Bulldog bullpen can't hold six-run lead as State drops series at No. 5 Arkansas with 9-6 Sunday loss
In the middle of Mississippi State’s return back to productivity on the baseball diamond, the story is shaping out to be what could have been for the team.
The Bulldogs added another chapter to it on Sunday at Fayetteville, Ark., against the No. 5 Arkansas Razorbacks. Leading 6-0 in the third inning, State gave up nine runs over the course of the fourth through seventh frames behind a poor bullpen and defensive effort and never scored again in a 9-6 loss.
It ended a series loss to the Razorbacks that will ultimately be a frustrating one for State. The Bulldogs had a 5-4 lead on Friday night trying to hand Arkansas its first game one loss of the year. After having to hold on tight in a 8-0 ball game on Saturday, Sunday was another missed shot at the series win.
It was a red-hot start for the Bulldogs in the game as the team scored six runs in the second and third inning combined. MSU scored five in the second as the first six in the inning reached base. Aaron Downs doubled home a run and Ethan Pulliam and Joe Powell hit homers at the bottom of the order to get the 5-0 advantage.
State got another run in the third when Pulliam doubled to bring in a run but that would be the end of the Bulldogs’ offensive momentum.
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After Pico Kohn exited following a strong start of 4.0 innings with three hits, one run, no walks and four strikeouts, State’s bullpen blew up. Karson Ligon gave up three runs in the fifth inning and the lead left in the sixth with Gavin Black and Cam Schuelke giving up four runs on two homers.
Arkansas added another run in the seventh to essentially put the game away with the 9-6 lead.
MSU ended the series having left 37 runners stranded. The team had 12 hits on Sunday with a 3-for-4 day for Pulliam and four RBI with Downs also notching three hits with a double and RBI. Logan Kohler added two hits as the bottom four batters in the lineup finished 9-for-16 with all six runs, two home runs and three doubles.
David Mershon finished 2-for-4.
State (33-18, 15-12 SEC) are still in decent shape to grab a Regional host spot in the postseason but the Bulldogs have missed several chances to seal up that and potentially a National Seed. In conference play alone, State has lost six games by two runs or less and were within three runs in eight of the 12 losses to this point.
It’s an all-important week coming up for State with a midweek game against North Alabama scheduled for Tuesday night at 6 p.m. Missouri comes to Starkville for a Thursday-Saturday series to close out the regular season.
