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Another bad start dooms Diamond Dawgs in 9-7 loss to Oklahoma State

3rupauk8_400x400by:Robbie Faulk•about 20 hours•

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reed stallman
Reed Stallman (Photo by Mississippi State Athletics)

Another terrible start haunted Mississippi State in Houston on Sunday.

A day after Karson Ligon got State into a 5-1 hole, Stone Simmons had the Bulldogs down 6-1 through three innings. Though the Diamond Dawgs made another valient effort, they were never able to overcome it as they fell 9-7 to Oklahoma State.

With the loss, State fell to 1-2 at the Astros Foundation Classic and finished 1-3 during the week with a loss to Troy.

“Every guy we walked today scored. They get a big hit here or there, but to have that big of a gap was not necessary,” head coach Chris Lemonis said.

“We’re missing a play or two every game and that’s my job as a coach to get them better. We’ve played a tough schedule, but we’re not going to hang our head. We’re going to get back after it.”

Diamond Dawgs falter early again

It was a disastrous start for Stone Simmons and the State defense as the senior lasted just 2.2 innings and gave up five hits, six runs and three walks. Three of his runs were unearned as the Cowboys took advantage of bad defense and free bases to jump out to a 5-1 lead.

State would see that lead grow in the sixth inning as Robert Fortenberry walked the leadoff man and then gave up a three-run home run with an out to push it to 9-2. The Diamond Dawgs battled back in the seventh as Ace Reese drove in a run on a sacrifice fly and Noah Sullivan brought in two more with an RBI single. Reed Stallman got it tight in a hurry as he hit a three-run home run to right to make it 9-7.

That would be all from State’s offense as the Diamond Dawgs had a three-up-three-down eighth and then got flyouts from Reese and Sullivan in the ninth with a man on base.

State finished with nine hits and walked three times in the game. The Bulldogs were led by Reed Stallman’s 3-for-4 day with four RBI and two home runs. Sullivan finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and Chance was 2-for-5 with an RBI as well.

On the mound, free bases and defense were the culprit. State pitching gave up the same amount of hits as the Cowboys but OSU made the Bulldogs pay. After Simmons, Ben Davis threw 2.1 innings giving up two hits, one run, one walk and three strikeouts. Kevin Mannell made his State debut and had 1.2 scoreless innings and Luke Dotson threw a perfect ninth.

“There’s been some good pieces to it,” Lemonis said. “That’s the frustrating part is you look up and you see some good performances but we’re not doing enough across the board.”

MSU is now 7-4 on the season after a 7-2 start and the Diamond Dawgs will have some soul searching to take place this week. There’s very little margin for error for the Bulldogs as the non-con losses have started to mount.

Another tough opponent comes to town on Tuesday as the Diamond Dawgs have a rematch with Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles took a 3-0 win over State on February 18. Game time is set for 4 p.m. on Tuesday at Dudy Noble Field.

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