Saturday, May 20
Starkville
3:30 PM
Mississippi State
34-22, 17-13
7
vs
11
#5 LSU
39-17, 21-9
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9
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H
E
LSU
0
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11
14
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Mississippi State
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7
9
1
In his 190th career at bat, Hunter Stovall hit his first collegiate home run.
State Drops Regular Season Finale To No. 5 LSU
May 20, 2017 | Baseball
STARKVILLE, Miss. – For Mississippi State fans, a lengthy rain delay meant the celebration went on for quite some time.
However, the Diamond Dawgs could not add a victory to the gala.
In its final game at the present Dudy Noble Field, No. 8 MSU dropped an 11-7 decision to No. 5 LSU Saturday in the final game of a three-game Southeastern Conference series and the final game of the 2017 regular season.
With the victory, LSU completed the series sweep. The Tigers improved to 39-17 overall and 21-9 in league play, while securing the Western Division title and a share of the overall conference title with Florida. The Bulldogs lost their fifth straight conference game to fall to 34-22 and 17-13.
"We had a tough weekend," head coach Andy Cannizaro said. "Overall, it was a great regular season. We did better than many people thought we would do. I am very proud to be the head baseball coach here. We have the best fans in the nation and I appreciate them waiting it out with us today.
"LSU is outstanding. This weekend, they were better than us in every aspect of the game. We are going to focus on going to Hoover now and playing well in the SEC Tournament."
The series finale was delayed three hours by rain Saturday. When play did take place, LSU pecked away at five different MSU hurlers. The Tigers had a weekend-best 14 hits, scored in six different frames and stranded 16 base runners.
LSU started the scoring with four runs in the second inning. The big blow was a two-run home run by Beau Jordan.
MSU came back with two scores in the home half of the inning. After Hunter Vansau doubled and Luke Alexander walked, Ryan Gridley brought both home with a two-run double. A strikeout ended the threat with the Bulldogs stranding a pair.
The Bulldogs pulled even an inning later. Cody Brown drew a leadoff walk and Hunter Stovall followed with his first home run – a two-run shot to left field.
LSU took the lead for good in the fourth inning on an RBI-single by Gregg Deichmann. The Tigers stretched the lead with another score in the fifth inning and three more scores in the sixth inning.
The Bulldogs matched those scores in the home half of the inning.
Josh Lovelady and Alexander drew back-to-back walks to start the frame. After a strikeout, Brent Rooker hit an RBI-double down the left field line that set the MSU single-season record for doubles. Jake Mangum followed with a two-run single up the middle. The Bulldogs came close to tying the contest when Cody Brown barely missed a home run to right center.
LSU then put the contest with insurance runs in both the seventh and eighth innings.
MSU finished with nine hits. Rooker had three hits, while Vansau had two hits.
Cole Gordon (2-2) drew the start and lasted 3.1 innings for the Bulldogs. Gordon allowed four hits and five runs (all earned), with two strikeouts and four walks. Riley Self, Spencer Price, Peyton Plumlee and Jacob Billingsley also threw for the Bulldogs.
Overall, MSU pitching walked 10 and hit two batters.
Cole Freeman had three hits for LSU. Kramer Robertson, Josh Smith, Deichmann and Jordan each had multiple hits. Caleb Gilbert (3-1) was credited with the win in relief.
MSU will return to the diamond on Tuesday to take on Georgia in the SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover, Ala. First pitch is set for 8 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
For more information on the Diamond Dawg program, follow the program on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateBB." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap."
However, the Diamond Dawgs could not add a victory to the gala.
In its final game at the present Dudy Noble Field, No. 8 MSU dropped an 11-7 decision to No. 5 LSU Saturday in the final game of a three-game Southeastern Conference series and the final game of the 2017 regular season.
With the victory, LSU completed the series sweep. The Tigers improved to 39-17 overall and 21-9 in league play, while securing the Western Division title and a share of the overall conference title with Florida. The Bulldogs lost their fifth straight conference game to fall to 34-22 and 17-13.
