field.

In the top of the fifth inning, sophomore Torin Montgomery hit a one-out single and made his way to third when junior Brad Cumbest overran the ball for a two-base error. Redshirt senior Brandt Belk’s sacrifice fly made it a 5-3 ballgame.

After Bednar was pulled in the sixth inning, Tullar gave up a bunt single and hit the next batter. He struck out one batter before being replaced by Stinnett. Stinnett then walked the first batter he faced to load the bases and threw a wild pitch to score a run. A groundout scored another run before Missouri took a 6-5 lead on senior Andrew Keefer’s RBI single.

In the bottom half of the sixth inning, Clark hit a leadoff home run to tie the game at 6-6.

In the top of the ninth inning, Keefer and Montgomery hit back-to-back singles to start the frame. A sacrifice bunt advanced both runners up a base before Day hit a grounder and James couldn’t make the play, which allowed Keefer to score and gave Missouri a game-ending 7-6 lead.

The Bulldogs and Tigers will play a rubber game Saturday at 1 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.