No. 2 Mississippi State Baseball Drops 11-2 Rubber Match With No. 17 LSU

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The No. 2 Mississippi State baseball team dropped the Southeastern Conference series finale to No. 17 LSU, 11-2, on Saturday afternoon at Dudy Noble Field.

MSU (24-5, 5-4 SEC) won the series opener 6-5 on Thursday. LSU (19-9, 6-3 SEC) then won the Friday’s game 10-5 before taking the rubber match Saturday evening.

MSU was blanked until the ninth inning when the Dawgs scored two runs after sophomore Justin Foscue hit a leadoff double and sophomore Rowdey Jordan plated him with a two-run home run down the right field line.

Senior right-hander Peyton Plumlee (1-1) got the start on the mound and tossed two innings while being charged with the loss. He allowed one run on two hits and struck out four batters. He also walked one.

The Tigers’ Antoine Duplantis hit a leadoff home run to right field to begin the game and give LSU a 1-0 lead after one inning. The score remained the same until the fourth inning when the Tigers added two more runs. A pair of walks began the inning before a pick-off got senior Chris Reid out at second. Freshman Giovanni DiGiacomo then hit an RBI double to left-center. DiGiacomo advanced to third on a wild pitch and then scored on another wild pitch to put the Tigers up 3-0.

The bases were then loaded for the Tigers after a throwing error allowed one runner on, Duplantis singled and junior Zach Watson was hit by a pitch. After a one hour and 19-minute rain delay, Reid hit a ball deep to center field for a sacrifice fly, which allowed a run to cross the plate and give LSU a 4-0 lead.

LSU then scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to take an 8-0 lead. Sophomore Hal Hughes began the inning by reaching on an error. He then stole second. Duplantis was then walked before junior Josh Smith singled to load the basis. Watson hit an RBI single to left field to bring in Hughes, and Reid drew a bases loaded walk, which plated Duplantis. LSU got another run home when DiGicacomo hit a sacrifice fly to center field to cap the LSU scoring in the inning.

A Duplantis home run in the eighth inning made it 9-0 before two more LSU runs came across to score in the ninth to make it 11-0. Reid doubled and Willis drew a walk to begin the Tigers’ half of the ninth. Reid came around to score on a ground out and sacrifice fly. Willis scored on a throwing error. Jordan’s two-run home run then ended the game’s scoring.

LSU took advantage of six walks and three State errors in the win. Six relief pitchers saw action for the Dawgs. Sophomore Eric Walker (2-1) earned the win for the Tigers after tossing seven scoreless innings. He allowed just four hits to go with three strikeouts and two walks.

MSU will be back in action Wednesday when the Dawgs host ULM to close out an eight-game homestand. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised by SEC Network.