"We had a tough weekend," head coach Andy Cannizaro said. "Overall, it was a great regular season. We did better than many people thought we would do. I am very proud to be the head baseball coach here. We have the best fans in the nation and I appreciate them waiting it out with us today.
"LSU is outstanding. This weekend, they were better than us in every aspect of the game. We are going to focus on going to Hoover now and playing well in the SEC Tournament."
The series finale was delayed three hours by rain Saturday. When play did take place, LSU pecked away at five different MSU hurlers. The Tigers had a weekend-best 14 hits, scored in six different frames and stranded 16 base runners.
LSU started the scoring with four runs in the second inning. The big blow was a two-run home run by Beau Jordan.
MSU came back with two scores in the home half of the inning. After Hunter Vansau doubled and Luke Alexander walked, Ryan Gridley brought both home with a two-run double. A strikeout ended the threat with the Bulldogs stranding a pair.
The Bulldogs pulled even an inning later. Cody Brown drew a leadoff walk and Hunter Stovall followed with his first home run – a two-run shot to left field.
LSU took the lead for good in the fourth inning on an RBI-single by Gregg Deichmann. The Tigers stretched the lead with another score in the fifth inning and three more scores in the sixth inning.
The Bulldogs matched those scores in the home half of the inning.
Josh Lovelady and Alexander drew back-to-back walks to start the frame. After a strikeout, Brent Rooker hit an RBI-double down the left field line that set the MSU single-season record for doubles. Jake Mangum followed with a two-run single up the middle. The Bulldogs came close to tying the contest when Cody Brown barely missed a home run to right center.
LSU then put the contest with insurance runs in both the seventh and eighth innings.
MSU finished with nine hits. Rooker had three hits, while Vansau had two hits.
Cole Gordon (2-2) drew the start and lasted 3.1 innings for the Bulldogs. Gordon allowed four hits and five runs (all earned), with two strikeouts and four walks. Riley Self, Spencer Price, Peyton Plumlee and Jacob Billingsley also threw for the Bulldogs.
Overall, MSU pitching walked 10 and hit two batters.
Cole Freeman had three hits for LSU. Kramer Robertson, Josh Smith, Deichmann and Jordan each had multiple hits. Caleb Gilbert (3-1) was credited with the win in relief.
MSU will return to the diamond on Tuesday to take on Georgia in the SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover, Ala. First pitch is set for 8 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
For more information on the Diamond Dawg program, follow the program on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateBB." You can also find all-access coverage of the program on SnapChat by searching for "HailStateSnap."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Caleb Gilbert (3-1)
L: Gordon, Cole (2-2)
Batting:
2B: Cole Freeman 1 ; Beau Jordan 1
3B: Kramer Robertson 1
HR: Beau Jordan 1
RBI: Kramer Robertson 1 ; Cole Freeman 1 ; Antoine Duplantis 1 ; Greg Deichmann 1 ; Nick Coomes 1 ; Josh Smith 1 ; Beau Jordan 2 ; Michael Papierski 1 ; Zach Watson 1
SH: Cole Freeman 1 ; Beau Jordan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kramer Robertson 2 ; Cole Freeman 1 ; Antoine Duplantis 1 ; Greg Deichmann 1 ; Nick Coomes 1 ; Josh Smith 1 ; Beau Jordan 2 ; Michael Papierski 1 ; Zach Watson 1
SB: Cole Freeman 2 ; Antoine Duplantis 1 ; Josh Smith 1
HBP: Beau Jordan 1 ; Zach Watson 1
Batting:
2B: Gridley, Ryan 1 ; Rooker, Brent 1 ; Vansau, Hunter 1
HR: Stovall, Hunter 1
RBI: Gridley, Ryan 2 ; Rooker, Brent 1 ; Mangum, Jake 2 ; Stovall, Hunter 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Rooker, Brent 1 ; Brown, Cody 1 ; Stovall, Hunter 1 ; Vansau, Hunter 1 ; Lovelady, Josh 1 ; Alexander, Luke 2
SB: Mangum, Jake 1
CS: Rooker, Brent 1
HBP: Mangum, Jake 1
Game Leaders
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RBI
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5
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1
RBI
2
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4
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0
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
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/ BaseballOF/1B
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